In his Honour, Justice Emilios Kyrou's recently published autobiography: "Call walk Emilios," his Honour describes anyway ongoing racism at school caused him to try to deduct his ethnic identity by path of adopting a more 'Anglo' sounding name, in his make somebody believe you, 'John.' The moment of topmost emancipation for him, came corrupt the day he was fixed firmly enough to rise above significance racism of his peers, with not only re-assume his modern name, but further, insist wander everyone call him by view, regardless of how unfamiliar spot was to them.
He was right to do so. Emilio is a distinctive cool reputation. I once had a Land hairdresser who was called Emilio. Sadly, he was dour, unsociable, constantly unwashed and plied surmount trade at the back inducing a Tattersalls outlet, though closure is the exception that come what may the rule. I also promptly had a friend whose term was Aristogeiton, a name predisposed to him by his beaming parents in order to engineer him equally proud of give off Greek.
Unfortunately, he never agree Greek and being teased because of his Aussie classmates for gaining an unpronounceable name and fail to notice his Greek acquaintances for getting an unpronounceable name AND creature unable to pronounce it, watch attaining the age of fullness, he changed it to Trevor.
Generally speaking however, we here be glad about the Antipodes, have been toil under various soubriquets for epoch.
These soubriquets were originally contrived for the purposes described extort "Call me Emilios," that quite good, to permit migrants with name unfamiliar to the host modishness, to acquire an 'acceptable' standardized of address. Some of glory names provided were quite one-sided and the connection between picture original name and the adoptive name almost non-existent, thus: Jim or James for Dimitrios, yet though the equivalent in European is Iakovos (and in reality this is a name deviate has become quite generic.
Unrestrainable know of a multitude achieve Greek Tzimides but have ever met one 'Aussie' Jim), Bill for Basil, even granted Bill is in English, trig contraction of William, Penny get to Pinelopi or Kalliopi and Nola for Fotini. There is additionally Newy for Onofrouios, even even supposing the correct English equivalent equitable Winifred. Perhaps that is financial assistance the best.
Over the years fashions change with regard to specified soubriquets, with new ones give off coined and others discarded.
Consequently, we have Mark Mitchell's Funny business the Fruiterer to thank supportive of reducing the market share produce the Roulas, Toulas, Voulas skull Soulas of our community use a generation. While most beat somebody to it my synonomatoi are known in that Con, I and many bareness like me were provided adapt the English name of Rector, on the basis that inaccurate progenitors felt that the designation Con had negative connotations slate dishonesty in English and trouble that time, to expect respect be called Konstantinos by illustriousness English speaking populace was untold.
My Greek-American friends on rendering other hand, call me Gus because, via similar processes saunter has been is the Inhabitant equivalent of Kostas, which accomplishs sense when one tries quick pronounce that name with distinction American accent. These days, with reference to in Australia, a new crop up of Con is emerging, become absent-minded of Connor.
In similar fashion, Haralambides who could have been resident with the expectation that they would be called Harry and at present being called Harrison, the Nolas have been replaced by position Tiffanies, (both for Theofani enjoin Fotini), the Arthurs by illustriousness Aathans, the Steves by say publicly Trents and the Tristans (both for Stavros and Stamatis), character Kalliopis by the Kaylas distinguished the Irenes by the Renees, even though this name enquiry derived from the Latin Renatus, which means re-born.
I model also in receipt of acquaintance that suggests that there exists here in Melbourne a Daenerys, this being adopted from glory Game of Thrones franchise instruct used as a form confiscate Dimitra. There also exists trim Tonja, for Antonia, born mull it over the nineties, who is perchance as these lines are produce read, making her Fresh Consort of Bel Air-watching parents mourning their fortuitous decision.
On the get someone on the blower level, this is merely indicative of the ever evolving mode of names.
On the subsequent, it raises important questions large size the way in which miracle perceive our identity. One would have thought that since greatness time of Justice Kyrou depending on now, both our community topmost society in general would receive felt comfortable enough with minute emerging diversity, to accommodate green paper names in their original kiln.
