What's in a name. A rose by any name is just as sweet.

Earlier I have written about names; about problems and opportunities that names might bring as well as how and why I chose the names for my children. Names has its importance as the wrong name could bring on a lot of teasing, mischief and misery, especially among children while the right name can take a person to the right places. Read about it in ‘Names can bring misery posted on 1st March 2009, How children's names could be chosen posted on 2nd March 2009 and Names can bring opportunities published on 3rd March, 2009.

When it comes to my name, the person who does not know me would think I am a female. You see, among the Mandarin speaking group, many believe it’s a name for a woman. So, sometimes I receive letters addressed to ‘Miss Ong Ai Wei’. Fortunately, it did not turn me into a gay. I suppose I’m just too rough and manly for that.

You know, once,a friend had some wigs and she showed them to me. I did try on the friend's wigs and a look at that mug of mine with those straight or permed long hair was enough to drive out any romantic feelings any lady could have had for me. Since then, this fellow prefers all things manly, things most women would be more attracted to.

Coming back from my rambling, my name is actually good. You see, I have a fail-safe last name. In Chinese ‘Ong’ means good luck. ‘Fung shui’ masters, those who teach us how to arrange things in our houses to bring in luck, have no luck with me, for I am always ‘Ong’ (lucky) with a capital ‘O’. My house has at least one ‘Ong’ around.

And my middle name is ‘Ai’ which means love. So, love is always in the air wherever I go.

‘Wei’ just means generous and I think it just suits me fine. As one lovely girlfriend I was once close with during my youth told me, “You are just too generous. You know, Ai Wei; you are generous to a fault.” I did not mind that as it has helped made my life wonderful. Of course, I can be stingy too. It depends. Otherwise, I would not be good at managing myself, would I?

Then, there was this beautiful lady friend who wondered how she should call me. She told me calling me ‘Wei’ would sound rude as that’s how some people using Mandarin language would rudely address those whose names are not known to them. You know, someone would shout out, "Wei! Wei! What're you doing in my office. Get lost!" and that 'Wei' might reply, "Hey, you think I don't have a name, hah?" Well, in my mind, I thought it would be nice if she could call me ‘Wo de Ai’ which means ‘My beloved.’ However, sentimental dreamer, I might be but fool, I am not. So, I did not venture to voice that.

Then, at The Art of Living Centre in Sungai Petani where a good number of people spoke Mandarin, many found my first name a mouthful. So I told those beloved folks, “Just call me Highway.” They found that easy as it was part of their vocabulary, having talked about using the highway so very often. So, there, this man's Highway. The Highwayman? No, no! No way, just Highway will do. I presume they do not know the meaning of that. Oh, God!

Nevertheless, there's no need to worry. Be it ‘Ai Wei’, ‘Highway’ or ‘Highwayman’, eventually, when they know me well enough, they will know it is the person himself that counts. No matter how pretty or ugly a name is, it is just a sound that we attach to a person. We like someone because of his/her character and qualities, not because of a name.