What’s the story behind your nickname?
In Kerala, where the coconut trees sway and the backwaters whisper, nicknames are a way of life. My nickname, Monu, is a classic for boys in my home state. Allow me to share the quirky charm of Kerala’s naming traditions and why I’m secretly excited to one day be called “Monu Appuppa.” The Heart of Kerala’s Nicknames In Malayalam, the language that binds Kerala’s soul, boys are affectionately called mon and girls mol. These are playful shorthand for the proper terms makan (son) and makal (daughter). But here’s the catch: spellings shift and pronunciations twist every fifty kilometers across our lush state. It’s a linguistic adventure, as fluid as Kerala’s monsoons. As a child, Monu felt perfect—cute, catchy, and carefree. It rolled off the tongue during schoolyard games and family gatherings. But as the years pile on, and the hair on my head thins to a distinguished shade of silver… What’s the story behind your nickname?