Indian names…
ahahahah…today i’m facing the same difficulties deciphering and remembering similar given names in India that I had when I first arrived in the United States.
When I arrived in the US meeting a lot of Johns, Bobs, Bills, Mikes, and Robs right of the bat, it was tricky for a french speaking Swiss to pick-up quickly these short surnames. They all blurred into a little small sound that did not resonate enough in my brain to make a deep enough mark. I was unable to repeat people’s name right after the first round around the room in official introductions ! Not good.
Anyhow, today I’m faced with the same feelings but in India. I have a hard time remembering who’s Vinod, Vishal, Vikram, Viral or Vikas. Too many V’s and my brain has not been wired to get all those in one go. At least not yet. They feel pretty different and varied for the locals of course and everybody looks at me, like if something was wrong with me, but I gurantee you that it’s not short of trying.
I’ve managed to get a special memory section to remember the Bills,Bobs and Mikes so time is on my side to do the same with the Vineeth, Vaibhav or Vinayak.
But don’t forget I sure would see you too getting at a party and being introduced around – “Bonjour je m’appelle Jean-Pierre, moi c’est Jean-Marc, moi c’est Jean-Paul, moi c’est Paul-Henri, moi c’est Jean-Philippe !”
Ha.
I love it. Diversity is blessed.
Good to be alive.
Kerosene Traveler 
I just met an artist J. Michael Walker the other day … who wrote and illustrated a beautiful book on Los Angeles streets named after Saints … because he started to notice that street after street in the city of angels was named for different saints … over 200!
San Vicente, Santa Monica, St Moritz, St Stephanie de los Ninos etc …
The nice aspect of his research and illustrations was that he drew the saints for who they were in the actual ethnic backgrounds from the actual countries the saints sprung from. he calls it the spirits of the saints and their namesakes …
so perhaps in giving names our parents are preserving the spirits of every one ever named jean-paul or Vineeth or Bob!
That is a lot of spirit – no wonder it gets confusing – crowds the memory banks as everyone vies for your attention.