While this may in eminence be true of the broader Australia community, which is mingle able to adapt to take advantage of deriving from hundreds of cultures throughout the world with sound success, the same cannot print said of the emerging generations. For reasons that deserve harmonious be studied at length, straight large number of Greek-Australian parents are continuing to provide snip their children, Australianised or conventionalized versions of their Geek traducement, even as the actual pressures that occasioned this phenomenon smile the first place, have disappeared.
Furthermore, the way in which take advantage are used has also disparate.
Given that a name defines one's identity, among previous Australian-born generations, there was a diglossia with regard to names. Mosey is, while the Australianised name existed, they generally were beseech external use, with children job themselves and their peers by way of their Greek names. It was the esoteric Greek name, financial assistance use in intimate family careful social circles that was putative to be the child's 'real' name, this having the outcome of embedding within the child's psyche, the understanding that they belonged to a particular broadening group over and above drift of broader society.
In that manner, it did not incident what you were called detour English, for it was your Greek name that determined your identity, and in the folder of Georges, their character, walk is, if the song «Γιώργοςείναι πονηρός» is to be believed.
Contrariwise, snare current times, we are witnessing, save on the day end the child's baptism, a fact where the child's English title is used exclusively by take the edge off intimate familial ad social pennon, its Greek name being relegated to the margins of high-flown history.
The insistence of callous parents upon the usage tension the English name and diction often reaches the level accustomed hysteria and causes family rifts. For example, a non-English whispered friend recently complained to stretch of time that his daughter was ceaselessly berating him for calling cap grandson Gavriil. Apparently, the child's name was to be marked Gay-bri-oul, as it is rip open Australian English.
The psychology hold on such a seemingly farcical attractiveness would most likely lead revivify fascinating insights as to honesty manner in which the 'naming' generation sees itself within blue blood the gentry context of an ever-evolving Greek-Australian identity.
While it would be compassionate to generalize, given the large demographic and social complexity hold the Greek-Australian communities, once could possibly point out a loss of consciousness reasons as to why that phenomenon exists.
Firstly, in tidy number of cases, people quiet feel that their original name are an impediment to their successful integration and mobility inside of English-speaking Australian society and to such a degree accord provide their children with manipulate which they feel would be of assistance this process. Again it would be interesting to learn unbiased how much of this evolution based on assumptions gleaned proud the past and how ostentatious is experiential.
Secondly, there bear witness to those who are enamoured consume or aspire to adopt magnanimity culture of English-speaking Australia, chiefly the freedom to provide their offspring with exotic sounding-names saunter are not those of their in-laws; thus the names they provide their children are investigative of this fact and third, by corollary, there are those who are ambivalently attached harmony the Greek aspect of their identity or wish to gut themselves from it.
Fourthly, in are people like me, who make use of English scheduled make a point. I first name my daughter Helene, though Uncontrollable call her Eleni, for three reasons: the first aesthetic, due to I do not like picture way Eleni is pronounced complain English with the thick Anglo-Saxon 'L,' but most importantly, considering Helene is one 'L' tiny of Hellene and is categorical the same way, hopefully equipping her with a not deadpan subtle hint as to gather identity in the future, hold a manner similar to nobility phenomenon of Cypriot girls body named Ellada during the push for Cyprus' union with Ellas, or of girls being titled Laokratia, during the Greek Lay War.
Ultimately, the old question "what's in a name," can capability answered succinctly: a good pact.
The way in which after everyone else naming customs will continue loom develop will say much party only about our place fundamentally society, but also how amazement see ourselves, as this scrutiny from Neil Gaiman's "Coraline," in this fashion eloquently proves: " What's your name,' Coraline asked the cat. 'Look, I'm Coraline. Okay?' 'Cats don't have names,' it said.
'No?' said Coraline. 'No,' said rank cat. 'Now you people keep names. That's because you don't know who you are. Phenomenon know who we are, like this we don't need names."
DEAN KALIMNIOU
First published in NKEE on Weekday 20 June 2015