Sikh names

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Sikh names are the names used by Sikhs. The basis of Sikh personal-names are selected through the naam karan ceremony. Nearly all Sikh personal-names carry religious meanings. The usage of Singh or Kaur in a Sikh name is mandated after baptism into the Khalsa and based upon gender. Since the colonial-period, Sikhs have adopted using their caste or clan as a surname and instead use Singh or Kaur as a middle-name rather than a surname. Some Sikhs adopt Khalsa as their surname to mark a departure from any caste identifications based upon names. Trends and systems of Sikh names have changed over time, with a notable shift has been the ending of using gendered name endings toward names being unisex and the popularization of including certain prefixes and suffixes to create dithematic names.

Contents

Overview

Sikh names often have the following format: First name – Religious name – Family name. [1] [2] Sikh first names serve as personal names and are selected through the Naam Karan ceremony, where a random page of the Guru Granth Sahib is opened by a granthi (Sikh preist) and the first letter of the first prayer on the opened page is used as the basis for the first name as an initial. [1] [3] Most Sikh first names are unisex and often are appended with prefixes and suffixes, such as -jit, -winder, or -want. [1] The religious name is Singh ("lion") for males and Kaur ("princess") for females. [1] [4] First and religious names are usually used together by Sikhs. [1] Some Sikhs have a family name whilst others only have a personal name and religious name. [1] For the Sikhs that have a family name, it usually consists of a caste-based or sub-caste-based name which marks the individual's caste identity. [1] Sikhism opposes the caste system, thus traditionally Sikhs did not have caste-based surnames, however they have been adopted by some Sikhs to match with naming conventions outside of India. [1] For the Sikhs who do not have a caste-based surname, some use Singh or Kaur as their surname instead. [1] Other Sikhs have a placename (toponym) as their surname rather than a caste-based surname. [2]

According to Kate Monk's Onomastikon ("Dictionary of Names"), most Sikhs have three names which consists of a personal-name, a middle-name to show Sikh identity (example: Singh, 'lion' for a male), and a clan or subsect name as a surname. [5] Many Sikh women use Kaur as their third name but some have Singh instead if their family had adopted it as a surname. [5] The name Kaur can translated as meaning "princess" but also "lioness", analogous to the translation of Singh being "lion". [6] [7] Many Sikh names are not unique to the religious community but are shared across religious lines, especially with the Hindu community, as certain names are used by both Sikhs and Hindus. [5] There exists a practice of a married Sikh woman adopting the personal-name of their husband as their own middle-name or surname, which may be characteristically masculine, with meanings such as "warrior", "brother", or "strength". [5] Spellings of Sikh names may vary when transliterated into the Latin script as there is no uniform transliteration scheme in-use. [5]

History

Guru Nanak is believed to have renamed Bhai Mardana from his original name Marjana to Mardana. [7] The lore states that Mardana was named Marjana (meaning "to die") by his parents as all of their previous children had died in childhood and it was believed that a name like this would prevent evil-eye and keep away the god of death and prolong son's life. [7] When Mardana became a companion of Guru Nanak, the guru renamed him Mardana, which means "brave" or "manly". [7]

Sikh names were often chosen in-relation to particular Indic deities or gurus that find reference within the Sikh scriptures, such as Rama, Indra, and Shiva. [7] Derivations based upon Indra's name using the Punjabi form Inder were especially common as both a prefix and suffix, adopted for martial symbolism. [7]

The names of the Sikh gurus carried special religious or martial meanings, often tied to Indic mythology or deities: [7]

Sikh lore claims that prior to the adoption of Singh and Kaur, Sikhs generally had short and simple names. [8] : 143  Thus, the adoption of "heavy" (bhari) personal names were for martial reasons and replaced "little" personal names, as the heavy names were "weightier" and "grander" sounding to symbolize martiality and courage. [8] : 143 

When the Sikhs were fighting the Mughals we had small-small names like Billu, Tillu, Kalu, Neela, Peela - not impressive names like the Mughals. A [Mughal] name like Bakhtavur Khan is very impressive and intimidating. Guruji said: How can we fight the Muslims when our names are small but theirs are great, very big names? You should also have heavy and good names. Then at the Khalsa he created Kaur and Singh and his name was changed from Gobind Rai to Gobind Singh. Now, if someone listens to the name, it is heavy, it is Singh. With big, heavy names your strength becomes more.

