Names

I could not find Ashoke's exact name in the given website. However, Ashima relates to "charge, duty, or function". It is also the feminine form of Asim, which means, "boundless, limitless". I think this relates to Ashima in the sense that she is almost the opposite- she is more forced into the duty of trying to hold to her Bengali culture in America, and does not feel that America is "limitless".

Nikhil means "whole, entire". This could relate to how Nikhil feels split and incomplete about his identity, and does not feel wholly American or Bengali. He follows in Ashima's example where he is the opposite of his name. This theme also coincides with the moment he introduces him self as Nikhil for the first time. At a party, he uses it when introducing himself to a girl, and for the first time creates his split identity between Gogal and Nikhil.

Sonali is a variant of Sonal, which means "gold, good color". I am not sure how this correlates to her character yet, as we haven't seen her beyond her toddler years.

My own name is a derivative of Zacariah, a biblical name. However, I am not Christian at all. I think Zach/Zachary tends to be a "cool" name nowadays, like a stereotypical 90s kid on a skateboard kind of cool.