The Many Names of Me – And the Stories Behind Them

What’s in a name? A lot, apparently—especially if you’re me.

Hi, I’m Rohith Pothepalli. Well, that’s what my school certificate says, but depending on who you ask, I go by many different names. Each one has a story, a memory, and in some cases, a traumatic ludo match behind it.

The OG Name – Manikanta

Before I became “Rohith,” I was actually named “Manikanta.” My dad, a big devotee of Ayyappa Swamy, thought it was the perfect name for me. But when it was time for school admission, my parents had a sudden realization: Manikanta sounded a little… old-fashioned. So, in an attempt to give me a cooler, more modern identity, they hit the refresh button and named me Rohith.

The Cartoon-Approved Nickname – Babbu

Every Indian kid has a nickname that sounds nothing like their actual name. Mine is “Babbu.” Now, my parents claim that I, as a toddler, picked this up from a cartoon show. I thought they were making up a weird story to mess with me—until my younger brother, Kiran, came along and also decided he wanted to be called Babbu. Coincidence? I think name has something in it, or may be it was easy to pickup for a todler and then people decided that I love the name. It’s not that I dont like the name, it is only that I can’t believe the story!

The Ludo-Cursed Name – Chinnu

This one stings. My sister, being the mischievous little genius she is, found the name “Chinnu” cute after hearing one of her friends call their brother that. She started calling me Chinnu just to annoy me. It worked. Every time she said it, my soul cringed a little.

So one day, I decided to put an end to it once and for all—through a high-stakes game of ludo. Winner gets to decide the name. I rolled the dice, confident in my destiny… and lost. Now, for better or worse, I am Chinnu to her forever. I still see those cursed dice in my nightmares.

The Retro Vibe – Pothepalli

See its hard to see close friends call you by name. its mostly “Rey”, “Bro”, “Idiot”, etc . Some people call you by name and you accept it. Some skipped all the fancy first names and just started calling me by my last name—Pothepalli. I guess it sounded cool or may be just not to confuse with the millions of Rohith’s that they know. I won’t lie “Pothepalli” has a nice ring to it.

The Name Mixing Disaster

Having multiple names is fun until people start mixing them up. If my parents call me “Rohith” in front of my friends, it feels weird. If my sister, who only ever calls me Chinnu, suddenly calls me “Annayya”(brother), my brain short-circuits. And if a relative calls me something completely random, I genuinely wonder if they’re mistaking me for someone else.

At the end of the day, no matter how many names I have, they all hold a special place in my life. Each one represents a different version of me—a son, a brother, a friend, and an unfortunate ludo player.

So, what’s your weirdest nickname? Let me know—I promise I won’t call you by it in public!