— An Anthropology of Intellectual Exchange: Interactions, Transactions and Ethics in Asia and Beyond, page 143

Sikhs believe that Guru Gobind Singh mandated in 1699 that they adopt Singh and Kaur as part of their names to manifest gender equality and to shed influences of casteism and classism. [6] All five members of the inaugural Panj Piare quintet are held to have replaced their previous surnames for Singh during this event. [4] Singh carries the literal meaning of "lion" but metaphorically means "warrior" or "champion". [8] : 143  In India, a person's hereditary or familial occupation or background can often be determined by their family name and often signifies the caste-background of the person. [6] The name Singh long pre-dates Sikhism's adoption of it and was used by warrior-groups in India in the form of a Kshatriya title, such as by Rajputs. [6] [7] [4] Thus, Jacob Copeman argues that the adoption of Singh as a title by the Sikhs does not mark a move solely toward castelessness but rather it was more aptly an action toward Rajputization. [8] : 142–143  Thus, to be initiated into the Khalsa, a requirement is that one must adopt Singh or Kaur in their name. [6] [7] For example, historically a person with the original name of Ram Chand would have become Ram Singh after being baptized. [7] Prevailing attachments to names like Ram, Lal, Chand, Das, Dev, Kumar, Anand, or Parkash were thus all replaced by Singh alone. [9]

Common convention claims the tenth Sikh guru was born with the name Gobind Rai but became Gobind Singh after undergoing the Pahul baptismal ceremony in 1699. [7] The female name Kaur (meaning "princess") also pre-dates Sikhism's adoption of it and was in-use by Rajput groups prior, with Kaur being the Punjabi form of the Rajput term Kanwar (meaning "prince"). [7] [8] : 143  Thus, Kaur is properly literally translated as "prince" and not "princess" but also carries the metaphorical meaning of "lioness". [4] Some Sikh women refer to themselves as Singhnis or Singhnee, literally meaning "lioness". [4] Both Singh and Kaur are interpreted by Sikhs as symbols to mark Sikhs' separateness from Hinduism but also symbolize martiality and self-dignity. [8] : 141  The adoption of Singh and Kaur also imbued "name spirit" into Dalit Sikhs, an uplifting effect as it opened up a formerly Rajput title to be adopted by lower-castes. [8] : 143–144  All Sikhs sharing the same name also symbolizes them belonging to the same family. [4]

Historically, Sikh personal-names were not unisex and different forms of the same name varied based on gender in-order to mark one's gender. [6] For example, names using the element gian as a basis would be given as a name in the form of Gian to males and Giano (with an -o added to the end) to females. [6] [9] Historical Punjabi names followed different naming customs depending on if the name was masculine or feminine. [9]

Sometimes a Punjabi person's name would change based on their success, power, finances, and social-standing, especially prior to when Punjabis began recording their names through writing. [9] Male names ending with -u were seen as more informal, those ending with -a had higher status, whilst those lacking a vowel ending and with attachments appended to the name like Raj or Das earned the greatest clout at the time. [9] Thus, a Punjabi born originally with the name Desu may have been known as Desa as they grew richer and more important, perhaps being called Des Raj if they became very powerful and respected. [9] This led to the coining of a saying: Persu, Persa, Pers Ram, es maya ke tin nam. [9] Ordinary people and servants were addressed by a single name whilst those with higher-status were addressed by two names with the -ji honourific. [9]

However, in the latter half of the 20th century the practice of categorizing names as masculine or feminine based on their ending and resultantly choosing them respectively for a son or daughter ceased to be followed and now Sikh personal names are unisex. [6] [9] Thus, using the earlier example, today both males and females would be given Gian as their name, without any distinction based on their gender. [6] Therefore, the part of the name that marked someone's gender could no longer be determined by their personal name and relied upon if they had Singh or Kaur in their name. [6] [7]

There is a paucity of evidence of the Kaur title being associated with Sikh women prior to the Singh Sabha movement that began in the 19th century, with the Kaur tradition being mandated for the purpose of defining religious identities and constructing religious boundaries. [8] : 144–147  Early Sikh literally refers to female Sikhs as "Sikhnis" and "Gursikhnis" and not as "Kaurs". [8] : 144–147  Rather, historical Sikh females used the title Devi ("goddess") as a suffix rather than Kaur. [8] : 144–147  However, the Sikh reformers thought that the term "Devi" seemed too "Hindu-inflected", thus they mandated in the 1950 edition of the Sikh Rehat Maryada that all Sikh female infants should adopt the name Kaur, it being analogous in-function to the male Singh tradition. [8] : 144–147  This change in female naming convention was also retroactively and anachronistically applied to historical Sikh female names, whereas whilst Mata Sahib Devah was the historical name for one of Guru Gobind Singh's wives, she is now called Mata Sahib Kaur by modern Sikhs, to reflect this change. [8] : 144–147  Kaur is seen as a powerful marker by Sikh feminists like Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, as it allows Sikh females to not have to adopt the names of their fathers nor their husbands, giving women and girls their own name identity separate from males. [8] : 144–147  According to Vedran Obućina, Kaur in the past was used as a post-baptism initiation title rather than as a surname by Sikh females, with Kaur not being part of their official name, whereas post-baptism Sikh males used Singh as an actual surname as part of their official name. [4] Since the British colonial-period, the practice of a married woman adopting the surname of her husband has been adopted by some Sikhs, which explains why some Sikh women have a middle-name and surname consisting of "Kaur Singh", as in the case with Duleep Singh's daughter, Bamba Sophia Duleep Kaur Singh. [6]

