The surname Patel is one of the most common Indian names any person ever hears. I am a Patel myself, so I know there are certain things that all Patels (or anyone with a extremely common last name) goes through. Here are 10 things that all Patels can definitely relate to.
1. No, I'm not related to them.
This is the first one on the list, because it's the most common thing I've ever heard. If you know one Patel, and then you meet another Patel, do not assume they are related. They are not brothers, sisters, cousins or your aunt's daughter's husband's brother twice removed. Nine times out of 10, they don't even know each other.
2 When we order your food or go to the doctors, we're obligated to give our first name.
Whether it's ordering at Taco Bell or doing to the doctor, it's out of habit for us to say "Patel" and then our first name. Most of the time, the cashier or front office lady will then proceed to say, "First name?" because there are probably 50 of us in her computer database.
3. It's spelled with an "e," not an "i"
There's another last name known as "Patil," and it has become more common over the years. But Patel and Patil are two different names, and some people don't realize that. Patel is pronounced "Put–tell" while Patil is pronounced "Pah–till." Next time someone tells you their last name is "Puh–tell," always think "e" not "i." It will save us the exasperating lecture on the difference between the two.
4. We're always next to another Patel in the school yearbook.
I've been next to the same person in the yearbook ever since I moved to Georgia, and that's because our yearbook is alphabetized. While this is the case for most people in the yearbook, what makes it more special for a Patel is that we're going to be next to another Patel. Not anyone else with the last name starting with "p," but always with another Patel.
5. Our usernames are unique to say the least.
'Patel2506.32"
"AaravPatel2412–21"
We are forever bound to numbers and extra alphabets when it comes to social media usernames. There are so many of us out there and only so many first names that our usernames are never not followed by underscores and numbers. And if you want to try and find one of us on social media, all I can say is good luck. You'll probably go through 20 people of us before you find the right profile. Like I said before, there are only so many unique first names in the Indian culture.
6. When the substitute teacher calls attendance, and they cannot pronounce your first name...
... but then they see your last name, and they give you the familiar look of relief, because Patel is just that common. True story — when I was in 6th grade, my health teacher could not pronounce my first name so he just resolved to calling me "Patel" for the entire year. He never uttered my first name. Most of the time when the substitute teacher is calling roll, I always hear the first name struggle of "May...Myyy...Maaa" and then a clear "Patel."
7. People think EVERY one of us are business owners or doctors.
I can't really deny this fact. Actually, 50 percent of United States motels and hotels are owned by Patels, and if you search up "Patel," you'll get 132,000,000 hits of doctor and dentist office sites. But sometimes people are so glued to this stereotype that they forget Patels can have other jobs as well. My parents, for example, work in the IT field. So not all Patels are business owners or doctors.
8. Patels try to follow other Patels on social media, even though they don't know each other.
The amount of times I've been friended on Facebook or followed on Instagram because of my last name is infinite. Most of the strangers I receive requests from share the last name as me. This person does not know me either, but just because we're both Patels, they try and friend me on social media. It's hilarious, because the basis of this social media trend is solely based on a common last name.
9. Yet somehow as common as it is, Patel is still not on keychains, mugs and other souvenirs.
It's kind of unfair. Patels are everywhere in the world — U.S., U.K., Australia, Europe. You name it, we'll be there. So whenever I go to tourist shops I always see common surnames names like Smith or Williams or Jones, but I never see Patel. While our first names are unique and cannot be put on general keychains, at least put our last name. Patel is generally common enough to be put on factory-made souvenirs.
10. But even after everything, if we hear another Patel winning something or becoming famous, we become hype. #PatelPride
We probably won't know the person or who they really are. We probably don't know their favorite color or what they like to eat. But if their last name is Patel, and they've done something pretty cool, then all the Patel's unite in favor of that person. We become hype and do whatever it takes to support that one Patel. Take Dev Patel or Ravi Patel, for example. They probably don't know my family exists, but when we hear their names, we swell up in pride. We're not even related to them, but the thought process is that if we share the last name, we probably share the same roots, so we're practically family.
Sure, it's a bit weird, but hey #PatelPride is all I can say.
