If you have ever been to Bali before, you may already be familiar\nwith the island\u2019s unique naming system.<\/p>\n
For those who are about to visit the island for the first time,\nunderstanding the Balinese naming system can help you better connect\nwith local people and convey your enthusiasm for respecting the culture\nduring your trip.<\/p>\n
Bali is one of the most culturally generous regions on earth. Bali\nhas opened its doors to tourism and shares so much of its culture with\nvisitors, from temple ceremonies to cultural dances. A vacation to Bali\nis never just a holiday; it is a glimpse into a whole other culturally\nabundant world.<\/p>\n
There are many unique elements to Balinese life that tourists notice\nfrom the moment they touch down on the island. Something that always\nstrikes first-time visitors as noticeable is how many people share the\nsame name, and share the same name regardless of gender.<\/p>\n
This is because in Bali, a name represents so much. In Bali,\nsomeone\u2019s name can tell us their birth order, their caste, gender, and\neven some of their personality traits.<\/p>\n
The birth order system may feel a little confusing at first, but it\u2019s\nactually very simple. All firstborns are either called Wayan, Putu, or\nGede. All second-born children are called Made, Kadek, or Nengah.<\/p>\n
This is why tourists will often feel like everyone on the island is\ncalled Wayan or Made, since over the last fifty years, families have\nbeen having fewer children.<\/p>\n
For second-born children, there is more of a preference for the names\nMade and Kadek; we tend to see fewer Nengah\u2019s about town!<\/p>\n
Third-born children are called Nyoman or Komang, and fourth-born\nchildren are named Ketut. What happens if there is a fifth child, you\nask. The cycle starts again, often with the second name Balik, which\nliterally means \u2018another\u2019.<\/p>\n
In written form, to help identify gender, names are prefixed with I\nfor men and Ni for women. For example, I Wayan or Ni Made. Ni Luh is a\ncommon name for women and girls in Bali and is used for firstborn\ndaughters.<\/p>\n
In Bali, being a Balinese Hindu culture, there is a caste system in\nplace. Sudra is the name given to \u2018commoners\u2019 or those who do not have a\nnoble title. In the Wesya caste, which is the caste of merchants and\nadministrative officials, names like Dewa, Desai, and Gusti are also\ngiven.<\/p>\n
In the Ksatria caste, which is the caste of nobility and warriors,\nnames are typically prefixed with Anak Agung, Ngurah, or Tjokorda.<\/p>\n
For the highest caste, the Brahmana, which is the priestly and\nscholarly caste, men are often titled Ida Bagus and women Ida Ayu.<\/p>\n
There is one more name that tourists may come across, and that is\nJero. This is the name taken by women, typically, who have married into\na higher caste.<\/p>\n
Then there are personal names and nicknames. Since there are so many\nWayans and Mades, parents typically add a chosen name for their babies,\nwhich often has a Sanskrit root, although, as society changes, some\nparents are even giving their children more internationally inspired\nchosen names.<\/p>\n
For example, \u2018Dewi\u2019 is a commonly chosen name for girls, meaning\nGoddess, or Asri, which can mean beautiful or peaceful.<\/p>\n
A blended name calling on Balinese and international heritage or\ninspiration might be Kadek Joseph. This would also be shortened down to\nbe a nickname like Dekjo.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not uncommon in Bali, and around Indonesia, to shorten words by\ncutting off the first syllable. For example, watch out for an informal\n\u2018ma\u2019kasih\u2019, rather than a full \u2018terima kashi\u2019 amongst friends.<\/p>\n
Most Balinese people are super enthusiastic about sharing their\nculture with tourists, so don\u2019t be afraid to ask chatty tour guides,\nhosts, or taxi drivers about their names and what it means to them.<\/p>\n
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