According to Gian Singh Sandhu, another naming convention that was adopted by Sikhs during the colonial-period was the introduction of surnames based upon one's caste or clan, which Jacob Copeman describes as being a bureaucratic and institutional-motivated process. [6] [8] : 165  Prior to this, Sikhs traditionally did not put a clan or caste-affiliated name in their actual name as a surname. [6] [1] During the colonial-period, the British colonial administration institutionalized and fixed the surnames of its Indian subjects for the purposes of demographic records (censuses), criminal records, tax records, voting records, and immunization and health records. [8] : 165  However, the colonial administration complained that Indian surnames were "too recurrent", which contributed to a "native propensity for impersonation". [8] : 165  The British Indian censuses were not referential but rather generative in-actuality. [8] : 167  Thus, this is viewed as a reversal of shedding caste from one's identity with the introduction of caste and clan names into Sikh names, which according to Jacob Copeman has led some orthodox Sikh reformers and laymen West Delhite Sikhs to worry about the resurgence of casteism and decline of equality in the community. [8] : 140  Copeman argues that the rise of the installation of caste and clan names into Sikh proper names is not due to a desire for indicating one's caste nor due to a resurgence of caste mentalities but rather as a byproduct of the policies of government agencies (such as passport and visa agencies) or schools, as all Sikhs having only Singh or Kaur in their name does not allow government departments to be able to effectively disambiguate and differentiate between individuals within the Sikh community as effectively, as everyone shares the same names. [8] : 140  Thus, the adoption of caste-based surnames amongst Sikhs is for the purpose of solving a bureaucratic problem, not due to caste-motivated feelings. [8] : 166  Sikh religious bodies, realizing the bureaucratic problem, instead advocates that Sikhs should adopt toponyms (place names) as surnames rather than caste-names. [8] : 166 

In the pre-partition period, Sikhs living in rural areas especially did not have their caste or sub-caste (got or gotra) as part of their name, as all the landowning families inhabiting the same village tended to belong to the same sub-caste, thus there was no point in including this information as part of one's official name. [9] People generally knew the sub-caste of members of their community as this was used to determine feasible marriage partners, one's lineage, religion, occupation, place of origin, social status, and caste (zaat). [9] Educated individuals in that era (tukhallus) adopted new last names based upon their town of origin, personality, or ideals. [9] Also in that time, Punjabis could be identified as belonging to a particular religion based on their clothing or hair. [9] For strangers one was not well acquainted with, Sikhs were called Sardar/Sirdar , Hindus as Babu, Lala, or Seth, and Muslims as Mian or Khan. [9]

Some Sikh youths in Delhi have also pushed back against the use of Singh or Kaur as they feel these names are "archaic" or "embarrassing", being linked to Sardarji and Santa Banta jokes. [8] : 140, 169  G. P. Singh (2003) argued that Sikhs who disuse Singh or Kaur were attempting to conceal their Sikh identity, which may be connected to the anti-Sikh violence of the 1947 partition and 1984 pogroms of Delhi. [8] : 144–147  Examples of this in 1984 is how some Sikh officers of the Indian Army changed the Singh in their name to the more "Hindu-sounding" Singha or Sinha, for essentially all of them this was only a temporary change until the anti-Sikh violence subsided. [8] : 144–147 

Historical Sikh names were often chosen to describe a person's physical characteristics. [7] For example Kala Singh ("black lion") was often given to describe a Sikh with dark-skin. [7] Some names were selected in-order to protect against certain things, such as Ajaaib Singh ("strange lion"), Gunga Singh ("dumb lion"), and Bola Singh ("deaf lion") both being thought of as preventing evil-eye. [7] These kind of names that at face value seem negative were commonly used by Sikhs in the past but has fallen out of fashion now. [7] Tej K. Bhatia (1993) describes a common naming trend in rural Punjab of naming children "unflattering names with negative overtones" due to a prevailing superstition. [10]

