Cambodian names (or Khmer names; ឈ្មោះខ្មែរ chhmŏăh khmêr) are names used or originating in Cambodia which usually consist of two elements including a patronymic, which serves as a common family name for siblings, followed by a given name (i.e. following the Eastern name order).[1][2] An example is singer Sinn Sisamouth, his surname (last name) is Sinn and his given name (first name) is Sisamouth (in Western sources, the two are sometimes reversed).[3]

The use of surnames in Cambodia is relatively recent and was not mandated by law until imposed by the French in 1910.[4] Surnames are typically derived from the father's given name.[5]

Other Austroasiatic indigenous people groups within Cambodia have similar naming customs, while the Sino-Khmer and Viet-Khmer may follow Chinese and Vietnamese naming patterns, respectively. Chams in Cambodia may have either Khmer or Cham names or a combination of both. Cham name order is the reverse of the Khmer; the given name is followed by the father's given name.[6]:23

Given names

Generally, women are given names relating to beauty, while men are given names of virtues.[7][8] Some Khmer given names are unisex names.

Surnames

Historically, Khmer practiced cognatic kinship and reckoned descent bilaterally, and surnames were not used to trace descent. Surnames became mandatory only by legal decree during the French colonial era in 1910, but was rarely used outside of legal and administrative matters. After the passage of the law, parents often gave their children the father, grandfather or great-grandfather's given name as a surname. Some Khmer may also have surnames from the mother or two given names with one used as a surname. This heterogeneous naming practice continued into the 1970s and 1980s.[9][10] When they were used, they were usually taken from the father's given name and are generally monosyllabic.[11] Khmer surnames are sometimes identical to Chinese or Vietnamese surnames.[11] Women do not adopt their husbands' surnames.[7]

Origin and meanings

The earliest attested names among Khmer either have indigenous origins or were drawn from Sanskrit. The use of Sanskrit and Indic words as names continues to the present.[9]

The meanings of Khmer names are generally very simple and reference positive attributes. Cambodian people are called by their given names without a title (informal) or by their given names with a title (formal); the full name, including both family name and given name is often used[2][7] (Surnames are used as a form of address, however, in the case of names that originated as revolutionary aliases).

Different naming traditions exist among ethnic groups other than the Khmer majority. The Cambodian population is 90% Buddhist and names are often taken from Buddhism. Among the Muslim minority, Arabic names are often used as family names.[1]

Pronunciation

Khmer names are usually pronounced with the stress (emphasis) placed on the last syllable.[12] Khmer uses a glottal stop (the brief stop in uh-oh) and other stops: p, t, c and k which may or may not occur with aspiration. In romanizations of Khmer script, aspiration (i.e., a breath sound) is usually marked with an h. Final r, d, g, s, b, and z sounds are not heard: Ngor is pronounced Ngow. Some final consonants are written but not pronounced.[13]

List of some family names

Although historically, surnames were chosen from the father, grandfather, or great-grandfather's given name, in modern practice, surnames are now usually transmitted from father to children. Other ethnic groups, particularly Chinese-Cambodians and Vietnamese-Cambodians, may have a family name that is taken by each generation, in which case the name is pronounced similarly to the language of origin but within the bounds of Khmer phonology. Below is a list of some common family names,[14] some of which are also found as given names.

