Thai nicknames: funny and unflattering
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Often they are unpronounceable for us, Thai first and last names. A few examples: Siriwan Piriyametakun, Seetalavajit Sabayjai, Vipasai Niyamabha and I could go on and on.
Many Thai names originate from Sanskrit, an ancient Indian cultural language. It was not until 1913 that Thailand surnames entered. The Siamese king Vajiravudh passed a law that stipulated that every Thai had to choose a surname. The aim of this was to make everyone more family conscious. The ethnic Chinese who populated Thailand at the time also chose Thai surnames. In many cases, Thais can deduce from someone's surname what their origin is, for example an ethnic Chinese or an influential person.
Nicknames
Every Thai has a nickname. These often have something to do with appearance and are sometimes anything but flattering. Nicknames are mainly used in domestic circles and in the family. But Thai women also use a nickname in the office.
Nicknames usually say something about the origin. For example, Tee (for a boy) and Muay (for a girl) could mean that this person has Chinese ancestors. Oun is usually someone who was very fat in his childhood. Nueng makes it clear that he/she is the eldest of the children in a family. Moo literally means pig and indeed has to do with his / her weight. A child who looks like a farang is nicknamed: Mom.
Nicknames used may be related to appearance. Other common nicknames include animals, colors, numbers, gems, moods, fruits, and weather.
Some nicknames and their meaning:
- Moo (little pig)
- Awt (beanstalk)
- Uan or Oun (fat)
- Deng (red)
- Noi or Lek (little one, dwarf)
- Ridge (bird)
- Noo (mouse)
- Jeab (little chick)
- Nueng (Number 1)
- Song (number 2)
- To or Yai (long)
- Aek (first)
- Kluay (banana)
If you have a Thai wife or girlfriend, ask for her nickname. That can lead to a funny conversation.
– Reposted message –
My fiancé always calls me 'Ai Uan' 🙂
According to my wife, this means "fat bastard". According to the moderator this is too short an answer, don't know how to make it longer. This is the meaning I was told.
As it was explained to me, it rather means "fat". In that way it comes across as rather affectionate, which is difficult to say about “damned fat guy”.
ไอ้ (âi) as a prefix for a word makes the word vulgar/negative (damn) but with immediate family and bum friends it is usually well-intentioned.
http://thai-language.com/id/141654
ปุ้มปุ้ย – pôempôey – fat, fat
อ้วน – ôewan – fat man, fat man
My wife also has 2 names, Phensri and Pregg.
The first means "the glory of the full moon"
I don't know what the 2nd means.
But I myself, as a Dutchman, also very quickly had a nickname in Thailand.
Even though my name is just Frans, everyone knows me as pé. Means something like lame or crippled because I do indeed have a bit of paralyzed legs and therefore it is quite remarkably difficult to walk.
I've always appreciated that they call me that. I've never noticed them using it disdainfully.
My name is also French
Thais have trouble pronouncing 2 consonants. So there are already 2 problems in my short name. This is solved by calling me Fan (dream).
I have been married to a Thai for 7 years now. She, our daughter, her whole family and the Thai here in the Netherlands call me Fan. It makes me feel like I belong.
Love all those nicknames. Once a week I organize a Ladies' Night in our pool hall. All participants have a nickname, but I don't know the meaning. Maybe readers can help me with the names:
Sa, Nung, Ning, Tuk, Kay, Poopee, Bo, Nid, Jit, Fon, Apple, Mae, June, Aoi, Tukta, Nam, Nan, Ying, Aor, Pooky, I, Bee, Gan, Par, Nu, Bam.
nung=nueng=1. most the eldest (although I only admired a 1st baby of an acquaintance called FIRST)
fon=rain apple=apple (do you really have to ask that?-poepie just like that) nam=water bee=B, often nr 2, khan/gan=together, kay=chicken,egg, tuk/took=cheap, everything, sa =kind of paper, now=presumably noo=-mouse (very common for little girls)
By the way, these kinds of names can easily change - I have an acquaintance who is already 5 years old. Sometimes that happens (well, all those superstitions) after too much headwind by a monk who then finds out or recommends something
what I have met in the last few weeks here in BKk
Bank, Boy, dam(=black.dark, not a lucky name), Bear, Tweety, Satang (that little money, yes)
most common - and not even mentioned - are LEK and NOI = both mean small.
