Bade Ghulam Ali Khan's name has often intrigued and amused people— especially because his was, indeed, a 'bade' (massive/ huge) personality. In northern India, the prefix 'Bade' (the elder) is used for avoiding a confusion of identities when, within the same circle, there is a younger contemporary of the same name, who will have the prefix 'Chhote' (the younger). This is almost certainly how Ghulam Ali Khan acquired the prefix. It remained with him throughout his life because he also answered to the other two connotations of the word— big-built, and great.