I got a comment recently on my blog that though the name of my blog is Travel Tales from India, I write about other countries! And then they say what is in a name. I think the impression was formed because of the recent spate of posts on Thailand and Cambodia. But that took me back to how I named my blog.
I actually started blogging because my brother-in-law and sister didn’t leave me alone till I started. At that point in June 2005, I had just started traveling and most of my travels were within India. I had been a few other countries but mostly for work. So looking for a name, I just came up with Travel Tales from India, because I thought most of my travels would be within India! In fact as a family we have still not taken a vacation abroad. I think it is about time we changed this.
At that point in time, little did I know that I would get invited to other countries because of my blog. In fact when South Africa Tourism’s PR contacted me they did ask if I write about other countries or do I cover only India! When I answered in affirmative, they were happy to invite me. At times I thought of changing the name or adding a more neutral tag line but in the end I decided to let it be. After 8 years of blogging the name has just stuck.
I sometimes wish if I had the foresight I would have picked up a more neutral sounding name. But back in 2005 in India if you told someone you had a blog, the next question invariably would be, “So who reads it?” In that scenario how could have I thought of a more neutral name? I took a name which made sense, at least at that time.
I have made my peace with the blog’s name for the time being. I justify it by thinking that even if I do cover stories from other countries I am based in India and in that sense they are still tales from India as they are told by an Indian. Sounds lame? Well I had to think of something. And I shudder to think what would happen if we ever shifted base to another country. But that is really a remote possibility.
But if are reading this and if you are about to start a blog do chose the name wisely because chances are you are going to be stuck with it for the rest of your blogging life. So how did you name your blog?
PS. As you see this is another rare post without a photo, that means I am about to travel again. This time it is only me and Chhavi. And we are going to have fun!
Good post. This post took me back to 2005 when I was just in 5th or 6th standard! I had not seen a computer then! Hats off to your efforts!
I called my primary blog rotteneggstrikes because of an episode with cracking rotten eggs for breakfast one day. Then I started a book blog and called it Books By Rotten. π
I know how much we would have learnt since the day we created our blog. Layout changes, name change on the mind et al. And you desired domain is always already taken π I have a redirection where old name redirects to the new one.
The blog url certainly has a key. Before i got to know all about blogging i gave a name π
I think your name is a good one!
I named my blog Lady Fi because that is what one of my neighbours insisted on calling me.
Haha! Good one! I was confused while naming my blog and so eager to begin posting that the naamkaran was eventually done by my mom in law!
Indeed What is there in the Name as long as we enjoy your travel tales and that’s what matter most.. π
And 8 years of Blogging that is quite a job well done.. π
Keep up the Good Work.. π
I get this question asked to me very often. And when I started, I was equally clueless π
Nice one. In my case, in my satsang, everyone used to say “God knows” and my disciples call me Krsna and since I give spiritual answers the name came up as “Krsnaknows,” from then on.
Have a great trip.
Great post. I shamlessly borrowed my blog’s name from a band I used to listen to during my school days. So Micheal Learns to Rock is an “inspiration” for Kaps Learns to Invest!!!
Great topic! We often think about how we will implement our passion for travel to other countries in the future through posts on our blog “Tieland to Thailand”. For us I think we will remain content heavy on Thailand, but sprinkle in a couple other destinations throughout our adventures. We may even launch a new blog with a name that allows us to capture the attention of people that would normally pass up our current site.
We came up with our name after a long day at the office back in the states. Already knowing that we would be moving to Thailand, we wanted a name that would quickly tell our story of how we quit our corporate careers to escape to Thailand for a completely new life.
Great read! Thanks for sharing π
I started as Kids and Car on blogspot, then during one of my trips to US, a dear friend took me to a place where desi’s come to have Indian food ( as if t hey do not get it in their home), thus desi Traveler was born.
Mridula, you can always rename your blog Travel Tales of an Indian, but then I’m being presumptuous. That is still a well meaning title.
I wrote about the name of my blog in a post called A MΓ©lange of Monologues. (I hate to insert links in my comments but I couldn’t have asked you to rummage into the archives there.)
I started mine rather recently…Atlassic…(hoping to create a new atlas…of destinations π )
8 years of continuous blogging! Wow… that’s an achievement.
I think it would have been dramatic if I would have answered “how did I name my blog” through a blog. I am glad that my comment made you curious about your precious blog and you were brave enough to attempt to look inward.
I have been meaning to write a philosophical page for my blog that is from out of the cave (my email id) to the indivisual (my blog http://www.theindivisual.in). There was a time when I was coming out to world and facing the unknown. Now it is purposelessness that drives me, hence indivisual. it sounds very individualistic… related to self and independent, alone… I might compose a blog, but now it is night time and I must go to sleep.
I thought then befor gong to sleep that lets make it dramatic. And your blog inspired a post. I wrote a reflective piece.
http://www.theindivisual.in/2013/10/from-out-of-cave-to-indivisual.html
My blog name is a Kannada word – βPayaαΉ igaβ means traveler, the one who travels – derived from the word PayaαΉ a which means travel, journey π
Thank you all for sharing your stories. I enjoyed reading all of them! Indeed what is there in a name …
To be frank, I do not remember the reason for the name of my blog. Tales of a Nomad just happened. π