I have to say that I am learning quite a bit on this site, maybe an explanation for the name Yoon? Thanks in advance, Eric
I'm going on vacation to Thailand soon and want to bring a football shirt with the nickname Tae on it. Can someone tell me what is the meaning of that name?
BV Jac
As I learned on my Thai course: Tae = but (however)
No, Dan. That naan, widely used, (unlike many others) does not mean anything special. แต่ = but. (Pronounced 'tàe:). However, the Nickname is เต้ (pronounced 'têe). So essentially different.
“Noo or Noe” isn't really a nickname, it actually means mouse and is usually used to call small children, I usually call my nieces “Noe” more easily than their real Thai name.
Fon = rain, that is an official name, same as the name Ying = girl and when they grow up it usually becomes “Khun Ying”
The word NOE means mouse or mouse, and is also used as a personal pronoun for and by children and women. Examples:
To a child: What is NOE doing?
About herself: NOE will wash the windows tomorrow.
The word KHOENJING is otherwise a non-noble title, comparable to the dated Lady.
I can add the following names to your list:
Fa (blue) or drunk?
mew (cat)
Kiauw (greenhorn)
Na (location of the rice field or something)
Wan (day)
Rak (to love) derived I believe from Ti Rak
Jet (seven) So they love it….
Tun (doll)
Tukata (doll)
Pra (fish)
Leak (no idea what this means)
Best regards,
Thailandgoer
Leak = Small
Porn is also a name that comes up often.
I know a boy they call Ham!! 555
พร or Phorn means 'Blessed'.
Dear Tino
According to Pon's real name Siriporn, the H as you spell it is used when it's a boy
With a girl, it's porn. The Thai translation you put in front of it is for a girl Porn You're right it means both Blessed.
Dear Jeffrey
We looked at that site, but several translations are incorrect
According to my wife
Kind regards Pon and Kees
Dear Kees,
So your wife's name is ศิริพร Siriporn. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Porn is 'blessed or blessing' and Siri (as in the name of Queen Sirikit and the hospital Siriraj) means 'honour, fame, magnificence, majestic, auspicious'. So 'Glorious Blessing'. Those Thai names are so beautiful, too beautiful to use every day!
And then there is also สิริพล Siripon, 'pon' is 'strength, power', Siripon is then 'Glorious Power', a male name of course.
During my visit to Thailand I came across the names Bow and Bum a few times. Does anyone know what those names mean?
regards
BertH
In northern parlance, Bum would be "big."
Two brothers, Bum and Big, say their names mean the same thing.
Without Thai script a guess:
บุ๋ม (bǒem) = pocked
โบ (boo) / โบว์ (boow) = Thai transition of the French/English name Beau. Is, among other things, the name of a well-known democracy activist.
My wife's nickname is Aoy, which means sugar cane or sugar cane
My girlfriend is nicknamed Tou, still not sure if that has any meaning
@ rob. Tou = turtle, actually Dtou.
My wife calls Tao, which means turtle, like the island Koh Tao (turtle island).
ps: Dtou, daughter of a friend and already 22 years old, already got this name as a toddler, because of her moving forward at that age, namely only out of the playpen and crawling on the floor.
My girlfriend's nickname is Ting (= tingtong = crazy)
her brother's name is Mau (=drunk)
her other brother is called Kung (= shrimp)
and her sister's name is Beer (=beer)
They also all have long names so yes it is true that nicknames of Thai people are funny
Peter says NOK means bird. As far as I know, that is correct. When my kids were little and we were in Thailand, they were often called ki nok (bird poop). According to my fold, a pet name because they are half-bloods
But now I suddenly remember that my wife's nickname is Piak and that means little bird according to her. She's at work so I can't ask her
I sinned on a small tattoo 40 years ago. A little bird with her name underneath in Thai.
