In Thailand Nicknames are Preferred Over Legal Ones
Would you mind being called a “pig” or perhaps a “buffalo”? I didn’t think so. But in Thailand a lot of people are called by these names and others which seem equally strange to us. Thai people have first names and surnames just like we do, but generally they contain so many syllables that it is a real challenge for just about any westerner to repeat or remember such a name.
This was not always the case. A few generations ago Thai names were much shorter and simpler. It is a fairly recent phenomenon that those never-ending names have been in vogue. This went so far that the Thais felt compelled to p*** a law that limits the number of syllables names can contain. This prevented official business transactions from drowning in syllable quicksand. Changing your name in Thailand is rather easy. Don’t like it, no problem, pick another one. It is a relatively simple procedure.
When someone gives me one of those complicated names, I just ask them for a shorter name. Fortunately most Thais use abbreviations of their real name or nicknames which are at the other end of the spectrum of the multi syllable confusion. In contrast they typically consist of just one syllable or letter. Often the Thais use one of the syllables of their legal name as their nickname – it does not matter which one. Many nicknames are strange for our taste. There could be Ms Pig, Mr. Buffalo, Mr. Dog, or Ms Bomb. Who comes up with such names? Here are the actual stories of friends of mine here in Thailand.
There are quite a few nicknames that are descriptive in an odd sense. A female friend of mine is called “pig”. In the west such a name would be impossible, but in this instance her parents looked at her baby fat and decided that she resembled a cute baby pig, hence the name. Yes, Thais regard this a very cute name. Of course if ever the girl decides someday that she does not like her nickname anymore, she will be able to simply change it. Another acquaintance of mine is called “dog”. When he was a little boy, he was a real chatterbox to the point of grating on people’s nerves. His parents found that he resembled an excited puppy, so “dog” it was for him.
Some nicknames can have special meanings, and even magical powers. One man was always sickly as a boy and could never shake his various ailments. So the people in his village decided to call him buffalo, which is a strong animal. There is even a saying ’strong as a buffalo’. Amazingly his chronic diseases went away and he became a strong, healthy person, true to his name. But you really should know the story behind the name since ‘buffalo’ in Thailand can also be an insult. Buffaloes are regarded as ****** and low brained. “****** like a buffalo” is a derogatory way to talk about someone.
Some nicknames literally add color to the concept. One of my friend’s nickname is “Green”. When she was born she had a slightly greenish skin tone and that is how she ended up with this nickname. Today, 40 years later, she looks anything but green, however she still goes by the same name.
Let’s enter the dreamtime. In one case my Thai friend’s dream foretold an event. She went to a temple with her sister in law and a monk wanted to give a large beautiful precious stone to her sister in law. She declined the gift and requested that the monk give it to her friend who was very happy to receive it. When she woke up, she soon found out that she was pregnant. In her mind the dream foretold the pregnancy and therefore she gave the baby the nickname of ‘precious stone’, Ploy. Her sister in law did not want to become pregnant, so the p***ing of the stone was very symbolic for my friend.
Thais know no limits when it comes to creative nicknames. The same woman has a son who was born during the Iran-Iraq war. The Thai media covered the war in depth with all its horrors and bombing. In the absence of a better idea she ended up calling her son “bomb”.
There are nicknames which are totally meaningless. At the other end of the creativity spectrum are super simple names which consist of just single letters like O, E, B, or D. The latest trend is to use short western names like ‘Joy’ or ‘Cat’.
Some Thais do not use nicknames, but they are a minority. In most cases Thais will introduce themselves by their nicknames. Although some of those nicknames appear strange to us, we should count our blessings, since we would have a serious challenge trying to understand or remember those mile-long legal names which are so typical in Thailand.