Prior to the partition of Punjab in 1947, it was more prevalent for Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus to have Arabic and Persian-derived first names, yet these first names were paired with last names like Singh, Ram, Mull, Das, Chand, Raj, Kumar and Lal, to distinguish the name holder from Muslims. [9] Meanwhile, Punjabi Muslims appended last names with Islamic-affiliation to mark themselves as Muslims, such as Deen/Din, Ali, Ullah, Mohammed, Ahmed, Khan, Beg, Hussein, Shah, or their names were preceded by prefixes like Abdul, Zia-ul, Ghias-ul, or Mohammed. [9] According to Gurnam Singh Sidhu Brard, the adoption of Perso-Arabic names by pre-partition era Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus was due to the fact that Muslim dynasties had ruled over Punjab for centuries, with Persian often being the official-language of those states, allowing for the absorption of those names amongst the Punjabi masses, including non-Muslims. [9] After partition, using names tied to Islamicate culture and "old-fashioned" names fell into disuse by Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus. [9] Punjabi Hindus often named their children after Indic deities, considering it auspicious. [9] This produced Punjabi Hindu names like Shiv, Krishan, Brahma, Vishnu/Bishnu, Inder, or Ishwer for males and Devi, Lakshmi, Durga, or Sita for females. [9] Punjabi Hindus also attached names like Dev, Devi, Ram, or Krishan, to the names of their children, hoping that their offspring would imbue a deity by doing so as an avatar and have extraordinary ability. [9]

Some names were selected for perceived spiritual qualities, such as Sukh Singh ("prosperous lion") to show wealth, or Harpreet, Surjeet, and Amarjeet to show affinity with and devotion to the divine. [7] Particularly favoured names showing a close relationship with the Sikh guru using the gur element were Gurudaas, Gurudatta, Gurumukh, Gurnaam, and Gurpreet. [7] In the past, Sikhs chose names to showcase power, strength, bravery, and devotion. [7] In the past, some Sikh males were given the name Kaur as a personal name, such as Akali Kaur Singh (with 'Kaur Singh' being interpreted as meaning "prince lion" rather than the feminine "princess lion" in this case), where as today it has been relegated to being a completely female name. [4]

Indian astrology was used by historical Sikhs to select names, based upon lunar asterisms such as the nakshastra at the time of the child's birth from the presiding Indic deity. [7] For example, a child who was born under the Ashyini/Ashvini constellation would be given the personal name Ashvini whilst those born under the Rohini constellation would be given the name Rohini. [7]

Historical Sikh names were usually short and simple, often consisting of a single element without any prefixes or suffixes attached to it. [11] For example, in the past there were names like Daya, Dharam, Sahib, Mohkam, and Himmat, where as nowadays these names would be given often with elements attached to them, such as Dharamvir or Sahibjit. [11] Prepending and/or appending Sikh first names with prefixes or suffixes became more common in the 20th century. [9] Modern Sikh names are usually chosen for aesthetic reasons and are usually not too long nor too short. [7] Present-day Sikh names are not always derived from Sikh scripture or Sanskritic sources and are not that different from the names used half a millennia ago based upon form or derivation. [7] Common sources of modern Sikh names include Old Punjabi, Hindi, Prakrit, and corrupted forms of dialectal variants. [7] Non-Indic linguistic names from Persian or Arabic sources are also often used in modern Sikh names. [7] There are some Sikhs who name their children using the same prefix or suffix their own name contains. [11] For example, a parent with a name containing the -jit suffix may attach that suffix to the names of all their children whilst another parent where a parent has the har- prefix in their name would attach it to the names of their offspring. [11]

In 2007, Canadian immigration authorities stated that they refused to accept Kaur or Singh as surnames for the past ten years, demanding that Indian immigrant applicants with those surnames to change their last name because they were "too common". [8] : 166  This policy was reversed in 2007 but it unknown how many applicants were effected by this request and changed their surnames due to it, which may have led to the increase of caste-based surnames. [8] : 166–168  Indian passport and visa authorities have also requested those with Singh or Kaur as their surname to adopt another last name for disambiguation purposes. [8] : 166–168 

In the past, it was common amongst Sikhs for the granthi or a respected member of the sangat (congregation) to name a Sikh child in the community where as today the child is usually named by their parents. [11] Amongst diasporic Sikhs residing in Western countries where the dominant language is English, there has been a shift away from naming children Sikh names that may be interpreted as inappropriate or offensive when read through the lens of the English-language and its pronunciation scheme and derivation. [11] Sikh names such as Faqir, Arsdeep, Sukhdeep, Ramandeep, Asman, and Fagun, being examples of names that are being avoided due to these circumstances to avoid Sikh children being ridiculed, derided, or bullied due to their names. [11] Another trend is the practice of using Sikh names that suit better to Western and Christian norms, for example Sharan (Sharon), Harman (Herman), and Pal (Paul). [11] A further shift amongst some Sikhs is attaching a typically Western name to a traditional Sikh suffix, for example Rickywant (Ricky plus -want), Shirleypreet (Shirley and -preet), Vickydeep (Vicky and -deep), or Kaseyjeet (Kasey and -jeet). [11] Others have attached English words to traditional Sikh suffixes to form new names, forming neo-Sikh names like Pinkypreet (pink and -preet, nickname Pinky), Loveleen (love and -leen, nickname Lovely), or Bubblejeet (bubble and -jeet, nickname Bubbly) or using English words alone as a name, such as Dimple. [11] There are some Sikh parents who have abandoned using the traditional Naam Karan ceremony to name their child, thereby selecting a name without any constraints on letters. [11] Other Sikh parents in the present-day shy away from using traditional Sikh names and may adopt Hindu, Muslim, or foreign names for their children, particularly for daughters and in urban-dwelling families whilst the names for sons conform more to traditional Sikh naming norms. [11] [9] Neo-Sikh families often try to be creative with coming-up with names for their children, attempting to coin names that nobody in their social-circle possesses. [9] This is accomplished through linguistic creativity. [9]

