A lot's in a name: Rajasthan govt launches drive to change student names if derogatory

Jaipur: Names like "Sheru", "Shaitan" and other unusual or derogatory monikers often finding their way into school registers could soon be a thing of the past in Rajasthan, with the state government launching a "Sarthak Naam Abhiyan" to replace them with more meaningful alternatives.

The initiative seeks to address concerns that students with awkward or inappropriate names often face ridicule and loss of self-esteem, particularly as they grow older.

"As children grow older, such names sometimes lead to embarrassment and may even affect their self-esteem," School Education Minister Madan Dilawar told reporters on Tuesday, adding that names play an important role in shaping a child's identity and personality.

He said that in many cases, names are assigned without considering their long-term impact.

"Sometimes parents choose names without being aware of their meanings or for social reasons, but later children may develop a sense of inferiority because of them," the minister said.

Under the campaign, the education department has identified around 2,000-3,000 such names across government and private schools and prepared a list of nearly 3,000 meaningful alternatives.

The list includes 1,541 names for girls and 1,409 for boys, along with their meanings, which will be shared with parents.

Officials said the department believes that a person's name reflects his or her social identity and values, and negative or flawed names can adversely impact a child's mental development and confidence.

Schools have been directed to sensitively identify students with such names and engage with parents through parent-teacher meetings and School Management Committees to encourage opting for positive names.

The minister also stressed the need to eliminate caste-based or derogatory terms from official records. "Words that have historically been used in a derogatory manner should not be recorded. Respectful alternatives must be adopted," he said.

According to officials, parents of newly admitted students will be given the option to select names from the suggested list at the time of admission, while existing students can apply for name changes as per prescribed rules.

Senior officials will monitor the implementation of the campaign and review its progress periodically, they added.