About Thai names, surnames and nicknames. Thai names - what's in your name? Eastern Thai Japanese nicknames
Thai names follow the Western model. The surname is followed by a pre- or pseudonym. There they differ from the naming pattern of the general tradition East Asia. Thai names are often long and there are many of them very. Derived from the diversity of surnames, they must be unique within the family. Additionally, some Thais change their name relatively frequently. However, the surname changes less often. For the reason, because the permission of the head of the family is required. In the case of children, setting up father and mother. This practice is virtually unknown in most other countries. In addition to typical reasons, such as separation and divorce, many name changes are made to facilitate the carrier's field. Thais believe it is possible to avoid that losing is caused by an evil spirit.
Because when are there surnames in Thailand?
In 1913 it was required by law that every Thai must have a family name. Before this, most Thais only had a pre- or pseudonym. Names give mainly positive signs. According to Thai law, any name can only be used within the family. Familienmtglieder must be used with the same name in relationships.
Construction of a Thai surname
According to the current legislation of 1962, a new Thai surname must be no longer than 10 Thai letters. Vowel characters and diacritics are excluded. Thai surnames are often quite long, especially if they are of Chinese origin.
How do you get a new surname in Thailand?
The rules for registering a new surname are:
The applicant submits five name alternatives to one of the officials. Each name has a maximum of 10 Thai characters. The officer looks for identical names in the database. The law allows identical surnames for existing ones. One of 5 Alternatives must be unique and can then be used promisingly. In about a month you will pay again for the official one. Defined to not duplicate Nachnames, the new name of the last request can be used.
Using a name in everyday life
In everyday life, he attracts is always located in Thailand with a given name. Even foreigners are usually treated with a given name. The lists are sorted alphabetically by the given name in the phone book. Work titles are also commonly used in speech. Also combined with the polite “Khun” before, Khun MZ as a doctor then.
Some Thai surnames
Anand
Anatapong
Buengmoom
Boonjaeng
Chaipatana
Chayasan
Chumtong
Chanthaphasouk
Darawan
Glomgool
Inchareon
Janniyome
Kantawong
Klinpraneet
Angi
Lansang
Luamthonglang
Meephuk
Muangyai
Nitpattanasai
Groove
Parnthep
Praves
Pasokpuckdee
Ratana
Samenem
Rattanakul
Sutthitanakul
Sriwongklang
Sapp
Thabchumpon
Thanom
Thongkhoune
Uttanun
Veerapol
Wongrutiyan
Yao Yun
Although all Thais have a first and last name, they always refer to each other by their nickname - even when talking to strangers - by adding Khun(i.e. Mr. or Mrs.). But they will never address anyone with this prefix before their last name. Even phone books have lists sorted by people's names.
In Thailand you will often be addressed using an anglicized version of this principle - for example, Mr. Alexander or Miss Maria. Keep in mind that if a man introduces himself to you as Khun Pir, his wife will be called differently. Among relatives and friends, the prefix Khun can be replaced by Phii(elder brother/sister) when addressing older relatives (although as a tourist it is best for you to say Khun) and Nong when addressing younger ones.
Many Thai names come from Sanskrit and therefore have specific meanings. For example, Boone means "good deeds" Porn- “blessing”, Siri- "glory", Thawi- means “to increase.” However, Thais of any age usually have a nickname, which, in addition to the official name, was given to him shortly after birth. This tradition has its origins in the deep-rooted superstition that when a child is named, spirits begin to take an unhealthy interest in him. A nickname is used instead of a real one to confuse the spirits. Among the common nicknames or nicknames, which often have nothing in common with their owner, can be called such as Yay(big), Own(thick) and Muu(pig), Lek or Noah(small), Knock(bird), Well(mouse) and Kung(shrimp), Nung(first or eldest), Song(second), Sami(third), also English nicknames like Apple(apple) and Joy(joy). Among my friends there is even Pepsi. More often than not, it happens that nicknames have nothing to do with a person, but there are still cases when a nickname somehow reflects a person, for example, there were problems during pregnancy or, on the contrary, something good happened. One of my friends was given a middle name at birth, Meaw (Meaw means cat in Thai), because she was born a month earlier, and when the mother saw her little child curled up in a ball, the name Cat or Kitten came by itself.