Forenames

Sikhs use many given or personal names, nearly all meaningful, usually with a religious or moral theme. [6] It is rare for a Punjabi first name to carry no underlying meaning. [9] The process of choosing a Sikh's first name, known as the Naam Karan, occurs following the first few days of their birth, in a ceremony called the Hukamnama (referring to the hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib that was opened on a random page), a family often selects a name for a child by opening the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, to a random page (ang) and choosing a name that begins with the first letter of the first word on the page. [11] [3] The name chosen must use the first letter of the first word of the hukamnama. [11] If one encounters difficulty using the first letter from the ceremony to create a name, some Sikhs believe it is then permissable to then use the first letter of the second word from the same verse as the basis for the name. [11] Some Sikh priests or saints assist families with selecting a name, taking into account the rehni-behni (life-style or spiritual bent) of the parents in-order to-do so, with the nuance being if the name will reflect being within Sikhism or toward Sikhism. [11] Some practice printing and framing the hukamnama that was opened for the naming ceremony and keeping it as a "mission statement" for the child for posterity. [11]

It is important to note that Sikhs are not religiously bound to take-on culturally Indic personal names, names from any culture are acceptable. [12] However, most Sikh first names in-circulation are from the Punjabi-language whilst some come from Persian. [9] Names also do not have to have spiritual meanings behind them. [12] Whatever name chosen for a newborn baby will need to adhere to the rule regarding the first-letter being the same as the one in the vaak, as per the Naam Karan ceremony. [12]

Sikhs often consult granthis for advice on selecting a suitable name for their child. [5] This is usually done through the naam karan ceremony, where the Guru Granth Sahib is opened to a random page (ang) and the first syllable on the opened page must be used to create the name as a basis, as Sikhs believe that they should be named by the guru. [5] [6] [3] Nearly all Sikh personal-names carry religious meanings. [6] There is a belief that one's personal name is associated with their life trajectory, personality, and actions. [7] [11] An example of this belief in-action is the practice of bestowing the element inder in the formation of one's personal name, to wish for strength, energy, and respect. [7] Names for selected for a variety of reasons, such as hopeful and fulfilled wishes, blessings, or links to particular episodes, times, or individuals. [7]

Sikh personal names are often compounds, whose constituent components (often derived from Sanskrit [6] ) are used for both male and female names. [5] An example of such a name is one beginning with bal- (from the Sanskrit word 'bala', meaning "strength") and ending in -inder (from Indra), becoming Balinder. [5] Some of these individual components or elements of the compound names may be only be used generally as a suffix whilst others are generally only used as a prefix. [5] For example, the components -pal, -want, and -jit/jeet are ordinarily used as suffixes within the formation of a compound personal name. [5] Most Sikh personal names are unisex or gender-neutral and can be used for both males and females. [5] [4] Although elements of Sikh personal names are derived from Sanskrit words, the derived Punjabi forms of these words are more similar to the Prakrit stage. [7] For example, the word Rajindra (Sanskrit form) exists as and is pronounced as Rajinder in Punjabi. [7]

Sikh names using the above formula usually consist of two syllables. [11] However, to create longer names with more syllables (such as three or four), two suffixes are added to the base prefix, such as -vinder plus -jit or -vinder plus -pal, an example being Balvinderjit, or a base element containing two syllables already, such as Karam, has a prefix attached to it, such as -jit, forming Karamjit. [11]

