In my 23 years in Goa, I have sung in choirs for many weddings. The commonest bloopers have been concerning names. Either the priest cannot get them right or the couple themselves! I don’t know what it is with names however, many brides insist on including their maiden surnames in the name. Sometimes the groom also includes his maternal surname in his name.

I have heard that the bride’s parents insist on the bride using their surname as part of her name if she is the only daughter (i.e. IF the groom will be the ‘ghor-zanvõi’!). There have been heated arguments over such name-keeping! Sometimes becoming the main cause for splits in the marriage!

As for me, i did not insist on my wife changing her surname on her company’s roll for  quite a few years after marriage. Ultimately, she accepted the Dias name and changed it without me having to bicker!

Enough said about Goan names. If you have any funny incidents to relate regarding names, do leave me a comment below.