KhmerIPAUNGEGNCommon spellings
កូយ/kouy/KoyKoy
កឹម/kəm/Kœ̆mKoem
កែប/kaep/KêbKaep, Kep
កែវ/kaew/KêvKev, Kaev, Keo
កាំង/kaŋ/KăngKang
ខាត់/kʰat/KhătKhat
ខាយ/kʰaːy/KhayKhay
ខៀវ/kʰiəw/KhiĕvKhiev, Kheav
ខ្លូត/kʰlout/KhlotKhlot
គ្រី/kriː/KriKri, Kry, Kree
គឹម/kɨm/Kœ̆mKoem, Kim
គួច/kuəc/KuŏchKuoch
ឃាង/kʰiəŋ/KhéangKheang
ឃិន/kʰɨn/KhĭnKhin
ឃីម/kʰiːm/KhimKhim
ចន្ទ/can/ChănChan
ចាន់/can/ChănChan
ចាប/caːp/ChabChap
ចេង/ceːŋ/ChéngCheng
ចេន/ceːn/ChénChen, Jen
ឆន/cʰɑːn/ChhânChhan, Chhorn
ឆាយ/cʰaːy/ChhayChhay
ជា/ciə/ChéaChea
ជាម/ciəm/ChéamCheam
ជិន/cɨn/ChĭnChin, Jin
ជី/ciː/ChiChi, Chy
ជឹម/cɨm/Chœ̆mChoem
ជ័យ/cɨj/CheyChey, Jey
ឈិត/cʰɨt/ChhĭtChhit
ឈិន/cʰɨn/ChhĭnChhin
ឈឹម/cʰɨm/Chhœ̆mChhoem
ញឹក/ɲɨk/Nhœ̆kNhoek
ដួង/ɗuəŋ/DuŏngDuong
ឌិត/ɗɨt/DĭtDit, Dith
ឌិន/ɗɨn/DĭnDin
ឌី/ɗiː/DiDi, Dy, Dee
ឌុល/ɗul/DŭlDul
ឌួង/ɗuəŋ/DuŏngDuong
តក់/tɑk/TákTak
តាង/taːŋ/TangTang
តាត/taːt/TatTat, Tath
តូច/touc/TochToch, Touch
តាំង/taŋ/TăngTang
ថន/tʰɑːn/ThânThan, Thorn
ថៃ/tʰaj/ThaiThai
ទាវ/tiəw/TéavTeav
ទី/tiː/TiTi, Ty, Tee
ទុំ/tum/TŭmTum
ទ្រី/triː/TriTri, Try
ទេព/teːp/TépTep
ធី/tʰiː/ThiThi, Thy,
នី/niː/NiNi, Ny,
ប្រាក់/prak/PrăkPrak
ប៉ាង/paːŋ/PangPang
ប៉ុក/pok/PŏkPok
ប៊ុន/bun/BŭnBun
ប៉ែន/paen/PênPen, Paen
ផាន/pʰaːn/PhanPhan
ពិជ/pɨc/PĭchPich
ពេជ្រ/peːc/PéchPech
ភី/pʰiː/PhiPhi, Phy
មា/maː/MaMa
មាន/miən/MéanMean
មាស/miəh/MéasMeas
មួយ/muəy/MuŏyMuoy
មូល/muːl/MulMul, Moul
មេង/meːŋ/MéngMeng
ម៉ៅ/maw/MauMau, Mao
យស់/yuh/YósYos, Yoh
យុន/yun/YŭnYun
យូ/yuː/YuYu, You
រស់/rʊəh/RuŏsRuos, Ruoh, Ros
រួយ/rʊəj/RuŏyRuoy
លន់/lun/LónLon
លិម/lim/LĭmLim, Lym
លី/liː/LiLi, Ly, Lee
លីវ/liːw/LivLiv
លីម/liːm/LimLim
វ៉ាង/ʋaːŋ/VangVang
វង្ស/ʋuŋ/VóngVong
/sɑː/Sa, Sar, Sor
សង/sɑːŋ/SângSang, Song
សន/sɑːn/SânSan, Sorn
ស៊ន/sɔːn/SônSon, Sorn
សម/sɑm/SámSam, Som
សរ/sɑːØ/Sa, Sar, Sor
សាង/saːŋ/SangSang
សាត/saːt/SatSat, Sath
សាន/saːn/SanSan
សាន់/san/SănSan
សាយ/saːj/SaySay
សិន/sən/SĕnSen, Sin
សឺន/səɨn/SœnSoen, Seun, Son
សុខ/sok/SŏkSok
សុង/soŋ/SŏngSong
សុន/son/SŏnSon
ស៊ុន/sun/SŭnSun
ស៊ុយ/suj/SŭySuy
សូ/soː/SoSo
ស៊ូ/suː/SuSu
សួន/suən/SuŏnSuon
សឿង/sɨəŋ/SœăngSoeang
សៀង/siəŋ/SiĕngSieng, Seang
សេង/seːŋ/SéngSeng
សេនseːnSénSen
សោម/saom/SaômSaom, Som
សៅ/saw/SauSau, Sao
ហាក់/hak/HăkHak
ហុង/hoŋ/HŏngHong
ហ៊ុន/hun/HŭnHun
ហូ/hou/HoHo
ហេង/heːŋ/HéngHeng
ឡាយ/laːj/LayLay
ឡុង/loŋ/LŏngLong
អាង/ʔaːŋ/AngAng
អិម/ʔim/ĔmEm, Im, Yim
អុង/ʔoŋ/ŎngOng
អ៊ុច/ʔuc/ŬchUch
អ៊ុយ/ʔuj/ŬyUy
អៀម/ʔiəm/IĕmIem, Eam, Iam
អៀវ/ʔiew/IĕvIev, Eav, Eaw
អ៊ុំ/ʔum/ŬmUm
ឯក/ʔaek/ÊkEk, Aek
/ʔaːo/Ao, Or
ឱក/ʔaːok/Aok
ឱម/ʔaːom/AômAom, Om

