WHAT'S in a NAME?!

"Dear Padilla", goes the email I just got from one of our Regional Administrators. I was annoyed that someone, 'though it's not the first time, called me by my last name. It's not that I hate my father's name, but I just don't like being called by my last name. For me it's rude, and a sign of disrespect. Padilla maybe my name, but hello!!!??@#$%!, I prefer to be called by my first name.

I am totally puzzled why someone would address me with my last name. There's not even a "Miss" or "Ms." on that salutation so I've made up a theory that maybe, just maybe, these people thought that my last name is Presley. My officemates were laughing when I told them of my newly-formed theory but actually agreed that I might be correct. I wonder why they didn't notice that Presley came before Padilla.

Calling someone by his lastname brings back weird feelings. When I was in grade school, the teachers called us by our last names. Very few teachers called me or us, by our first names (or given name, a Filipino term). I also remember a long email that went back and forth between my then boss at IRRI and a Scientist (Dr. Jackson, I remember) when he, the Scientist, took ill-feelings because my lady boss, Dr. Gomez referred to him simply as "Jackson" during one of the Board Meetings. He was so mad that he sent an email to the Director General complaining how he was "improperly addressed" by the 2nd most (implicitly) influential person in the Institute. I also feel some kind of resentment and could still vividly hear my 3rd grade teacher calling me "Padilla". I wonder though whether it's the fact that she never called me by my first name or more because I still feel robbed when she didn't give me the First Honor medal, I had to settle for 2nd because, apparently, though I got higher grades, I had more absences.. I remember her calling Delia Ramos, the 1st Honor, by her first name. I demand an inquiry!!!!

Even people at church are so confused with my names, I simply tell them I have so many names when they ask how come someone called me Ann. At work they call me Presley although I told them on my first working day that I prefer to be called Ann because Presley is a boy's name. I was successful on the first few days but I finally gave up and just let them call me whatever they want. My relatives, close friends, and church friends calls me another name -- Bing. When one of my classmates in Christian Education once asked me, "What's your name again?" -- he's got trouble remembering people, much more their names -- I told him "you can call me Ann but you can also call me Bing. Whatever gets retained in your brain!". That was rude. Maybe if I told him call me Padilla, he'd remember right away.

This brings me back to my friend, Roselle's, entry on names about Ma and Maria. I grew up in a culture where parents have this uncanny talent of naming their children. My parents, for example, named all of us with names starting in "P"s until they ran out of names and had to settle for Francis for our youngest. That is hilarious, parents running out of names for their children! We got famous names, a boxer (Pancho), Elvis' wife (Priscilla), the King of Rock and Roll (Presley Ann, yours truly). Unique (so I thought) names -- Philmore, Phlormelinda, Primie. Please note that they are pronounced as "F" (i.e. Filmore). They even resorted to naming one of my sisters with my dad's ex-girlfriend's name! Oh my mom, she's the best for letting my dad do that. Or maybe, she ran out of ideas too... I would demand for a divorce if my future husband insist on naming any or our children with his exs' names. Excuse me.... padaan lang...

Besides the same first letters, I had classmates whose parents, obviously, are into flowers -- Jasmine,Gardenia,Sampaguita,Rosal,Rose,Orchid.. I am still waiting to meet someone named Kampupot, Ilang-ilang, Calachuchi, Suntan, Gumamela. Parents who loves fruits or plants -- Cherry, Apple, Strawberry, Chico, to name a few. If they are in the mood for cooking these names become -- Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, Strawberry Pie. I hope to meet someone named Citrus, Mango, Langka, Ube, Papaya, or Buco. I bet if I want to be adventurous and go to the provinces, I will find at least one. Not to mention joining both parents' names. I've met a lot of people, who, when they tell me their full names, I knew right away or at least imagine it, if his/her name is a combination of his parents' names. Most of the time I am right.