Anyone traveling in Bali will, after some time, feel that the Balinese names all sound the same. And indeed, at first glance, the variety of names is not particularly large. The assignment of names in Bali follows a certain system. In the following article, you will learn what this looks like, which Balinese names are given and what their meaning is.
Balinese naming system
In Bali, there is a system behind the naming of one’s children, which is based on the order of birth on the one hand and on the associated caste on the other. It is important to mention that this assignment of Balinese names primarily concerns the Hindu population.
Birth order
A child’s name is chosen from a series of typical names. These names depend on the child’s position in the birth order among their siblings.
- The first-born children are called Wayan, Putu or Gede.
- The names of the second-born children are Made, Kadek or Nengah.
- The third-born child receives either the name Nyoman or Komang.
- Fourth-born children are called Ketut.
From the fifth child onwards, the naming process starts all over again, i.e. the Balinese start naming first-born children again.
In the traditional naming, the child’s gender is not considered. This means that the above names can be for both men and women. However, the gender can be indicated with a prefix. For men, an “I” is added, for women a “Ni”. For example, “I Wayan” refers to a male firstborn, while “Ni Made” refers to a female secondborn.
The names given above are primarily given to the lowest caste, to which over 90% of the Hindu population in Bali belongs.
Belonging to the caste
The situation is somewhat different for Balinese names in higher castes. Here, different names are given. Typical names from higher castes are:
- Gusti Ngurah (male), or Gusti Ayu (female)
- Anak Agung (male), Anak Agung Ayu or Anak Agung Istri (female)
- Tjokorda (male) or Tjokorda Istri (female)
- Ida I Dewa, Dewa Agung or I Dewa (male) and Dewa Ayu or Desak (female)
Further names on Bali
In addition to the traditional names, which are based on the caste and the birth order, the Balinese usually have more names. This makes it possible to address people specifically by name, even in larger groups. If you ask the Balinese about their full names, you will notice a certain variance in names. For example, Wayan can also become Wayan David or Gede can become Gede Artana. If you are interested in the names of your driver or the family that runs the accommodation, just ask.
Conclusion: Balinese names have a system
To sum up, it can be said that although at first glance the names on Bali all seem to be similar, there is a traditional system behind the naming. Those who want to delve deeper into the Balinese world and seek interaction with the Balinese will quickly find out more names of their respective counterparts. Then you will also recognize a certain diversity of names among the Balinese Hindu population.
