Burmese names lack the serial quality of most modern names. The Burmese people

Bamar

The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...

 have no customary patronymic

Patronymic

A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...

 or matronymic

Matronymic

A matronymic is a personal name based on the name of one's mother, grandmother, or any female ancestor. It is the female equivalent of a patronymic. In patriarchal societies, matronymic surnames are far less common than patronyms. In the past, matronymic last names were often given to children of...

 system and thus there is no surname

Surname

A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...

 at all. In Burmese culture, people can change their name at will, often with no government oversight, to reflect a change in the course of their lives. Also, many Burmese names use an honorific

Honorific

An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...

, given at some point in life, as an integral part of the name. However, in modern Burma many of these traditions are changing.

Traditional and Western-style names

Burmese names were originally one syllable, as in the cases of U Nu

U Nu

For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...

 and U Thant

U Thant

U Thant was a Burmese diplomat and the third Secretary-General of the United Nations, from 1961 to 1971. He was chosen for the post when his predecessor, Dag Hammarskjöld, died in September 1961....

. In the mid 20th century, many Burmese started using two syllables, albeit without any formal structure. As they become more familiar with Western culture, Burmese people are gradually increasing the number of syllables in their children's names, by use of various structures. Today, names with up to four syllables are common for males and up to five for females.

For example, Aung San

Aung San

Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....

's parents were named Pha and Suu , both of which are single syllable names. His birth name was Htain Lin , but he changed his name to Aung San later in life. His child is named Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...

 . The first part of her name, "Aung San", is from her father's name at the time of her birth. "Suu" comes from her grandmother. "Kyi" comes from her mother, Khin Kyi . The addition of the father or mother's name in a person's name is now quite frequent, although it does not denote the development of a family name. Other nomenclature systems are used as well.

The use of the names of one's parents and relatives in personal names has been criticized as an un-Burmese adoption of seriality

Seriality

A seriality is a social construct which differs from a mere group of individuals. Serialities take the form of labels which are either imposed onto persons or voluntarily adopted by them...

, although it differs from historical Western practices.

Bamar names commonly include Pali

Páli

- External links :* *...

-derived words (examples include thanda ( "coral," cognate of santa), sanda ( "moon," cognate of chanda), thiri ( "splendour," cognate of sri) for females and thura ( "bravery," cognate of sura), thiha ( "lion," cognate of siha), zeya ( "victory," cognate of jaya) for males) combined with native Burmese

Burmese language

The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...

 words.

Burmese people who marry into the West or immigrate to countries that use surnames may use their name as if part of it represented a family name

Family name

A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...

. For example, Tun Myint

Tun Myint

Tun Myint was born in Andaw Village, Yinmarbin Township, Sagaing Division of the Upper Burma. His parents, U Khin Maung and Daw Phwa Gyi, were farmers. He has five brothers all of whom reside in Myanmar. He was schooled at the village monastery in Andaw Village until 2nd standard...

's wife changed her last name to Myint, but Myint is part of his personal name.

Honorifics

As above, honorifics supplement a given name, and can be the normal form of address used both in writing and in speech, especially with a name of one or two syllables. Widespread use of honorifics is found within all cultures in the Burmese region. Although some ethnic groups have special honorifics, these words are recognized and applied by other groups (rather than being translated).

For example, Aung San's parents are more generally known as U Pha and Daw Suu. These can be translated as "Mr. Pha" and "Ms. Suu" but are often used more informally.

Below are some common honorifics used in Burmese names:

