Indonesian Names, part 2

So, “What is in the name?” Beyond their practical function to identify persons and distinguish them from one another, some names hold meanings. Knowing those meanings might help to familiarize with those names, and thus with the persons that bear those names.

Names that parents give to their babies can be descriptive – describing the condition of the baby’s birth – and/or prescriptive – reflecting their hopes for their baby. Names that are chosen after admired person’s name, for instance, are prescriptive, even if the meaning is unknown. They reflect parents’ hopes that the baby will cultivate the valued qualities of the person in question. Even if a name was chosen merely because it ((( SOUNDS GOOD ))) without knowing the meaning, it is also prescriptive, denoting their hopes that their baby will live a life that ((( SOUNDS GOOD ))) bearing that name.

As part of Indonesian language, Indonesian names’ thesaurus also contains names from the many cultures they interacted with. Sanskrit-derived names contribute the bulk of them, followed by Arabic names and European names. More recent names are mostly resulted from media exposure and abundant amount of foreign literature for the educated. There are shifts in meanings, spelling and pronunciation from those names’ origin as results of dynamic use of those lexicons. Nevertheless, they are meant to serve practical and familiar use of those names.

Here are meanings of some common Indonesian names found among member’s name. This list is far from complete and exclude non-given names as mentioned in previous articles. Common and familiar personal names are also excluded. Please bear in mind that this just an attempt to interpret meanings. The truest meanings belong to those who bear the names – even if they interpret it differently from what their parents meant when those names are given. Can you figure out particular member’s name meaning?

Names that denotes numbers, usually describe one’s order of birth

►Sanskrit-origin : Eka (One), Dwi ( Two), Tri ( Three), Chatur ( Four), Panca ( Five), Sat ( Six), Sapta ( Seven), Ashta (Eight), Nawa (Nine), Dasa (Ten)
►Sanskrit-origin : Pratama (First, Primary, Principal, Foremost), Utami (feminine of Utama: Last, Final, Ultimate)
►Balinese has particular naming system denoting a baby’s birth order: Putu, Wayan (First) Made, Kadek (Second) Nyoman, Komang (Third) Ketut (Fourth)

Names that denotes time; descriptively associated with the time of one’s birth. Conclusion on meanings are made after researching their birth dates.

►Month (Gregorian): Apriani (April), Junianatha (June), Juliani (July), Oktapyani, Octi (October), Novinta (November)
►Month (Islamic): Shafariyanti (Safar), Nurramdhani (Ramadhan)
►Zodiac: Leyona (Leo)
►Certain Festival: Fitrilya (Eid al-Fitr) Natalia (Christmas, in Indonesian: Natal) Maulida (Mawlid, the Birth of the Prophet)
►Though it is unknown to public, Diasta (Morning) and Dhini (Dawn) names might be the clues for the hour of their birth.
►Living around the equator, Indonesians don’t experience strikingly different change of seasons. Thus, names that associated with season like Haru– (Spring), Natsu– (Summer) Aki– (Fall) are less common

Names that denotes entity / nouns

►Sanskrit: Ratna (Jewel) Sari (Essence) Delima (Pomegranate) Wira (Hero, heroic) Saktia (Shakti, Power, powerful)
►Arabic: Rizky, Rezky (Provisions, Earn of living, Prosperity) Nur (Light) Annisa, -nissa (Woman) Fairunnisa (the gemstone Turquoise) Nabilah (Honorable, Excellent, Noble woman)
►European: Stella (Latin: Star)
►unknown origin: Intania (Diamond)

Names that denotes quality / adjective

►Bonita (Latin, diminutive from Bona: Beautiful, Good)
►Fakhiryani (Arabic: Glorious, Honorable)
►Ayu (Feminine, Beautiful)
►Nadhifa (Clean, Pure)
►Karimah (Arabic: Giving, Generous)

Names that denotes status prescriptively reflects parents’ hope for their babies to hold the same dignity / dignified quality of the status used as their names. Previously, some of these names are reserved only for nobles and other dignitaries; as title put in front of their given names to indicate status. As the society become less feudal, this function become obsolete and the title become nouns and parts of given names.

►Ratu (Sanskrit-origin, formerly refered to rulers, both male and female, then exclusively female : Queen)
►Putri (Sanskrit: Daughter, Princess)
►Devi, Dewi (Sanskrit: Goddess)
►Siti (Arabic: Noble woman)
►Aria, Arya, Ariya (Sanskrit: Noble)

If we noticed, some names are compound names – sometimes made of names from different origin. Interestingly, most composition resembles more the pattern of Sanskrit compounds. This include placing some noun after adjective or noun indicated as the possessor of the last noun, where the last noun inflected or having suffix to indicate their genders.

Knowing the meaning of names might not be more important than using it properly. Yet it helps to be familiar with them. Many case where people playing around with someone else name started from being unfamiliar with those names (both Haruka and Akicha experienced it, on screen). Let us give proper respect to other people’s “most beautiful sound they can hear in a lifetime”