Common naming elements in Sikh personal names [5]
ElementMeaningElementMeaningElementMeaningElementMeaning
Row OneRow TwoRow ThreeRow Four
akaleternalamanpeaceamarimmortalamritlord's nectar
anandblissanoopbeautyavtarincarnation of godbahadarhero
bakhsheeshblessedbalmightybhagatdevoteebirbrave/fight
charanlotus feetdalsoldierdarshanvisiondasslave
deeplampdevgoddhannblesseddharamrighteous
dhiaancontemplationditgivenfatehvictorygagansky
gatfreedomgharchhome withingiaandivine knowledgegunexcellence
gurguruhargod'sikonenessjagworld/ocean
jaivictoriousjapremembrancejaspraises/gloriesjeetvictory
jodhwarriorjotlightkaramgod's gracekeeratpraises
khalsapurekirpalkindkulfamilylakhhundred thousand
leenimbuedlivabsorbedmanfortunatemanheart
meetfriendmohanbeautifulnarpersonnavnew
neetalwaysnirflawlessnoordivine lightonkarprimal being
palprotectorparamhighestpatrespectableprabhgod
preetlovepremloverajkingramgod
ranbattleraselixirratandiamondroopembodiment
sachtruthsaihajpeacefulsaraballsharanguru's shelter
sherlionsimarremembrance of godsobhavirtuoussukhpeace
sundarbeautifulsurgodlytalibtruth seekertaransaviour
teghswordteksupportthakurmasterudairising
ujjalholy personupexalteduttamexaltedveerbrave

Relation to Punjabi Hindu and Hindi names

Many first names often used by Punjabi Sikhs are also used by Punjabi Hindus as a common set of names. [13] [14] [15]

Due to differences between Hindi and Punjabi, the same name takes different forms based on if it is interpreted through Punjabi or Hindi. [9] Hindi names often include an -a or -ya sound to the end and more emphasize the schwa at the end of the names. [9] Meanwhile, Punjabi names tended to delete vowels and sometimes consonants from names of Sanskritic-origin. [9] Furthermore, words inherited into Punjabi exhibit the following sound-changes: v → b; y → j; sh → s; ksh → kh/sh. [9] Examples reflecting these differences between Hindi and Punjabi forms of names are as follows: [9]

Nicknames

Some Sikhs adopt nicknames based on their first-name. Sometimes this is done as their proper first-name may be a source of ridicule because it sounds similar to embarrassing words, such as the use of the nickname Paddy if the official first name is Pardaman whose first part is similar to the Punjabi word for flatulence. [11] In the 2017 movie Super Singh , the main character Sajjan Singh adopts the nickname Sam after he moves to Canada in-order to fit-in better to his new environment. [8] : 169  In the movie, this is depicted as being an "inauthentic deviation from Sikh values and signfiers". [8] : 169  In a short-film from the 2013 Sikh Film Festival titled Karizmaa of Kaur, there is a female Sikh character named Jasmeet Kaur who goes by the nickname Jazz in her professional and personal-life, being embarassed by her Sikh name but later she realizes its importance, causing her to shed her usage of the Jazz nickname. [8] : 156–159 

Middle-names

Sikhs with clan or caste-derived names as their surname often use Singh and Kaur as a middle-name. [5] [6] This practice is common amongst sehajdhari Sikhs. [6]

Surnames

Many Sikhs solely use Singh or Kaur as their surname, depending on their gender (without any other surname). [6] Some believers maintain that the practice of naming without using the word Singh or Kaur is manmat (Against the will of the Guru) and is prohibited in the Rehat Maryada (The way of living of Sikhs). [16] However, whilst many non-Sikhs use the name Singh, Kaur on the other hand is virtually only used by Sikhs. [8] : 161–162  Thus, Kaur is a much-readier and reliable linguistic identifier of Sikh-hood when compared to Singh. [8] : 161–162  Thus, some Sikh women like Sunny Leone or Taran Dhillon have faced backlash from sections of the Sikh community when they identified themselves with their Kaur name, as they were percieved as bringing dishonour to the name which is a linguistic marker of a Sikh female. [8] : 159–163, 169  In Sikhism, women are not mandated to change their surnames, last name, or family name after marriage. [6]

Some Sikhs adopt the word Khalsa as their surname. [17] [18] This practice is common amongst the Bhajanist sect (3HO), who follow the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. [17] This practice has been criticized based upon the claim that Guru Gobind Singh did not mandate that the word Khalsa become part of a Sikh name and that naming oneself in this manner is egotistical. [17] Thus, the basis of the criticism is derived from how Sikhs are students whilst the Khalsa is the master, naming oneself Khalsa implies that one is the master. [17]

Some Sikhs append a toponymic name as a suffix to their name. [12] For example, a Sikh man named Joginder Singh from Amritsar may call himself "Joginder Singh Amritsar". [12] The purpose of this is often to hide or replace a traditional caste-based surname, which some Sikhs are against appending to one's name. [12] This is what Sikh religious bodies advocate for to prevent the uptake of caste-based surnames amongst Sikhs due to the bureaucratic problem of too many people sharing the surnames Singh and Kaur. [8] : 166  Toponym-based Sikh surnames may reflect the names of a particular village, town, neighbourhood, state, or country that the individual hails from or is connected to. [8] : 166  Examples in real-life include the politician Parkash Singh Badal, whose family traces their roots to Badal village. [8] : 166  However, the practice of adopting a toponym as a surname amongst Sikhs is less common than caste-based surnames. [8] : 166 

