Cr. มุสลิมไทยโพสต์

The Reflection of Thai Islam Values and Identity in “Names”¹

Apichaya Kaewuthai²

     “Names” are a crucial part of our lives as it represents the owner of the name. Names are comprised of their parents and from the society to which the newborns enter. Giving a name is one of the most noteworthy things in life; therefore, the name is apt to be a good name with the belief that when people call that name, the virtue will be accumulated (Woranitinan, 1984, p. 2). Apart from linguistics, we can study the relationship between language and society and the relationship between language and culture from the language used to name people (Itsaraseni, 2003, p. 1). Moreover, “religion” is also another noteworthy aspect that reflects the difference in the language used to name people. It indicates the belief, values and different cultures of each race. According to the study of Islamic students’ names from the first year to the fourth year at Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai in the 2013 academic year, the meaning and values of names can be summarized as follows:

1. The meaning behind giving of Islamic names

       All things fortunate are obtained to name the person, not only abstract ideas but also concrete objects. The most common is the meaning of merit, beauty, and virtue, followed by the names related to the Prophet or his children or people who were close with him, then dignity, light, and flowers or plants. The least frequent names are those whose meaning is related to places, animals, numbers, and relationships. When considering gender, the principles for naming a female or male presents the following differences:

1. The first three meanings of male names are related to 1) the Prophet or Muhammad Ibn Abdullah’s name, 2) merit, beauty, or dignity, and 3) origins or family.

2. The first three meanings of female names relate to 1) merit or beauty, 2) cleanliness or peace, and 3) light and flowers.

2. The values in naming someone

       One’s name is important and reflects values, the society, and one’s identity with Islam and Thai Muslims as presented in the three categories as follows.

1. Values about one's belief in Islam: Muslims have a deep connection to Islam because they regard it as the foundation for living and well-being. Therefore, this group of people strictly adhere to the Islamic principles, which include faith, morality, and ethics for naming someone; for example, Iman (faith), Muhammad (Nabiyyin’s name) and Alamin (trustworthiness).

2. Values in terms of one’s relative’s origins and family: Thai Muslims attach importance to showing their ancestors respect, dignity, and love. Their names, therefore, still have their ancestry name even though they may be distant relatives. The names beginning with Je, Ni, Wan, and Whan are derived from Melayu. They are inherited honorific names of state governors in the past, such as Nipadilah and Je Abdulloh.

3. Values that represent a relationship with nature and the environment includes the following: 1) Places such as Tirmizi (the name of Termez in Uzbekistan) and Saronah (the name of Sarona village in Israel); 2) Animals such as the Sakulnee (bird); 3) Plants such as Ruslan (rice: the staple of Thailand) and Azahar (a rose: the symbol of love); and 4) Natural phenomena such as Zamhiyah (the Sun) and Dariyah (a light in the sky).

       All of the above values reflect the culture, lifestyle and identity of Thai Muslims very well so are suitable for naming Muslim children.