Importance of Calling your Name

By Puja Kumari:

Who doesn’t want to get addressed by their first name? I am sure we all just love to hear our names over and over again. And why not? After all, that’s our identity and uniqueness that tugs someone to gain our attention.

Out of habit we often ask names of people whom we come across, more so of those who serve us in some way- cab drivers, lift men, auditorium attendants, courier boys, check-in counter team, waiters... And it’s always nice to see a smiling face in return- for, to a person, his name is the sweetest sound in any language. I am sharing my personal story. I was traveling with my grandfather. We had boarded the Shatabdi express from Chandigarh to Delhi a few days back. As my grandfather dragged his bag towards his seat passing by the attendants' cabin (where the catering team keeps their stuff) the catering boy bumped into him. In a rushed manner he apologized and went on with his work to organize the snack trays to be given to passengers. On seeing his face my grandfather recognized that he was the same boy who was with him when he had traveled the previous week towards Chandigarh from Delhi. he said “arre Bhanu kaisa hai? Kya baat hai aaj phir tu hi hai iss bogey mei.” He looked at him blankly trying to place him but he couldn’t. Nevertheless, with a smile, he helped us open the door to the main seating area and got back to his work of organizing his food plates. We settled down & the train departed towards Delhi. After 10 minutes or so, Bhanu came to our seat and told him-“ aap pichle week 24-25 tareekh ko travel kar rahe the na?”

My grand father replied-“kya baat hai Bhanu, tujhe yaad aa gaya..” he said “aapko mera naam yaad hai.. kamaal hai.. “ We exchanged smiles & his face had a look that reflected surprise, self-respect, acknowledgment & of course happiness. And I believe he came to his seat to meet him purely because he had remembered his name. One more time in my life I witnessed the wonder of referring to a person by his name. Not to mention a great service right throughout the journey. We do it out of habit and we have never been disappointed with the outcome -for, to a person, his name is the sweetest sound in any language. Hai na? You must try doing it once if not yet. Importance of calling someone by their Name – Ø By calling your name, they want your total attention towards them and follow the conversation. As soon as you say a person’s name, they will turn towards you and you will get their attention Ø When one uses your name in a conversation, it ensures that you remember the discussion. The use of your name will also ensure that you feel special. Ø Mentioning someone’s name in a conversation is also a personality trait that indicates the power of acknowledgment. By acknowledging other people with their names, one can tell them how important they are which also helps in strengthening their bond. They always feel equal.