What is meant by the word, "namesake" in "The Namesake"?

The idea of the concept of "namesake" is to convey a shared
connection between names. For Gogol, understanding and coming to accept his own name is of
central importance to the novel. The fact that Gogol hated his name for so long, his own
namesake, is essential in the development of his character. Although he knows the story behind
his naming, he fails to embrace it. It is only through his father's death that he has a firmer
grasp of the implications of his identity. The recognition of the name is something that comes at
the end of the narrative when Gogol is alone and understands that the only thing he possesses
that no one else can take from him is his name. The affinity he has for his "namesake" comes at
the end of the novel, when he starts reading work by Gogol, indicating a penchant for the writer
like his father. In the end, "the namesake" is within Gogol and in what he embraces and how he
demonstrates character development and growth.