Some Sikhs give their first name as a last name to their children. [11] For example, a Sikh father named Partap would give Partap as a surname to his children, replacing Singh and Kaur. [11]

Whilst as per the Sikh Rehat Maryada all amritdharis must adopt Singh or Kaur into their official name, there is ambiguity if non-amritdhari Sikhs must do-so. [8] : 144–147  Many self-identifying Sikhs do not have Singh or Kaur as part of their proper name. [8] : 144–147  Sikhs who do not have Singh or Kaur in their name may face difficulties when applying for refugee status abroad as a Sikh, as having Singh or Kaur in one's name is commonly perceived as being a Sikh marker. [8] : 144–147  However, there has been no attempt to restrict the usage of Singh or Kaur to only baptized Sikhs, rather the opposite as non-baptized Sikhs are encouraged to adopt the titles into their names. [8] : 162 

Caste

Many Sikhs append the name of their sub-caste (known as a got in Punjabi and gotra in Hindi) as their surname. [19] : 40–41  [8] : 144  A got is an exogamous grouping within a particular caste (known as a zat in Punjabi and jati in Hindi). [19] : 343  [8] : 144  A zat is an endogamous caste grouping, which contains gots under it. [19] : 345  Some Sikhs are against the usage of got names as surnames because they think it promotes the caste system and the discrimination that comes from it, which is against Sikh doctrines. [19] : 98  Sikhs tend to marry someone belonging to a different got as themself whilst belonging to the same zat. [19] : 40–41  Since the second-half of the 20th century, some Sikhs from socially and economically-disadvantaged castes have adopted the gotra names of privileged castes as their surnames in an attempt to hide their original caste-background and seek upward social mobility. [20] An example of this practice in-action is a trend of Mazhabis adopting Jat Sikh clan names as their surname in an attempt to seek higher social statues by affiliating themselves with Jats. [21] Atheists from Sikh-backgrounds may prefer to use a caste-name instead of Singh or Kaur as the latter is too affiliated to the Sikh religion. [8] : 150  Some Dalit Sikh activists have criticized the practice of Singh or Kaur in-place of caste-based names as an example of "caste-blindness", which they feel is "obsolete" and "discredited", preferring the practice of "conspicuous caste". [8] : 151  Some orthodox Sikh schools, such as the Singh Sabha schools of Delhi, do not recognize or record any caste-related surnames of their pupils, instead recording their surname solely as Singh or Kaur to replace any caste-based surnames. [8] : 164  Consequently, the class register of these schools differentiated students sharing the same name with numeric values rather than by the student's caste surname. [8] : 164 

Many members of heterodoxical sects and splinter movements of Sikhism, such as the Ravidassias, may have either Hindu-adjacent ("Devi" or "Lal") or Sikh-adjacent last names ("Singh" or "Kaur"). [8] : 144–147  Many followers of the aforementioned groups are from the Dalit community, particularly a sub-group known as Ramdasias. [8] : 144–147  Whilst many Ravidassias practice having Singh or Kaur in their names, a lot of those who do assert their identity of being a Ravidassia and not a Sikh. [8] : 144–147 

Honourifics and titles

Honourifical titles, such as Giani, Sarna, Sethi, or Sital, are appended to the end of the names of religiously-accomplished persons for the purpose of being a general title or qualification. [2] Another common honourific appended to names is Sahib. [9] Married Sikh and Hindu Punjabi women have the shrimatī title prepended to their first name when others call on them. [22] Meanwhile, unwedded Punjabi women have the kumārī title prepended to their first name when others mention them. [22] In intimate settings, both the personal name or the family name are said. [22] Honourifical terms, such as -ji , can be used in conjunction either the first, middle, or last name, being appended to the respective name. [22] To show closeness to someone, the person's nickname may also be appended with the -ji honourifical suffix. [22] Some rural wives only call their husbands with the ji honourific rather than using their husband's actual name. [23]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Versions of the same -an names used outside of Punjab simply ended with the "a" sound and not with the nasalized "an" sound.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guru Gobind Singh</span> Tenth Sikh guru from 1675 to 1708

Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last human Sikh Guru. He was a warrior, poet, and philosopher. In 1675, at the age of nine he was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs after his father Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed by Emperor Aurangzeb. His father was the ninth Sikh Guru. His four biological sons died during his lifetime – two in battle and two executed by the Mughal governor Wazir Khan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singh</span> Surname originating from Asia

Singh is a title, middle name, or surname that means "lion" in various South Asian and Southeast Asian communities. Traditionally used by the Hindu Kshatriya community, it was later mandated in the late 17th century by Guru Gobind Singh for all male Sikhs as well, in part as a rejection of caste-based prejudice and to emulate Rajput naming conventions. As a surname or a middle name, it is now found throughout the world across communities and religious groups, becoming more of a generic, caste-neutral, decorative name—similar to names such as Kumar and Lal.

