Machchhar, Hathi, Ghoda: Curious menagerie in Gujarati surnames
The article explores the etymology and cultural context of unique Gujarati surnames that translate to animals and insects, such as Machchhar (mosquito) and Hathi (elephant). It highlights how these names are worn with pride despite their literal meanings.
Why it matters
It provides cultural insight into Indian naming conventions and how they intersect with personal identity and social perception.
AHMEDABAD/MUMBAI: When Captain Smit Machchhar’s name did the rounds as the commander who helped avert disaster on a flydubai flight, the applause came with a side of curiosity. Machchhar? As in a mosquito, in Hindi? A creature that has clocked more flying hours than any airline pilot, with no licence, no type rating and never once a boarding pass?Machchhar belongs to a small menagerie of zoological and entomological surnames found among Gujarati communities including Nagar Brahmins, Brahmkshatriya and Lohanas, sociologists point outThe list includes Ghoda (horse), Mankad (bed bug), Mankodi (large ant, such as a carpenter ant), Popat (parakeet), Vinchhi (scorpion), Shiyal (jackal), Tetar (pheasant/partridge) and Hathi (elephant), among others.In the Nagar community, one branch of the family tree can buzz while another trumpets. The surname of Captain Manoj Hathi, former director (operations) at Air India, means elephant in Hindi.“The joke wrote itself.
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