It is noteworthy that many families come up with funny naming systems for their children, i.e. all children can bear, for example, Fruit names (Cherry, Apple, Melon, etc.), brands expensive cars or floral variations. But perhaps the strangest and funniest are the category of names in honor of certain countries (one family in Bangkok has a girl named Russia) or according to a numbered list (First, Second, Third, etc.)
Surnames only appeared in 1913 (they were introduced by Rama VI, who himself coined many aristocratic surnames) and are used in certain situations only in conjunction with the given name. Good friends Most often I don’t even know each other’s last names. Ethnic Thais mostly have short surnames, like Sombhun or Srisai, while long, fancy surnames like Sonthanasumpun or Maneerattanakittikul indicate Chinese origin, not because they sound Chinese, but because many Chinese immigrants adopted a new Thai surname. And according to Thai law, each new surname must be unique. Therefore, anyone who decides to take a new surname in Thailand should compose it from five simple ones, and then check if there is one in the surname database. As more and more new surnames are taken, Chinese names are becoming more and more cumbersome, and the basis of old Thai names is more and more clearly discernible in them.
Among Europeans living in Thailand, there is a joke about Thai names.
What's your name? - the English teacher asks the Thai student.
“Yes,” the student answers.
- No, what are you called? - the teacher repeats.
- Yes. “My name is Yes, Khun Yes,” explains the student, surprised that his name is not understood.
It is impossible to translate such a dialogue into Russian without losing its meaning. Just according to Zhvanetsky.
- What’s your name?
- And you.
- I’m Nikolai Stepanovich, and you?
- And you.
The system of official Thai names is exactly the same as in the West: the surname always follows the given name. Moreover, surnames appeared not so long ago; in 1913, a decree of Rama VI was adopted to assign everyone a surname, and before that only first names were used in the Kingdom. Under Thai law, only one family could use their surname. Therefore, two Thais who are completely unfamiliar with each other and have the same last name will be relatives to some extent. There is no such thing as a namesake here.
Another interesting fact- these are noble Thai surnames. To create surnames, descendants of the royal family added the preposition Na to the geographical place of residence. For example, Na Ayutthaya, Na Thalang, Na Ranong, Na Takuathung and Na Songkhla. Analogue in European countries are the surnames of representatives of German noble families beginning with "von". As an option, there are surnames consisting of the first and last names of an ancestor. So the name of the Thai minister environment- Kasem Sanitwong Na Ayutthaya, where Kasem is a personal name and Sanitwong is the name of the wife of Rama V.
Thai names are an almost constant number that Thais use in all official documents. Thais take choosing a real name very seriously, because you need to live with it all your life. If in Russia they use church calendar or books about a name associated with character, then in Thailand they prefer to turn to monks or astrological books, which suggest naam mongkhon ( auspicious name). For example, each day of the week includes a certain number of favorable consonants with which the name must begin. Moreover, the consonants are divided into six groups according to the property that they impart to the character or future life child. There are consonants for endurance, for easy opportunity to earn money, for beauty and health. There are special tables that present good and bad consonants by day of the week and the character trait that parents would like for their child. The monks carefully study favorable and unlucky consonants and offer parents options. To choose an official name, the monk is contacted no earlier than a month after the birth of the baby. Until that time, the child is called by some affectionate nickname.
Unlike Europeans, Thais widely use "chi len" - a nickname or nickname, which can be very different from the real name and even have nothing in common with it. It should be noted that most Thai names are quite long, so nicknames are used quite widely. The nickname is given by parents quite early small child, but this does not mean that it will accompany a person throughout his life. A Thai can change his nickname an unlimited number of times in connection with any event. For example, in hometown one of my friends is known as Nung, and after moving to Phuket, he came up with the nickname Mot. Workers various companies use their nicknames in letter signatures and on business cards. In this case it is written as follows: Apinya (Kai) Sasithorn. You can address her as Khun Kai (Mistress Kai), but Khun Apinya would also be appropriate. Many of these nicknames are extremely funny when translated into Russian.