<i>Khalsa</i> Sikh community and special group

The term Khalsa refers to both a community that follows Sikhism as its religion, as well as a special group of initiated Sikhs. The Khalsa tradition was initiated in 1699 by the Tenth Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh. Its formation was a key event in the history of Sikhism. The founding of Khalsa is celebrated by Sikhs during the festival of Vaisakhi.

Waheguru is a term used in Sikhism to refer to God as described in Guru Granth Sahib. It is the most common term to refer to God in modern Sikhism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaur</span> Surname of Sikh women

Kaur, sometimes spelled as Kour, is a surname or a part of a personal name primarily used by the Sikh and some Hindu women of the Punjab region. It is also sometimes translated as 'lioness', not because this meaning is etymologically derived from the name, but as a parallel to the Sikh male name Singh, which means 'lion'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Udasi</span> Early sect of Sikhism

Udasis, also spelt as Udasins, also known as Nanak Putras, are a religious sect of ascetic sadhus centred in northern India who follow a tradition known as Udasipanth. Becoming custodians of Sikh shrines in the 18th century, they were notable interpreters and spreaders of the Sikh philosophy during that time. However, their religious practices border on a syncretism of Sikhism and Hinduism, and they did not conform to the Khalsa standards as ordained by Guru Gobind Singh. When the Lahore Singh Sabha reformers, dominated by Tat Khalsa Sikhs, would hold them responsible for indulging in ritual practices antithetical to Sikhism, as well as personal vices and corruption, the Udasi mahants were expelled from the Sikh shrines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nihang</span> Sikh warrior sect

The Nihang or Akali, also known as Dal Khalsa, is an armed Sikh warrior order originating in the Indian subcontinent. Nihangs are believed to have originated either from Fateh Singh and the attire he wore or from the "Akal Sena" started by Guru Hargobind. Early Sikh military history was dominated by the Nihang, known for their victories where they were heavily outnumbered. Traditionally known for their bravery and ruthlessness in the battlefield, the Nihang once formed the irregular guerrilla squads of the armed forces of the Sikh Empire, the Sikh Khalsa Army.

The Akhand Kirtani Jatha, alternatively romanized as the Akhand Keertanee Jathaa and abbreviated as AKJ, is a jatha and sect of Sikhism dedicated to the Sikh lifestyle. The Jatha follows a strict discipline in keeping the Rehat of Guru Gobind Singh. They also enjoy an active style of Keertan recited by Sikhs in a collective manner in front of Guru Granth Sahib. This style of Keertan is relatively simple, and the entire congregation devotionally participates in singing along.

Indian names are based on a variety of systems and naming conventions, which vary from region to region. In Indian culture, names hold profound significance and play a crucial role in an individual's life. The importance of names is deeply rooted in the country's diverse and ancient cultural heritage. Names are also influenced by religion and caste and may come from epics. In Hindu culture, names are often chosen based on astrological and numerological principles. It is believed that a person's name can influence their destiny, and selecting the right name is essential for a prosperous and harmonious life. Astrologers may be consulted to ensure a name aligns with the individual's birth chart. India's population speaks a wide variety of languages and nearly every major religion in the world has a following in India. This variety makes for subtle, often confusing, differences in names and naming styles. Due to historical Indian cultural influences, several names across South and Southeast Asia are influenced by or adapted from Indian names or words.

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The Sarbloh Granth or Sarabloh Granth, also called Manglacharan Puran or Sri Manglacharan Ji, is a voluminous scripture, composed of more than 6,500 poetic stanzas. It is traditionally attributed as being the work of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru. Scholars, on the other hand, attribute the work to after the Guru's death, being authored by an unknown poet. The work is mostly revered by the Nihang sect.

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Panj Pyare refers to a gathered ad hoc quintet of five baptised (Amritdhari) Khalsa Sikhs who act as institutionalized leaders for the wider Sikh community.

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Jat Sikh or Jatt Sikh is an ethnoreligious group, a subgroup of the Jat people whose traditional religion is Sikhism, originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are one of the dominant communities in the Punjab, India, owing to their large land holdings. They form an estimated 20–25% of the population of the Indian state of Punjab. They form at least half of the Sikh population in Punjab, with some sources estimating them to be about 60–66% appx. two-third of the Sikh population.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hukamnama</span> Hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib taken as an order

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<i>Sri Gur Sobha</i> Sikh text

Sri Gur Sobha, also known as Sri Gur Sobha Granth, is a poetic literary work written by the court-poet Sainapati that covers the life of Guru Gobind Singh and the establishment of the Khalsa order. It is one of the Gurbilases. The overarching motif of the work consists of praise of the tenth guru.

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