::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Chintito

A Confused Nation?

Chintito

Ahmed, Ahamed, Ahmad, Ahmede, Achmed
Akhtar, Akhter, Akter
Anika, Aniqa, Aniqua, Aneeka, Aneequa, Aneka
Baki, Baqi, Baqui, Baqee
Bashir, Basheer, Basir
Belal, Bilal, Billal
Chaudhury, Chowdhury, Chaudhuree, Chowdhuree, Choudhuri
Delwar, Dilawar, Dilwar
Eeman, Eiman, Iman, Imaan
Ershad, Irshad
Faruk, Faruque, Farook, Farooque
Feroz, Feroze, Firoj, Firoz, Firoze
Gofur, Ghafur
Golam, Gholam, Gulam
Haider, Hyder, Haidar
Haq, Huq, Hoq, Haque, Huque, Hoque
Hossain, Hussain, Hosain, Husain, Hussein
Iftikhar, Iftekhar, Iftekar, Iftikar
Ilias, Iliyas, Elias
Ismail, Ismael, Ishmael
Jamal, Zamal, Jamil, Zamil
Jasmin, Jasmeen, Jesmin
Kabir, Kabeer, Khabir
Kader, Kadir, Quadir, Qadir
Kamruzzaman, Quamruzzaman, Qamruz Zaman
Kazi, Qazi, Quazi
Khaliq, Khalique, Khalek, Khaleque
Mahbub, Mahboob, Mahabub, Mehbub, Mehboob,
Mahmud, Mahmood, Mehmud, Mehmood, Mahamood
Malek, Maleq, Maleque, Malik, Maliq
Masud, Masood, Mashud
Miah, Mian, Mia, Meah
Mohammad, Mohammed, Muhammad, Muhammed, Mohd., Moh'd., Md.
Manzur, Monsur, Monzoor
Mojumdar, Mozumder, Mozumdar, Mazumdar
Morshed, Murshed, Moorshed
Mushtaque, Mushtaq, Mustak, Moshtaq
Mostofa, Mostafa, Mustofa, Mustafa

Mumtaz, Mumtaj, Mamtaz, Momtaz
Nasreen, Nasrin, Naswrin, Nazrin, Nazreen
Neaz, Niaz, Niaj
Nizam, Nijam, Nazim, Nazem, Nazeem
Parvin, Perveen, Parveen, Perween
Qamrul, Quamrul, Kamrul
Rafik, Rafiq, Rafique
Rahman, Rehman, Rahaman
Rashid, Rashed, Raashed, Rasheed, Raschid
Rawshan, Rowshan, Roshan
Razia, Rizia, Rezia
Razzak, Razzaque, Razzaq
Riad, Riyaad, Reyad
Riaz, Reaz, Riyaz
Rizwan, Rezwan, Rezawan
Rownak, Rawnak, Rownaque
Sarkar, Sarker, Sharkar
Selim, Salim, Seleem, Saleem
Shafik, Shafique, Shafiq, Shafeeq
Shameem, Shamim
Shaikh, Sheikh, Sheik
Shawkat, Showkat, Shauquat, Showquat
Siddik, Siddiq, Siddique, Sidek
Sikder, Sikdar, Shikdar
Sohrab, Shohorab, Shohrab
Syed, Saeed, Sayeed, Sa'id
Tanvir, Tanveer, Tanweer, Tanwir
Tarek, Tareq, Tarik, Tareque
Taslim, Tasleem, Toslim
Taukir, Tauquir, Taukeer, Tauqueer, Toukir, Touquir, Toukeer, Touqueer
Toufiq, Towfique, Toufik, Tawfik
Wakil, Oakil, Ukil
Xuddin, X Uddin, X-ud-Deen
Yamin, Yameen, Yeamin
Yeasmin, Yasmin, Yasmeen, Iasmin, Easmin
Yousuf, Yusuf, Eusuf
Zakir, Zaker, Zakeer

I beg to be forgiven for the omissions, particularly if it's your name it is. There are several more, mostly pairs, such as Anees and Anis, Babul and Babool, Beg and Baig, Hasan and Hassan, Lokman and Loqman, Tamim and Tameem, Zahid and Zahed.

Need you ask any more why are we a confused nation? Divided is a softer way of saying we are shredded. Some would like to say that this is the art of being different.

Let me avail this opportunity to propose a national convention of each group of names so that they can sort out the differences between a, e i, o, u and save us all the shame of misspelling their name. They get really angry when we do, and why?

You could learn a lesson from us. Do you know how many Chintitos were born after this column began in 1995? Just run an Internet search and you will be surprised by two things. One, the number and the other, they all spell it like I do. They are so very clever. Cheenteeto would look so silly!