List of given names

Unlike Khmer family names, given names may have multiple syllables and differ greatly. Given names were influenced greatly by Sanskrit.

KhmerIPABGN/PCGNGeographic
Department
ALA-LCCommon spellings
បទុម[ɓɔtom]BâtŭmBatumPadumBotum
ចន្ថា[cɑntʰaː]ChânthaChanthaCanthāChantha
ជា[ciə]ChéaCheaChea
ជាតា[ciətaː]ChéataCheataJātāCheata
ឆេង[cʰeːŋ]ChhéngChhengChengChheng
ឈៀង[cʰiəŋ]ChhiĕngChhiengChiangChhieng, Chheang
តា[taː]TaTaTa
តារា[taːraː]TaraTaraTārāTara, Dara
ឡេង[leːŋ]LéngLengḶengLeng
ណារ៉ុង[naːroŋ]NarŏngNarongṆār"ungNarong
និមល[nimɔl]NĭmôlNimolNimalNimol
ភួង[pʰuəŋ]PhuŏngPhuongBhuangPhuong
សារឿន[saːrɨən]SarœănSaroeanSārẏanSaroeun
ស្រី[srəj]SreiSreiSrīSrey, Srei
សន[sɑːn]SânSanSanSorn, Son, San
បុប្ផា[ɓopʰaː]BŏbphaBobphaPupphāBopha
បុរី[ɓorəj]BŏriBoriPurīBorey, Borei
ចិន្ដា[cənɗaː]ChĕndaChendaCenṭāChenda
ឈួន[cʰuən]ChhuŏnChhuonJhuanChhuon
ខាន់[kʰan]KhănKhanKhânKhan
កុសល[kosɑl]KŏsálKosalKusalKosal
គុន្ធា[kuntʰiə]KŭnthéaKuntheaGunṭhāKunthea
ឡាយ[laːj]LayLayḶāyLay
លំអង[lom.ʔɑŋ]Lum'ângLum'angLaṃ'angLom Ang, Lom Ong
ម៉ាលី[maːliː]MaliMaliM"ālīMali, Maly
ម៉ី[məj]MeiMeiM"īMey, Mei
ណារី[naːriː]NariNariṆārīNary, Nari
បញ្ញា[paɲaː]BânhnhéaBanhnheaPaññāPanha, Pagna
ពិសិដ្ឋ[pisɨt]PĭsĕdthPisedthBisiṭṭhPiseth
ផល្លា[pʰɑllaː]PhâlléaPhalleaPhallāPhalla
ភារៈ[pʰiəreaʔ]PhéareăPheareakBhāràPheareak, Phireak
ភិរុណ[pʰiron]PhĭrŭnPhirunBhiruṇPhirun
ពៅ[pɨw]PŏuPovBauPov
រស្មី[reasməj]RôsmeiRosmeiRasmīRasmey, Raksmey, Reaksmey
រិទ្ធិ[rɨt]RĭtthĭRitthiRiddhiRith, Rit
រី[riː]RiRiRy, Ri
សម្បត្តិ[sɑmˈɓat]SâmbâttĕSambatteSampattiSambath
សម្ផស្ស[sɑmˈpʰɔəh]SâmphâssSamphassSamphassSamphors, Somphors
សំណាង[sɑmˈnaːŋ]SâmnangSamnangSaṃṇāngSamnang, Somnang
សារិទ្ធ[saːrɨt]SarĭtthSaritthSāriddhSarith, Sarit
សុខា[sokʰaː]SŏkhaSokhaSukhāSokha
សុធា[sotʰiə]SŏthéaSotheaSudhāSothea
សុផល[sopʰɑl]SŏphâlSophalSuphalSophal
សុផាត[sopʰɑt]SŏphatSophatSuphatSophat
សុភា[sopʰiə]SŏphéaSopheaSubhāSophea
សុភាព[sopʰiəp]SŏphéapSopheapSubhābSopheap
សួន[suən]SuŏnSuonSuanSuon
ទី[tiː]TiTiTi, Ty
វណ្ណា[ʋanaː]VônnaVonnaVaṇṇāVanna
វាសនា[ʋiəsnaː]VéasânéaVeasaneaVāsanāVeasna
វិបុល[ʋibol]VĭbŏlVibolVipulVibol
វុឌ្ឍី[ʋutʰiː]VŭdthiVudthiVuḍḍhīVuthy

