Create and return the name for a replica using its nodeName and
        instanceId.
         Ex: Alpha:1

def generateName(nodeName: str, instId: int):
        """
        Create and return the name for a replica using its nodeName and
        instanceId.
         Ex: Alpha:1
        """

        if isinstance(nodeName, str):
            # Because sometimes it is bytes (why?)
            if ":" in nodeName:
                # Because in some cases (for requested messages) it
                # already has ':'. This should be fixed.
                return nodeName
        return "{}:{}".format(nodeName, instId)