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Cambodian names usually consist of two elements including a patronymic, which serves as a common family name for siblings, followed by a given name.^[1][2] Surname then given name (Eastern name order). An example is famous singer Sin Sisamouth, his surname (last name) is Sin and his given name (first name) is Sisamouth. (In Western sources, the two are sometimes reversed.)^[3] Traditionally, the Khmer do not have Western-style family names shared by multiple generations or entire families. Instead, Khmer children use their father's given name as their family name.^[4] Other Austroasiatic indigenous people groups within Cambodia have similar naming customs, while the Sino-Khmer and Viet-Khmer may follow Chinese and Vietnamese naming patterns, respectively. Chams in Cambodia may have either Khmer or Cham names or a combination of both. Cham name order is the reverse of the Khmer; the given name is followed by the father's given name.^[5]:23

Given names

Generally, women are given names relating to beauty, while men are given names of virtues.^[6][7] Some Cambodian given names are unisex names.

Surnames

Surnames are usually taken from the surname or the given name of the father^[1] and are generally monosyllabic.^[8] Cambodian surnames are sometimes identical to Chinese or Vietnamese surnames.^[8] Women keep their maiden names after marriage.^[6]

Origin and meanings

The meaning of Cambodian names are generally very simple and reference positive attributes. Cambodian people are called by their given names without a title (informal) or by their given names with a title (formal); the full name, including both family name and given name is often used. ^[2][6] (Surnames are used as a form of address, however, in the case of names that originated as revolutionary aliases.)^{[clarification needed]}

Different naming traditions exist among ethnic groups other than the Khmer majority. The Cambodian population is 90% Buddhist and names are often taken from Buddhism. Among the Muslim minority, Arabic names are often used as family names.^[1]

Pronunciation

Khmer names are usually pronounced with the stress (emphasis) placed on the last syllable.^[9]Khmer uses a glottal stop (the Cockney stop in "ten green bo'les") and other stops: p, t, c and k which may or may not occur with aspiration. In romanizations of Khmer script, aspiration (i.e., a breath sound) is usually marked with an h. Final r, d, g, s, b, and z sounds are not heard: Ngor is pronounced Ngow. Some final consonants are written but not pronounced.^[10]

List of some family names

Khmer "family" names are usually simply their father's given name and as such change with each generation. Other ethnic groups, particularly Chinese-Cambodians and Vietnamese-Cambodians may have a family name that is taken by each generation, in which case the name is pronounced similarly to the language of origin but within the bounds of Khmer phonology. Below is a list of some common family names^[11] some of which are also found as given names.

List of given names

Unlike Cambodian family names, given names may have multiple syllables and differ greatly. Given names were influenced greatly by Sanskrit.

Compound names

At times, many families combine shorter names to create a longer name. This happens often among the wealthier class of Cambodians.

• Sovanna (Combined "So" and "Vanna") means gold in Sanskrit


• Somally (Combined "So" and "Maly")


• Chandarith (Combined "Chanda" and "Rith")

See also

• 
  Cambodian Names Asian name pronunciation guide

References