I now hope someone will tell me that Piak also means bird.
Piak means wet as far as I know
Ki nok is a swear word, ever heard of “farang ki nok”? Would never say to a Thai that he is “ki nok”. According to my wife, piak means “wet clothes” or something like that, I did not ask what it means.
Dear Theo
If Ki nok is said to a small child or baby, that bird becomes poopie
Also said in NL. So I knew nothing wrong with that
Piak is the sound produced by a certain kind of bird
As I write it, it does indeed mean wet
Kind regards, Keith
Generally recognized and widely assigned a nickname or pet name to a child is not only common in Thailand. In NL in the Antillean community I once met a boy named TokTok, because he liked chicken. In TH the nickname Kai would fit. A very thick acquaintance of mine here locally is indeed called Oean. Not that it bothers him. My wife's name is Nok, her sisters are Noi and Na. Father apparently thought it was important to start his daughters' names with an N. As I understand it had to do with his (super) belief in auspicious powers that are associated with him. letter belonged.
That's nice to know. I have friends from a family called Nuan, Nick and Noi. Those are the nicknames of two. I would like to know what Aor means.
http://www.into-asia.com/thai_language/reference/nicknames.php
the above link gives most thai nicknames incl. meaning , thai script.
jeffrey
Can someone give the meaning of "Taa"? Thank you in advance!
Bob
Bob, Taa is the father of someone's mother, respectively maternal grandfather. Poe (long barrel) is that on the paternal side, so the father of the father.
Dear Soi
By the way, this is not a discussion, you can best be right because it is so difficult to explain pon let the word hear your Ta and Taa in different pitches
According to Pon- ตา = Ta = The father of a Mother Of Eyes
According to Pon is- ท่า = Taa = Stop – Construction of jetty
Tino
Pon was sitting at the table listening to the Thai news with her headphones on, so I have to speak loudly otherwise she won't hear me
I called Sombat. Pon shouted back from whom?
I point to your comment.
Pon has scaled you up from nice guy to interesting guy. And says send that to Tino. Then he knows I know what that means.
Now I don't know what's on the Thai news but she's been walking for a while with a little greedy look in her eyes.
There also seems to be an actor called sombat who is very handsome.
Kees,
'Sombat' means 'Wealth, Prosperity, Treasure' in a material and sometimes spiritual sense. I am happy with Pon's upgrade. I'm not that nice.
Dear Bob and BerH
It is difficult to translate that because we write it as we hear it and that is often wrong
Pon does her best and asks for the Thai translation which I think is not allowed for you if you want Pon writes in Thai what she thinks you mean
Pon translated Bow = Light. – Bum = another word for Big
Taa = Stop - Jetty - Station
Tino can't go wrong with Pon. As a thank you, she translated your name into Thai
He means Nice Man 555
Kees,
My ex always called me สมบัติ or Sombat, just ask Pon what that means!
Sombat is a well-known movie star of the older generation.
Tino, so you were referred to as a handsome guy.
Sombat, in Thai script สมบัติ with a rising and low tone, mainly means 'wealth, prosperity' and is common as a name rather than a nickname.
My wife used to talk about sombat, the movie star of dated Thai movies.
His films can still be seen on TV5.
He fell down during a recording, hanging from a helicopter.
He slipped out of his glove.
An incident that is deeply etched in the memory of the older Thais
In the 80s, Farangs were regularly referred to as sombat.
In contrast to the less pleasant nicknames such as billige jacob, cheap charlie, neckelman, farang kie nok, sombat was an indication of an attractive, desirable man.
My Thai vocabulary is unfortunately not good enough to know the actual meaning of the word.
I was once told by a Thai (but I doubt it's true) that especially young children should not have a nice nickname, otherwise the evil spirits will take it away from the parents out of jealousy. A child called “moo” therefore has a smaller chance of losing it. Nonsense? Could be. I've only heard it said.