Compound names

At times, many families combine shorter names to create a longer name. This happens often among the wealthier class of Cambodians.

  • Sovanna (Combined "So" and "Vanna") means gold in Sanskrit
  • Somally (Combined "So" and "Maly")
  • Chandarith (Combined "Chanda" and "Rith")

References

  1. 1 2 "Naming systems of the world" Archived 2008-04-23 at the Wayback Machine (self-published). Citing Huffman, Franklin Eugene. Cambodian names and titles. Institute of Far Eastern Languages, Yale University (1968). OCLC 20035170.
  2. 1 2 Short, Philip. Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare. Macmillan (2006), p xv. ISBN 0-8050-8006-6.
  3. Kershaw, Roger. Monarchy in South-East Asia: The Faces of Tradition in Transition. Routledge (2001), p xiv. ISBN 0-415-18531-9.
  4. Whitaker, Donald P. (1973). Area Handbook for the Khmer Republic (Cambodia). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 60.
  5. Huy, Vannak (2003). THE KHMER ROUGE DIVISION 703: From Victory to Self-destruction. Phnom Penh: Documentation Center of Cambodia. pp. 6 (note 1). CiteSeerX 10.1.1.139.6706.
  6. Ueki, Kaori (2011). "PROSODY AND INTONATION OF WESTERN CHAM" (PDF). University of Hawaii. Retrieved 20 November 2017. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. 1 2 3 Valerie Ooka Pang & Li-Rong Lilly Cheng. Struggling to Be Heard: The Unmet Needs of Asian Pacific American Children. SUNY Press (1998), p51. ISBN 0-7914-3839-2.
  8. Asian American Community Mental Health Training Center. Bridging Cultures: Southeast Asian Refugees in America. University of Michigan (1983), p98. OCLC 10431338.
  9. 1 2 Hein, Jeremy (2006-04-13). Ethnic Origins: The Adaptation of Cambodian and Hmong Refugees in Four American Cities. Russell Sage Foundation. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-61044-283-1.
  10. Ehrman, Madeline Elizabeth; Sos, Kem (1972). Contemporary Cambodian: Grammatical Sketch. Foreign Service Institute, Department of State. p. 108.
  11. 1 2 Mary Fong & Rueyling Chuang. Communicating Ethnic and Cultural Identity. Rowman & Littlefield (2003), p40. ISBN 0-7425-1739-X.
  12. Khmer Institute
  13. "Cal Poly Pomona". Archived from the original on 2011-07-05. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
  14. "What Language Does He Speak? Asian Last Name Guide" (PDF).
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