What is the reason that parents give this or that nickname? To deceive evil spirits and not give away your real name. The nickname can mean the size of the child born: Lek or Noi - small, Yai - big, To - tall, One - fat, Koi - small fingers, or skin tone: Deng - red, Dam - black, Som - orange. The seniority of children in the family is also common: Eik is the eldest, Nyng is the first, Song is the second, Sam is the third.
Nicknames can affectionately describe a child: Ning is a little girl, Yin is a woman, Chai is a man. Popular nicknames in the form of various animals: Kung - shrimp, Mu - pig, Mod - ant, Pu - crab, Nok - bird, Phung - bee, Chang - elephant, Nu - mouse. The official translation, of course, sounds completely ridiculous. But for Thais, animal nicknames mean something completely different. It’s as if you called your daughter a mouse or a bird, and your son a baby elephant or a crab. The nickname Mu means that the baby was as plump as a pig as a child, and Maud says that the boy always carried something with him, like an ant. After all, there is an affectionate nickname in English - pumpkin - pumpkin, which does not fit in my head. In any case, I think you can at least understand animal nicknames a little, unlike the Turks, who are shocked that a person can be called an animal. Beautiful nicknames for girls describe natural phenomena: Fa - sky, Background - rain, Rung - rainbow, Dau - star.
IN Lately English-language nicknames are popular. Don’t be surprised when you meet Ice (ice - ice), Cake (cake - cake), Sony, Nokia, Bia () or Pepsi (Pepsi), most likely either the owners of such nicknames or their parents are lovers of these things. They also use abbreviations for foreign words for nicknames: Bo (from Jumbo - clumsy), Tam (from Je t "aime - I love you), Sin (from Cinderella - Cinderella), Lo (from Marlboro), Mainyu (from Manchester United ) The pop idols of millions of Thai teenagers are called Golf and Mike. My Thai colleagues are called Bens (Mercedes Benz), Katun (Cartoon - cartoon) and Champ (from Many letters). English alphabet can also be nicknames: Hey (A), Bi (B), Si (C), Jay (J), O (O), Em (M).
It should be noted that not all nicknames have any meaning. But if you ask a Thai about the meaning of his nickname, he will be happy to tell you. They are used in formal and informal communication, depending on the situation and the desire of the person, with the exception of official occasions. By the way, the brand name in the picture doesn’t mean at all what you think. Porn (pronounced Pon) is a traditional abbreviation of the names Pontip, Ponsuwan, Ponwilay, Sampon and others. Pon means blessing.
Thai nicknames, similar to Russian words, sound very funny among Russian-speaking colleagues. So that you understand what I’m talking about, I’ll give you a couple of phrases taken out of context. “I already told him about this, and I told him. I and I have already told him the rules of behavior in the company.” My Thai colleague's name was Ya. "It's okay, I'll talk to Him, or rather to her." The female colleague's name was Nim. Incidents like this happen all the time.
The official address to a stranger or even an acquaintance older than you in Thailand is khun, which in translation closely resembles “Mr” or “Madam”. Only the name or nickname is added to this appeal. I call my colleagues: Khun U, Khun Ya, Khun Oi, Khun Tuk. It is considered polite to use the title Khun, but this does not mean that calling by name or nickname alone is impolite. Closer addresses among friends allow for the use of Phi and Nong, meaning older and younger brother or sister respectively. Don't be surprised if a Thai tells you that this or that person is his brother; this does not mean blood relationship. I can refer to my friend or colleague who is older than me, Phi, or add his name to it - Phi Nok. stranger, who is older than me, can address me as Nong without even knowing my name. It is customary to address a waiter in a restaurant as Nong, but do not use this address for salespeople in stores.
