Shmos/ Rena Bas Nimarata/ Pictures

Nikki Haley was born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa on January 20, 1972, [for the record - as this author was about to celebrate his third month on earth] at Bamberg County Hospital in Bamberg, South Carolina, to immigrant Sikh [wishing them a REFUAH SHLEIMA!!!] parents from Punjab, India [home of the Punjabber Rebbe and the Punjabber Chasidim. Also, the breakoff "Punjab 45" group of Chasidim]. Her father, Ajit Singh [nobody including Ajit himself is sure how to pronounce that] Randhawa, and her mother, Raj Kaur Randhawa, emigrated to the United States from Amritsar District, Punjab, India. Her father was formerly a professor at Punjab Agricultural University, and her mother received her law degree from the University of Delhi. Haley was known by her middle name, Nikki, a Punjabi name meaning "little one", from her earliest years.

Apparently sick and tired [or "Sikh" and tired] of all of these weird sounding Indian names, Haley named her own daughter. RENA [!!!].

Another famous star whose daughter has a Jewish name is Tom Cruise, whose daughter's name is "Suri". Despite rumors to the contrary, it is NOT TRUE that Rena and Suri studied together at BJJ. Those were two OTHER girls named Rena and Suri. No relation. 

However, Tom DID take the two girls for a ride in his airplane back when he was filming Top Gun [which, as one divorced from most of pop culture since the 80's, was the last movie he made]. Nikki objected but Tom said "Little One, be nice!!!" and that was THAT.

If Nikki is elected President, I won't feel that badly about her name, give the fact that the middle name of a recent President was "Hussein". Mishpacha magazine however WILL mind if she wins b/c they won't be able to publish photos of her. I say "Publish" with a warning on the front cover that this magazine is for WOMEN ONLY and men should busy themselves learning Tshuvos Rebbe Akiva Eiger or Minchas Chinuch instead.