In India, it's Arnold Subhashnagar, William Dharampal: A Twitter exchange, courtesy Anand Mahindra

The 'desi' struggle to pronounce 'videshi' names is real. (Image credit: @anandmahindra/Twitter)

The struggle to pronounce long foreign names is real. That is why someone in India thought of rechristening actor Arnold Schwarzenegger as “Arnold Subhashnagar”.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s localised name appeared on a graffiti, a photo of which industrialist Anand Mahindra recently shared on Twitter.

Mahindra said the Indian community embraces the whole world. "We adopt everything and everyone and give them Indian Avatars," he added.

This is the ‘Great Indian Funnel.’ We adopt everything and everyone & give them Indian Avatars! हम पूरी दुनिया को अपनाते हैं. (And I wonder why I used to try so hard to pronounce ‘Schwarzenegger’ when I could have just called him Mr. Subhashnagar..) pic.twitter.com/zqOZN05k2N

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 16, 2022

The industrialist added that he himself could have called Schwarzenegger  "Subhashnagar” and saved himself the trouble.

Other Twitter users joined the conversation, offering more examples of indianised foreign names.

"There was also a Mai ka Lal Jaikishan," journalist Bharti Jain tweeted.

Another user said: "Behen Jovi (Bon Jovi), Mata lica (Metallica), Iron Maidaan (Iron Maiden of course), Aap Bhi (U2) and Owaisis (Oasis)." 

In the conversation about "videshi" names turned "desi", one user mentioned celebrated Scottish historian William Dalrymple.

"I had similar problem with William Dalrymple so I chose Dharampal," they said.

In response, Dalrymple said he explained his name in India as "Dal Ram Pal".  "But Dharampal is even better," he added.

I occasionally explain it Dal Ram Pal, but Dharampal is even better — William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill) June 17, 2022

Another person commented that the Scottish pronunciation of Dalrymple "sounds more like Dharampal than the original Dalrymple".