If you wish, you can also come up with a Thai nickname for yourself. I am sure that the Thais will be happy to help you with this.
In accordance with the accepted Western European culture, the principle of name construction, modern Thai names are constructed in such a way that when pronouncing or writing the full name surname follows given name. This distinguishes them from traditional East Asian pronunciation, in which the surname comes first and then the given name.
Thai first and last names are often very long and distinctive, and the variety is enormous. The diversity can be explained by the fact that the introduction of surnames occurred relatively recently. This innovation was adopted so that each family can be unique. Thais sometimes change their surname several times during their lives.
For the first time, at the legislative level, the need to have a surname was spelled out in the relevant law in 1913. Until this point, Thai residents only used names that were given to them at birth or names received by people in everyday life. In accordance with adopted by law one surname can only be used by one family.
Thai surnames are quite long especially among the upper class or Thais of Chinese descent.
According to the Personal Name Act, a newly created surname must not be longer than ten letters, excluding vowels and diacritics, except in cases where the name is used as a surname.
Monarchs in East Asia often take on royal names after they ascend to the throne. This was the case in Thailand during the period of the Kingdom of Siam. In addition, with his permission, the monarch’s subjects could receive not only titles, but also new Thai names.
Among the descendants of noble families, the name of their ancestor of noble blood is often taken as a surname. Example in in this case can serve as Hugo Chakrabongs, who is British singer and a composer of Thai origin. This composer is a descendant of Prince Chakrabongsa Bhuvanath.
In some cases distant relatives and descendants of royal families add the preposition “na” to the surname geographical name and thus surnames are created.
When speaking, residents usually address them by their first names with the prefix “khun”, this especially applies to interlocutors with a higher status. Women are addressed using the prefix "khuning". This is old-fashioned, but quite polite to the woman. This address is the equivalent of "lady" used in the Western world. In friendly communication the prefix “pi” is used.
Almost all residents in tourist areas use everyday life"self-invented name" instead of a Thai name. Thais receive such Thai names almost immediately after birth. Thai Euro-style names are so common that sometimes no one around a person knows their real name. For example, my familiar Thai parents of a boy named Aprot, at six months old, gave him a second, now well-known name - Ben. Amazing Thai names!
According to the adopted law on the name, the surname should not be similar or similar to the name of the king or queen. The surname should not consist of impolite words and meanings.
In case of divorce, the spouse, in accordance with the law, must take his premarital surname. If the marriage is dissolved after the death of the spouse, then the second has the right to keep the spouse's surname. When remarrying, the spouse is required to write a renunciation of the surname of the deceased.
Thais are superstitious people. When problems arise, they often turn to mediums, and the latter often recommend changing their last name. New surname symbolizes new life.
I wonder if you could change your first or last name…. What would you write in your new passport?! Write in the comments! Maybe later such a Law will be introduced in Russia!
THE SECRET OF THE NAME: THE MEANING OF THAI NAMES AND SURNAMES
Thai names are as much a manifestation of the desire for individuality and beauty as anything else in Thai culture. IN long list Thai names will not be repeated, not a single surname, not a single first name! During official events in Thailand, along with the surname and name of the participant, it is customary to also name the title, academic degree, military rank and list other regalia of the owner.
It is noteworthy that for a long time the Thais did not have surnames at all. Surnames were officially introduced into use by King Vachiravut by special decree in 1913. The monarch personally invented thousands beautiful surnames for his subjects. For example, the surname Wongrat means "family precious stones”, Rakponmuang - “caring for citizens”, Hongsawan - “heavenly swan”, etc.
All Thais have two names: real and home. The former, for the most part, come from Pali and Sanskrit roots and, as a rule, are polysyllabic. Both male and female names have beautiful poetic meanings. In a Thai family, this is the first and most important principle that guides the choice of a name for a child. Many parents are consulted about this beforehand. important issue with monks or astrologers.
