Cambodian name

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Cambodian names usually consist of two elements, a family name followed by a given name. ^[1][2] (In Western sources the two are sometimes reversed).^[3] Every Khmer name has a meaning.

Given names

Generally, women are given names relating to beauty, while men are given names of virtues.^[4][5] Some Cambodian given names are unisex names.

Surnames

Surnames are usually taken from the surname or the given name of the father^[1] and are generally monosyllabic.^[6] Cambodian surnames are sometimes identical to Chinese or Vietnamese surnames.^[6] Women keep their maiden names after marriage.^[4]

Origin and meanings

The meaning of Cambodian names are generally very simple and reference positive attributes.^[7] Cambodian people are called by their given names without a title (informal) or by their given names with a title (formal); surnames are not a usual form of address.^[2][4] (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 depressoin placed on the last syllable.^[8] Khmer uses a glottal stop (the Cockney stop in "ten green bo'les") and other stops: p, t and k. These stops are often totally unaspirated (i.e., no breath at all following), so the p sounds like a b, the t sounds like a d, and the k sounds like a g. Final r, d, g, s, b, and z sounds are not heard: Ngor is pronounced Ngow. Some final consonants written but not pronounced.^[9]

List of some family names

Khmer "family" names are usually simply their father's given name and as such change with each generation. 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^[10] some of which are also found as given names.

List of given names

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

• Balin (bah-lin)
• Chea (chee-ah) It means good health
• Cheata (chee-ay-tah) meaning birth, nation, origin
• Chheng cheng: 鄭 (Variation of Chinese "Zheng")
• Chheang: 常 (Chinese "Chang")
• Da: 大 (Similar to Chinese "Da" but not related)
• Dara dah-rah: (Sanskrit, meaning "Star")
• Leng (leng): 梁 (Chinese "Liang")
• Lo (Lo): 羅 (Chinese "Luo")
• Narong (nah-rong)
• Naroeung (nahroong)
• Phuong (poong) name of the kind of flower
• Saroeung (sah-roong)
• Srey (sareiy): (Khmer, meaning girl; from the Sanskrit strī́ [स्त्री])
• Son (sawn): 孫 (Variation of Chinese "Sun"
• Bopha (bohpa) meaning flower
• Chanda (chahndah): (More popular Khmer names) meaning heart or mind
• Chhoun (choo-en)
• Khan (kahn)
• Kosal (kohsahl)meaning good deed
• Kunthea (kunt-hee-ah)
• Lai (lah-ee): 賴 (Chinese "Lai")
• Lun Ang (loom-ang): 倫 (Variations of Chinese "Lun" and "Wu")
• Maly (mahlee)
• Mey (Mae)
• Map (mahp): Mập ("Fat")
• Moeuk (mew)
• Phalla (pahlah): (More popular Khmer names) meaning fruit (फल्ला) in Pali
• Phireak (pee-re)
• Poew (pohew): youngest (sibling)
• Rith (rit) mean power
• Ry (ree)
• Samnang (Lucky)
• Sarit (sahrit)
• Sophal (sohpahl): (More popular Khmer names)
• Suon (soo-in): meaning garden
• Tren (trayng): Trần (Vietnamese version of Chinese "Chen")
• Thy (tee): Thị
• Thuy (toy-ee): Thủy (Vietnamese version of Chinese 水)
• Vanna (vahna): gold, golden, from Sanskrit varṇa (वर्ण)

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")

See also

• A list of popular Khmer names Khmer Institute
• Cambodian Names Asian name pronunciation guide
• Cambodian names- Discover the beauty and significance of the Cambodian names and their meanings.

References

1. http://www.chacha.com/question/what-are-some-common-cambodian-last-names