I've met a few Thai people and only knew them by thier nicknames and later found out thier real names were the typical "long" Thai name, but the nickname did not follow the name. I knew two girls nicknamed Nok, but both had very dissimiliar real names. In English a nickname for Susan is Sue, Richard is Rick, etc. One can usually tell what a persons real name is by thier nickname. Just curious how the Thai nickname is aquired.
2006-12-26 00:19:14 · 9 answers · asked by Julie A 3 in Travel ➔ Asia Pacific ➔ Thailand
The above answer is very accurate - when parents give them a nick name it is usually something to do with them when they are babies. I know someone named Rainy because it was raining on her birth, or Arun (means moon) because she was born at night, or Nok, because she looked like a baby bird, etc.
I would also add that some nicknames are created by themself when they are young adults if they do not like their nickname from their youth or want a new image. I knew a guy who liked photography so he started calling himself Niko (short form of his Nikon camera).
Many Thais only know people by their nicknames - so looking someone up in a name directory (at a company) is difficult, same as spell-by-name on the telephone (no one knows their last names).
2006-12-26 00:59:05 · answer #1 · answered by fffrrreeeddd 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In the old time thai has only a name no last name but they may refer each other by name and the place where they lived (district, or canal names or field names etc.). Their names became nick name in the present day and those names normally will be named after birth by their parents according to what they can think or come to their mind and related to new born baby. The name may be something that describes the baby and mostly will be only one word such as Daeng (red), Dam (black), Khaw (White), Lek (small), Piak (real small), Mhoo (Pig), Miew (Cat), Nok (Bird), Beum (Large), Yhai (Big) etc.
After WW1, thai has adopt the western style and by adding last name or family name. The thai names (both first and last names) then will have to be checked with the registra office that thier last names won't be duplicated to others.
After they have good meaning last (family) names then come to the development of the first name for official or commercial use. The first name then will have some good meaning and always be named by a revered monk or senior nobleman. In present day, they may consult Thai dictionary and find the good thai words or sansakrit and name their kids after given them a simple and easy to call nick names.
2006-12-26 18:34:26 · answer #2 · answered by tooon68 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Thai people usually get their nicknames shortly after birth, given typically by their parents. Very often, the nickname is not at all related to their real name. Nicknames can be anything: Nok (bird), Moo (pig), Maew (cat), etc. Others are just a shortened form of their real name (such as Chai from Somchai), much as we do in the west. I've met Thai people who have changed their nicknames to be western names, like Jack or Emma. To them, western names are unusual and interesting, exactly how we think of Thai names.
2006-12-26 00:34:10 · answer #3 · answered by maowbro--Retired 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
From what I know, Thais are given nicknames as a precaution against them being taken by evil spirits when they are young. The parents use the nicknames to confuse these spirits so that the spirits cannot relate to the kids. So these nicknames will not have any co-relation to their actual names.
Nicknames ranges from animals, to plants, to household items too.
Good thing that nicknames are used, or else we will have a hard time calling them by name.
2006-12-26 04:16:31 · answer #4 · answered by peanutz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm a thai myself and i have a nickname that had absolutely nothing to do with my real name and i dont even know why my parent named me like that. i think it is just easier for them to call me rather than a real thai name because that name will only be used in my ID card. i didnt like it so i only still use that nickname with my parents, relatives and a few friends who knew me when i was younger. now i've grown up and i prefer people calling me by my real name since its not that hard and not too long at all. infact, its quite exotic but not wierd.
2006-12-26 21:29:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
For obvious person you give the Thai nickname about ( Arun )
It does not mean Moon. It mean morning sunshine.
The nickname is use at first in Family for easy asking and have conversation and then when you go to school, you will give your closed friend can call you in nickname.
2006-12-26 16:16:02 · answer #6 · answered by Sean 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My daughter got her Thai nickname (Dria) do to the fact that few people can pronounce her full Western name (Alexandria). So it's a shortened version of her real name.
Other Thais' nicknames have nothing to do with their real names but match some characteristic of them when they are babies... like Lek or Noi, for example ("small").
Animal nicknames are quite common too. Mot (Ant), Nok (bird), Moo (pig), Chang (elephant). I personally don't understand the animal nicknames because, generally speaking, comparing Thais to animals is a huge insult. Ee-saht ("you f*cking animal) is one of the worst insults in the Thai language.
A lot of Thais have English nicknames too. Sometimes quite strange... Three, Big, Blue, Joke, etc. I guess their parents didn't understand what the word meant when they gave it to their kids as a nickname.
2006-12-26 01:03:58 · answer #7 · answered by sirtitus 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
well, thai people get their nickname right after they are born. And mostly it is name according to what their parent want. Like example me, My real name is Mayvarin U-thaisangchaiyatiwa but my nickname in thai is Boong. It is totally different from my real name becuase my parents told me that when my mom is pregnant, she always eat "Pat Boong" which is a kind of vegetable which is fried and eat it. it is delicious, u should try it. So my parents named me Boong.
Well, some of my friends too. i know 1 of my friends whose got 2 sibling and they are named according to see food which is, the eldest is Pla (fish), then 2nd eldest sister is Poo (crub) and the youngest is Kung (prawn)..
mostly thai people only call by their nickname becuase their real name is too long for them.
2006-12-26 02:24:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
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2006-12-26 16:27:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
... in shortly ... My mom gave it to me coz only She likes the name. It should be short and easy to called. whats parents like, it can be the name. ;)
2006-12-26 05:38:14 · answer #10 · answered by Louis S 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