Honorific	Burmese	Translation	Notes
Ashin		Lord	Used by monks, nobles, and rarely, for women
Bo/Bogyoke		Commander/General/Leader	Used for military officers (e.g., Bogyoke Aung San Aung San Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw.... )
Daw		Aunt/Ms	Used for mature women or women in a senior position (e.g. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained... )
Duwa		Chief	Used for Kachin Kachin people The Kachin people are a group of ethnic groups who largely inhabit the Kachin Hills in northern Burma's Kachin State and neighbouring areas of China and India. More than half of the Kachin people identify themselves as Christians - while a significant minority follow Buddhism and some also adhere...  chiefs
Khun		Mr	Used by Shan men (of Kengtung ancestry; e.g., Khun Htun Oo Khun Htun Oo Khun Htun Oo is a politician from Shan State, Burma who is currently imprisoned for treason, defamation, and inciting dissatisfaction toward the government... )
Ko		Brother (older)	Used for men of similar age (e.g., Ko Mya Aye)
Ma		Sister/Ms	Used for young women or women of similar age
Mahn	မန်း	-	Used by Karen Karen people The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...  men (e.g., Mahn Win Maung)
Mai/Me			Used by some young women in lieu of , but exceedingly rare
Maung (abbr. Mg)		Brother (younger) for boys	Sometimes used as part of given name
Mi		Ms	Used by some young women, usually as a nickname (e.g., Mi Swe May Sweet May Sweet is a Burmese singer and actress, and considered one of the most commercially successful female singers in the history of Burmese pop music... )
Mi		Ms	Used by Mon Mon people The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...  women
Min		King	Used as a suffix (e.g., Mindon Min Mindon Min Mindon Min was the penultimate king of Burma from 1853 to 1878. He was one of the most popular and revered kings of Burma. Under his half brother King Pagan, the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 ended with the annexation of Lower Burma by the British Empire. Mindon and his younger brother Kanaung... )
Minh			Used by Mon boys; equivalent to Maung
Nai		Mr	Used by Mon men; equivalent to U (e.g., Nai Shwe Kyin Nai Shwe Kyin Nai Shwe Kyin was a Burmese civil rights revolutionary during the country's transition from British colonial rule and through the ensuing civil war between the insurgent ruling Burmese and the Mon minority.... )
Nang		Ms	Used by Shan women
Naw		Ms	Used by Karen women
Sai		Mr	Used by Shan men (e.g., Sai Htee Saing Sai Htee Saing Sai Htee Saing was a distinguished Burmese singer and songwriter of Shan descent, which featured prominently throughout his music career. Throughout his career, he recorded 2 to 3 Shan language albums and 30 to 40 Burmese language albums. He was especially known for composing country music.Htee... )
Salai			Used by Chin Chin people The Chin , known as the Kuki in Assam, are one of the ethnic groups in Burma. The Chins are found mainly in western part of Burma and numbered circa 1.5 million. They also live in nearby Indian states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur and Assam. Owing to Mizo influence and Baptist missionaries'...  men
Sao		Lord	Used by Shan royalty (e.g., Sao Shwe Thaik Sao Shwe Thaik Sao Shwe Thaik was the first president of the Union of Burma and the last Saopha of Yawnghwe. His full royal style was Kambawsarahta Thiri Pawaramahawuntha Thudamaraza. He was a well-respected Shan political figure in Burma... )
Saw		Lord	Used by Shan royalty (Burmanized form of Sao) (e.g., Saw Mon Hla Saw Mon Hla Saw Mon Hla was chief queen of King Anawrahta of Pagan. She known in Burmese history for her beauty and her eventual exile instigated by other rival queens. Her story is still part of popular Burmese theater, and she is portrayed as a sad romantic figure.... )
Saw		Mr	Used by Karen men (e.g., Saw Bo Mya Bo Mya Bo Mya was a Karen rebel leader born in Papun District, which is in present-day Karen State, Myanmar. He was a long-standing chairman of the Karen National Union , a political organisation of the Karen people, from 1976 to 2000... )
Sawbwa Saopha Saopha, Chaofa, or Sawbwa was a royal title used by the rulers of the Shan States of Myanmar . The word means "king" in the Shan and Tai languages...		Chief	Burmese approximation of Shan Shan language The Shan language is the native language of Shan people and spoken mostly in Shan State, Burma. It is also used in pockets of Kachin State in Burma, in northern Thailand, and in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. Shan is a member of the Tai–Kadai language family, and...  'saopha', used as a suffix for Shan chiefs (e.g., Nyaungshwe Sawbwa Sao Shwe Thaik)
