Significance of the name
Bhutanese traditionally receive their names from a religious person, who confers a name and in conjunction with offering blessings and prayers for the person’s success. Thus, most names have spiritual significance and many reference notable Buddhist persons or Buddhist principles. For example, the name Sangay references the Buddha, Drolma the female Buddha Tara, Ugyen the eighth century master Padmasambhava, and Jamyang the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī. Similarly, Dorjé refers to a state of indestructibility, Tshultrim morality, Sönam merit, Tséring long life and Jampa loving kindness. Such spiritually significant names are not only auspicious for the person but also reminds the individual of a specific righteous principle or personage.
Name and gender
The general convention is to have a combination of two names, which also helps to distinguish the sex. So, a man can be Sangay Dorje (Indestructible Buddha) and a woman Tshultrim Lhamo (Goddess of Morality). It is mainly the second name, which marks the sex. Bhutanese first names are mostly neutral and can be used for either male and female, such as Karma, Dorjé, and Sonam. Only a handful of names are considered male first names, like Wangda and Tobgay; likewise, Lhaki and Deki are primarily first names for girls, although these rules are not strictly followed. Most names (Phuntsho, Sönam, Dorjé, Tobgay) can be used either as a first or second name but many are commonly used as first names (Karma, Sangay, Pema, Tashi, etc.) or second names (Chöden, Wangmo, Zangmo, Wangyal, Jamtsho, etc.).
Traditionally, the second name or the combination indicates the sex of the person. However, this has become more difficult in recent times as more people adopt fancier and more unique combinations for themselves or their children. Many women have begun to attach their father’s and husband’s second name to their names in imitation of foreign practices. The surname tradition works fine in parts of the world where first names indicate the gender, but Bhutanese first names are gender neutral and the second names are generally gender restrictive. Thus, when modern Bhutanese women follow the new practice of appending a husband’s or father’s masculine second name to their names creates some confusion.
Some Bhutanese have only a single name, or as Bhutanese say, ‘a name without a partner.’ This has lately been a problem for many Bhutanese while travelling abroad as many international forms require at least two names. Many Bhutanese add their place of origin. Thus, we have names such as Sha Dorjé, Tenzin Drukpa, Böpa Choda, etc. On the other hand, some Bhutanese also have a combination of more than two names. Like in Tibet, this is particularly the case with some religious figures, who use a long string of names to show their importance. Take for example the name given to the 10th Karmapa: Palden Jigten Sumgi Drenpa Kuzhi Lhendup Chöying Kuntu Chabpai Thinley Tagpai Dorjé Gyurwa Medpa Yizhingyi Nyinpo Gyépa Damépa Ngonpar Thowai Pal. In recent decades, there has been a slight growth in self-chosen long names even among laities. This perhaps indicates a slight growth in people’s perceived self-importance.
As names are generally given fortuitously by lamas, members of the family often bear different names with no link to one another. From an anthropological perspective, this is an interesting socio-cultural phenomenon, which concurs with the idea of an individual’s independent identity. It works well for a progressive mind that views a person on the basis of his or her worth, without being pegged to a family, class or caste. Besides, it frees societies from the clutches of a patriarchal system in which the principal male member, through the surname, symbolically controls and owns other members.
Bhutan does not have the tradition of attaching clan or household names to people’s names, although this practice is widespread in neighbouring Tibet. Bhutan has no known record of any secular lines being passed down for generations with a shared name until the middle of the 20th century. In contrast, religious affiliations are sometimes implicitly marked by a shared name. As I mentioned in Part I, lamas often give a part of their names to those they name as a blessing and also an indication of their influence.
Karma Phuntsho is the Director of Shejun Agency for Bhutan’s Cultural Documentation and Research, the President of the Loden Foundation and the author of The History of Bhutan. The piece was initially published in Bhutan’s national newspaper Kuensel in a series called Why We Do What We Do.