The Story Behind My Daughter’s Name — Lufthansa Rafeek
A childhood dream that became a lifelong family story
Some names are chosen by chance, some are inspired by loved ones, and some are born from dreams that remain in our hearts for years. The story behind my daughter’s name, Lufthansa Rafeek, began in a small village in Kerala, India, when I was just twelve years old.
A childhood in Mudikkal, Ernakulam, Kerala
I was born and raised in Mudikkal, a village in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. During the 1970s and 1980s, many people from Kerala began travelling to the Middle East in search of employment and better opportunities. Their hard work, sacrifices, and determination helped countless families overcome poverty and improve their standard of living.
My elder brother, Mr. Kareem Ali, was one of those who travelled abroad. He went to Saudi Arabia to earn a living, working as an ordinary labourer while striving to support his family and build a better future.
As a young boy, I always looked forward to my brother’s visits home during his holidays. Like many expatriates of that time, he would bring sweets, chocolates, and other little gifts from abroad. I would eagerly examine the colourful wrappers and packages of the things he brought home.
Little did I know that one of those ordinary packages would leave an extraordinary mark on my life.
The Name that Captured my Imagination
One day, while looking at a package brought home by my brother, I noticed an advertisement featuring an aeroplane and the name Lufthansa Airways.
In those days, I knew very little about airlines. Lufthansa was not a familiar name in our small village, and I had no particular knowledge of the company. Yet, something about that word immediately caught my attention.
I found the name beautiful, distinctive, and memorable. To my young mind, it even sounded like the name of a girl.
I cannot fully explain why that particular name appealed to me so much. Sometimes, a seemingly insignificant moment leaves a lasting impression on our hearts. For me, that moment became one of those memories that time could never erase.
Around 1989, when I was about twelve years old, I made a promise to myself:
“If I ever have a daughter in the future, I will name her Lufthansa.”
It was a simple decision made by a young boy who had no idea when or how that dream might come true. But the name remained in my heart as the years passed.
From a Childhood Dream to a Family Reality.
Life moved forward, bringing new experiences, responsibilities, and changes. Yet, I never forgot the name I had chosen during my childhood.
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On 25 April 2004, I got married. The beginning of married life brought new hopes and dreams, and on 12 March 2005, I was blessed with my first child, a son whom we named Abaan Rafeek.
His arrival brought immense happiness into my life and marked the beginning of a beautiful new chapter for our family.
Then, on 17 August 2010, I was blessed with a daughter.
For many parents, choosing a name for a child involves lengthy discussions, numerous suggestions, and careful consideration. In my case, there was no uncertainty. I had already made that decision decades earlier, long before I became a father.
The name I had carried in my heart since childhood was finally ready to become part of my family.
Without hesitation, I named my daughter Lufthansa Rafeek.
And just like that, a name I had first encountered on an advertisement printed on a package brought home by my elder brother from Saudi Arabia became the name of my beloved daughter many years later.
A childhood fascination had become a reality.
More than Just a Name.
For me, Lufthansa is much more than an unusual name. It is a living connection to my childhood in Mudikkal, a reminder of my elder brother Kareem Ali and the sacrifices made by migrant workers, and a symbol of a dream that stayed with me for decades.
It reminds me of a time when life was simpler, when a small discovery could fill a young boy’s imagination, and when a promise made silently to oneself could remain meaningful throughout a lifetime.
Today, I live with my family in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Looking at my daughter, I am reminded that some of the most meaningful things in life begin in the simplest ways.
I did not choose her name because it was fashionable or because others recommended it. I chose it because it had already become part of my personal history long before she was born.
Her name connects my childhood memories with my life as a father. It carries a story that began in one generation and became part of the next.
A story I Will tell my Daughter.
One day, my daughter may ask me, “Appa, why did you give me such an unusual name?” When that day comes, I will tell her about the little boy I once was. I will tell her about Mudikkal, about my elder brother returning from Saudi Arabia with small gifts, and about the day I saw the name Lufthansa beside the picture of an aeroplane. I will tell her how that name captured my imagination, how I decided at around twelve years of age that I would one day give it to my daughter, and how I held on to that decision for decades. I will tell her that, long before she entered this world, her name already had a place in my heart.
My daughter, Lufthansa Rafeek, is the living memory of a childhood dream that I never forgot.
What began as a fleeting moment in a small village in Kerala became a lifelong promise, and that promise eventually found its home in my daughter’s name. Some dreams take us across oceans. Others travel through time. Mine travelled from the heart of a twelve-year-old boy to the life of his daughter.
And that is the story behind the name “Lufthansa Rafeek.
RAFEEK ALY
SHARJAH — UAE