The person's name should be in harmony with his birthday. Since each sound has a certain wave, the vibrations of the name and birthday should go in unison, and not suppress each other, so that a person lives a life full of harmony and successfully solves the problems of the current incarnation. Therefore, the name must have letters that enhance the potential inherent in the date of birth. At the same time, you should avoid names containing consonants or vowels, the vibrations of which are opposite to the numerological component of the birthday.
Male names denote the virtues inherent in the stronger sex, moral qualities and virtues: Somchai - “masculinity”, Thaksin - “source of happiness”, Thirasak - “authority, power”, Vinay - “discipline”, Tassna - “observation”, Praset - “superiority”, Viriya - “persistence”, Sombun - “perfection”, Kiantisak - “glory, honor”, Phakphum - “pride”, Sakda - “strength, energy”. The symbolism of Thai male names can also be associated with various achievements and personal characteristics: Narong - “winner”, Thanet - “rich man”, Sonthi - “able to combine and combine”. The meaning of the name may be important historical events, for example, the name Wanchai means "Victory Day". The sun is traditionally considered male symbol Therefore, the appearance of the name Athit - “sun” is natural.
There are also examples that are unexpected for Europeans, such as male name Kulap means "rose". Calm Thai logic gives a very simple explanation: the rose is the most important and most beautiful flower, which is treated with special respect and admiration in Thailand, therefore, beautiful name This flower is worthy to be worn by an outstanding man. Therefore, in Thai, Rose is a masculine name.
Thai girl names are associated with poetic images, beauty and harmony: Somying - “femininity”, Siriphon - “blessing”, Radi - “pleasure”. They praise feminine beauty in the names Saovapha - “the most beautiful of women”, Nari - “beautiful woman”, Phonpan - “maiden in beautiful clothes and jewelry”. Women's names reflect the respect with which the fair sex is treated in Thai society: Boonsi - “highly revered beauty”, Thephi - “queen”, Suda - “lady”.
Moon is traditional female symbol, therefore, in honor of this heavenly satellite of the earth, many beautiful names were created: Changsuda - “daughter of the moon”, Dianphen - “ full moon", but there is also female name Surya - "sun". Popular female names denoting the names of flowers and precious stones: Mali - “jasmine”, Sumali - “flowers”, Ubon - “water lily” and Thapthim - “ruby”, Butrakham - “yellow sapphire”. However, most of all female names are declarations of love for the fair sex: Kanda - “beloved”, Kuantyai - “beloved”, Samon - “beautiful and beloved woman”, Keuta - “delight of the eyes”.
The official name is written on a person's passport, driver's license, bank credit cards, insurance policy and university diploma, and is used to sign documents and business papers. However, in everyday life and informal communication between friends and colleagues, the real name is not often used.
During friendly communication, when addressing each other, Thais use special short diminutive pet names. IN English translation they are called nicknames, so sometimes in Russian-language reference books and guidebooks they are unfairly called “nicknames” or “nicknames”, due to incorrect translation from in English. In Thai, such short names are called "game names". Unlike Russian short names, Thai friendly pet names are not a simple abbreviation of the full name. These are short monosyllabic names, many of which have funny meanings: Kai - “chicken”, Nok - “bird”, Lek - “baby/baby”. Short names can denote a character property, for example: Narak - “sweetheart”.
Since a diminutive name does not change with age, it can denote qualities that are not necessarily characteristic of its owner in currently. For example, Num (“youth”) can be a model of wisdom and majesty, and Yu (“chubby girl”) can be thin and slender like a figurine. Other names indicate features of appearance: Deng - “red”, Det - “tan”. The short female name Apple is considered beautiful, because in the Thai mind, the apple is a beautiful and expensive foreign fruit. A popular male name, Pepsi, means a tasty drink.
PRINT PUBLICATION:
Mishukova D.D. Kingdom of Thailand: National symbols, value system and life philosophy modern Thais // Notes of the Society for the Study of the Amur Region. Anniversary issue. Volume XXXVII, Vladivostok, 2009 – p. 140-147, illustrations.
