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Dileepk Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Usage of First name, Last name and Middile name.
Dear Sirs,
My mother tongue is Malayalam, a language spoken in the southen state of India.
In our language we do not split the name of a person into First name, Last name etc.
As such I have some difficuly in understanding this concept of name classification in English.
For example, my name is Dileep kumar K.G - is my first name 'Dileep' or is it 'Kumar' .
Where I have to put my Initials K.G ? is it Middle?
Thank you for you help.
-dileep.
My mother tongue is Malayalam, a language spoken in the southen state of India.
In our language we do not split the name of a person into First name, Last name etc.
As such I have some difficuly in understanding this concept of name classification in English.
For example, my name is Dileep kumar K.G - is my first name 'Dileep' or is it 'Kumar' .
Where I have to put my Initials K.G ? is it Middle?
Thank you for you help.
-dileep.
Top answer
Is one of your names shared by everyone in your family, and passed on to the children? That is the last name or surname. Any individual names picked out just for you by your parents, they are your first and middle names.
- Is one of your names shared by everyone in your family, and passed on to the children?
- That is the last name or surname.
- Any individual names picked out just for you by your parents, they are your first and middle names.
- Use whichever you are called on a day to day basis as your first name.
- I'm a bit confused by the initials - do they stand for anything?
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24 Answers
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Is one of your names shared by everyone in your family, and passed on to the children? That is the last name or surname.
Any individual names picked out just for you by your parents, they are your first and middle names. Use whichever you are called on a day to day basis as your first name.
I'm a bit confused by the initials - do they stand for anything?
Any individual names picked out just for you by your parents, they are your first and middle names. Use whichever you are called on a day to day basis as your first name.
I'm a bit confused by the initials - do they stand for anything?
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Thank you very much nona the brit.
Your explanation is simple and excellent.
Natuarly, there are certain difference between languages and caltures. For example, in our family we do not share any one name. Does it mean that we do not have any last name or surname ? but unfortuantly every form on the internet insist for a last name.
The init
Your explanation is simple and excellent.
Natuarly, there are certain difference between languages and caltures. For example, in our family we do not share any one name. Does it mean that we do not have any last name or surname ? but unfortuantly every form on the internet insist for a last name.
The init
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Hi Dileepk,
My two cents on this topic. In India, people generally don't use last name, rather they form names in a different way.
For example, 'John' is son of 'Smith'. ( John--> Son; Smith--> Father). In India, name of John would be S. John (Here, S is the first letter of first name of John's father). But, in USA-not sure about other countries,though-Jo
My two cents on this topic. In India, people generally don't use last name, rather they form names in a different way.
For example, 'John' is son of 'Smith'. ( John--> Son; Smith--> Father). In India, name of John would be S. John (Here, S is the first letter of first name of John's father). But, in USA-
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I can see your dilemma then Dileepk.
I think you have two choices. Create a westernised version of your name, using your fathers name as surname and not just his initial, or just pick one of your names as a surname.When people are addressing you in a formal way with the equivalant of 'Mr.' which name do they use? That would be the one to use as your surname.
I think you have two choices. Create a westernised version of your name, using your fathers name as surname and not just his initial, or just pick one of your names as a surname.When people are addressing you in a formal way with the equivalant of 'Mr.' which name do they use? That would be the one to use as your surname.
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I think in the UK someoneone in your situation would use Dileep as their first/given name and Kumar as their surname. Kumar is an 'Indian' surname over here. We even have a TV show called 'The Kumars at number 42' which features a family with the surname Kumar.
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Dileep - I know different cultures have different customs regarding names, but I didn't realize that India was so different. Didn't all those years of British influence establish the custom of first names and last names? I agree with Nona - Kumar sounds like a last name to me. (I know Indian people in the U.S. who have the last name Kumar.) Could you tell us a little more about how names are u
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Hello Khoff and Nona,
I appreciate your interest on this topic. The confusion about 'last name' of Indians arises because the 'first name' of Indians can have two words/names. In US, it is very common that a 'first name' would have only one name, but in the case an Indian first name, there can be two words/names. For example,
Ram Kumar, Ravi Kumar, Mohan Kumar ..etc. Here, 'Ku
I appreciate your interest on this topic. The confusion about 'last name' of Indians arises because the 'first name' of Indians can have two words/names. In US, it is very common that a 'first name' would have only one name, but in the case an Indian first name, there can be two words/names. For example,
Ram Kumar, Ravi Kumar, Mohan Kumar ..etc. Here, 'Ku
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For example, 'John' is son of 'Smith'. ( John--> Son; Smith--> Father). In India, name of John would be S. John (Here, S is the first letter of first name of John's father). But, in USA-
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Hi Khoff,
Please see my response below.
Are you saying that in India, if John was the son of Charles he would be called C. John? That's correct, Khoff.
The following table shows how names work in most part of India.
Please see my response below.
Are you saying that in India, if John was the son of Charles he would be called C. John? That's correct, Khoff.
The following table shows how names work in most part of India.
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Thank you, Krish - very interesting! I had no idea names worked so differently in India.
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