I'm called Puipui, something like "buikie"
ปุ้มปุ้ย – pôempôey – fat, fat
อ้วน – ôewan – fat man, fat man
My Thai business partner and also very good friend called me Pui Pui (something like pot-bellied pig). Was soon taken over by the necessary relations, it turned out afterwards. Also the nickname of that Chinese Buddha with a somewhat wider waist size…
Does anyone know the meaning of the nickname Tae?
bvd
Kluay (banana)
Kluay may mean banana, but when someone is called kluay, it doesn't mean banana, but a part of the male anatomy.
No, ruud, that part of the male anatomy is called khuay with a middle tone. Kluay has a falling tone, an unaspirated -k-. and an -l-., a totally different pronunciation. But you can joke with it. I am a farang and often mispronounce 'banana' in Thai to the amusement of the market women. There was also someone who said 'stop with that stupid joke'. How straight forward those Thais are!
It is striking, or not, that you cannot tell from most nicknames whether it is a woman or a man. In that respect, there is gender neutrality in Thailand.
I think it's better to talk about a nickname instead of a nickname.
Because these names are invented and given by the parents just after the birth of the child.
A little girl is often called lek or nuna . But often the name is given quite arbitrarily ,
Think of saam, sie, top en mai or iquil.
Mvg Dik Lenten.
I can forward the list of the school with the names
My wife's name is PHEN
The daughter PENG
the son PAK.
who can help me with these names, what does their name mean
Dear Lungfons,
It is impossible to reduce these three call names to a certain Thai script and meaning. They can each have 5-10 possible Thai meanings. Why not ask those involved to write it down in Thai script and then copy paste?
Phen is probably เพ็ญ or full moon.
Where I live, in the Islamic Deep South, most people don't have nicknames. However, many men's names start with - the prefix - Muhammad and many women's names with Nur- or Nurul-. I don't know the background of the names, but I suspect they have a mix of Arab and regional background.
Within Islam it is not allowed to use names that deviate from the religion.
I think that Thai nicknames do not occur there.
My Thai nickname will certainly not occur, I think.
https://www.islamitische-namen.nl/verboden-namen-binnen-de-islam/
As far as I know, the nickname is always used interchangeably.
The family name is only used in business with the government, hospital, etc.
Incidentally, it is not much different in the Netherlands.
There you also have a baptismal name and a nickname, for example his name is Johannes and we call him Jan. (or Pig as in the article)
My wife is nicknamed 'Jibjoy', I'm also curious if this has a further meaning… I'd like to hear from the experts!
Thanks in advance
Just ask your wife if she can write it down here in Thai letters. From phonetics to Thai letters is often sooo difficult. 'Joy' could be จอย, Thai form for Joy or Joyce but also 'good' in Isan. I can't place Jib. I think it's Isan, is that right?
Yes Tino is correct she is from the Isaan , Sakhon Nakon district
Have many friends in Thailand and here in Belgium also kung, not, apple, tuk, nun, ti, pita and so on me and my husband they always say papa and mama nice to us
When I worked as a steward at Lufthansa and flew regularly to Bangkok, we had two to four Thai colleagues on every flight. They all had their own nicknames.
That was also considered normal and you were never asked stupid questions about it. They were on the crew list with their own birth names, but they could introduce themselves as Nok, Kitty or whatever.
Well, as a Dutch person with a real Dutch name, I was always looked at strangely by our eastern neighbors. Sjaak? What kind of name is that? It sounds like Shark, a shark. And… why don't you use your real name? Wilhelm or Jacobus, where Wilhelm really sounds German.
In Germany they do not know the phenomenon of “call sign”.
Eventually I realized that I could call myself that if I wanted, because my first name was not registered as such, and from then on I called myself Jack. That was easy for the English-speaking colleagues and even the Germans were happy with it. I didn't always have to explain what my name meant.
But I still found it striking that when a Thai said his nickname, nothing was said, but I had to explain it again and again. I often said: just like the Thais, I also have a nickname. That is common in the Netherlands, just like in Thailand (not really, but how could you make that clearer to those people?).
My wife also calls me Jack... it's easier that way.
Only recently at Be Well in Hua Hin the assistant asked again how to pronounce my name… William?