What's in a name?

In Sudan, they consider my legal name to be Sara Elizabeth. I realised this when I was at the police station yesterday. I handed the officer my passport so he could get my name correct and from then on, I was Sara Elizabeth; Bonner had been dropped.

Although I’ve been here a year and a half, I cannot figure out names. Everyone has three names. Most of us in the West have three names, but we rarely use our middle name unless on a legal document of some kind. Here, the Sudanese write out all three names – on everything. What’s more interesting is that they are used interchangeably. Sometimes the name you thought was first is actually the middle or last. Everytime you see the name written, the order has changed. I’ve become really obsessed with making sure I get people’s names correct – so if I’m working with someone, I want to call them the name they prefer.

A conversation between my my staff and I -

Me – “What do you like to be called – Yanga or Elias?”
Yanga/Elias – “It doesn’t matter, you can call me what you like.”
Me – “It’s your name, I should call you what you like.”
Yanga/Elias – “Ok, I guess Yanga.. or Elias.”