BALINESE NAME AND FAMILY CASTE

Balinese Names

Balinese Names is very important giving since was born because it is believed that naming a child can affect a child’s life. Often the name is symbolic or carries a special meaning. In Bali, after a baby is 12 days old, a special name-giving ceremony is held called ‘ngerorasin’ (originating from the word ‘roras’ meaning ‘twelve’ in Balinese). There are several factors considered in name giving, including the child’s sex, caste, clan, birth order and the parents’ choice.

Traditionally, children’s names were taken directly from everyday Balinese, e.g. Manis, Wangi, Ada etc. Sometimes the name would reflect what happened when the children was born – for example if the family were going through hard times at the time of the birth, the child may have been named ‘Repot’. However, over the last 40 years or so this trend seems to have disappeared. These days, the influence is either from Java or the West. It’s not uncommon to hear of I Wayan John or Ni Nyoman Yohana. Once the child is grown up, they tend to choose to use the name which identifies them most uniquely, rather than the common Balinese part of their name.

Balinese Names is very easy to remember especially which come from the Sudra caste. Basically only have four names :

1. The first child is called WAYAN, GEDE, PUTU, NI LUH

2. The second child is called MADE, KADEK, NENGAH

3. The third is called NYOMAN, KOMANG

4. The fourth is called KETUT

And fifth, sixth, seventh eighth and ninth? Well, they’re GEDE or PUTU, KADEK, KOMANG, KETUT AGAIN. It is very simple and surprisingly, not confusing although it actually doesn’t make their names any easier for westerners to remember. (Now was he another MADE OR KETUT?) Which Nyoman was that? In fact, there are a few variations on this- first born boys are sometimes called GEDE and first-born girls PUTU; the second child can be KADEK, the third KOMANG.

The Balinese also have a series of titles which depend on caste and gender :

1. THE BRAHMANA have the prefix IDA BAGUS (male) and IDA AYU (female).

2. THE WESIA are GUSTI NGURAH or DEWA GEDE (male), or GUSTI AYU or DEWA AYU (female):

3. THE SATRIA caste are COKORDE (male) or ANAK AGUNG (female)

4. THE SUDRA, have only the first name, perhaps with the prefix I (male) and NI (female)