Saya		Teacher	Used for males of senior rank or age
Sayadaw Sayadaw A sayadaw is the senior monk or abbot of a monastery. Some distinguished sayadaws would often referred to as a sayadawgyi * U Vicittasarabhivamsa* Sayadaw U Vicittasarabhivamsa* Mingun Sayadaw U Vicittasarabhivamsa...		Royal Teacher	Used for senior monks (e.g., Sayadaw U Pandita)
Sayama		Teacher	Used for females of senior rank or age
Shin		Lord	Used by monks and noble men and women (Archaic; e.g., Shin Arahan Shin Arahan The Venerable Shin Arahan was primate of Pagan Kingdom from 1056 to 1115. The monk, a native of Thaton Kingdom, was the religious adviser to four Pagan kings from Anawrahta to Alaungsithu. He is credited with converting Anawrahta to Theravada Buddhism, and overseeing the subsequent reformation of... , Shin Ye Htut Bayinnaung Bayinnaung Kyawhtin Nawrahta was the third king of the Toungoo dynasty of Burma . During his 30-year reign, which has been called the "greatest explosion of human energy ever seen in Burma", Bayinnaung assembled the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia, which included much of modern day... , Yawei Shin Htwe)
Tekkatho		University	Used by writers (Archaic; e.g., Tekkatho Phone Naing Tekkatho Phone Naing Tekkatho Phone Naing was a famous Burmese writer, primarily known for lovelorn stories that were most popular in the 1950s to 1970s. His "sad" stories still represent some of the best popular Burmese story writing in the postwar era.- Overview :... )
Thakin Thakins The Thakins were a Burmese nationalist group formed around the 1930s and composed of young, disgruntled intellectuals. Drawing their name from the way in which the British were addressed during colonial times, thakin means "lord" or "master", just as the Indians called the British "sahib"...		Master	Used by the members of Dobama Asiayone (Archaic; e.g., Thakin Kodaw Hmaing Thakin Kodaw Hmaing Thakin Kodaw Hmaing is considered one of the greatest Burmese poets, writers and political leaders in the 20th century history of Burma. He is regarded as the Father of Burmese nationalist and peace movements as well as a literary genius... )
Theippan		Science	Used by writers (Archaic; e.g., Theippan Maung Wa Theippan Maung Wa Theippan Maung Wa , born in Mawlamyaing and real name Sein Tin, was a Burmese writer who pioneered the literary movement of Hkit San that searched for a new style and content in Burmese literature before the Second World War starting with Hkit san pon byin .-Early works:He started writing... )
U		Uncle/Mr	Used for mature men or men in a senior position and monks (e.g., U Thant U Thant U Thant was a Burmese diplomat and the third Secretary-General of the United Nations, from 1961 to 1971. He was chosen for the post when his predecessor, Dag Hammarskjöld, died in September 1961.... , U Ottama U Ottama Sayadaw U Ottama was a Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk, author and a leader of the Burmese independence movement during the British colonial rule. The ethnic Rakhine monk was imprisoned several times by the British colonial government for his anti-colonialist political activities. He went on a... )

Astrology-based naming system

Many Burmese Buddhists

Buddhism in Myanmar

Buddhism in Burma is predominantly of the Theravada tradition, practised by 89% of the country's population It is the most religious Buddhist country in terms of the proportion of monks in the population and proportion of income spent on religion...

 also use astrology

Burmese Zodiac

The Burmese zodiac is a traditional Burmese zodiac used in Burma. incorporating knowledge from the skies and the animal kingdom. This ancient branch of astrology is called Mahabote meaning "little vessel" or "little key" and is believed to be a branch off from the larger Hindu astrological system....

(which is determined by the child's day of birth in the traditional 8-day calendar) to name their children. For instance, a Monday-born child may have a name beginning with the letter "k" . The following is a traditional chart that corresponds the day of birth with the first letter used in a child's name, although this naming scheme is not universally used today:

Day	Letters
Monday	(ka), (hka), (ga), (ga), (nga)
Tuesday	(sa), (hsa), (za), (za), (nya)
Wednesday morning	(la), (wa)
Wednesday afternoon	(ya), (ya, ra)
Thursday	(pa), (hpa), (ba), (ba), (ma)
Friday	(tha), (ha)
Saturday	(ta), (hta), (da), (da), (na)
Sunday	(a)