Lao name
none
title: "Lao name" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["culture-of-laos", "names-by-country"] description: "none" topic_path: "general/culture-of-laos" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lao_name" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary none ::
Lao names (Lao: ຊື່ ), like Thai ones, are given in Western order, where the family name goes after the first given name. On official documents, both first given name and surname are written, but it is customary to refer to people in formal situations by their first name, plus titles and honorifics, alone.
In daily life, outside of formal, international, or academic spheres, Lao people generally refer to themselves and others by nicknames, or seu lin—literally "playnames" (Lao: ຊື່ຫຼິ້ນ ). Much like the nicknames of Thai people (with whom the Lao share a great deal of cultural similarity), the names are often unflattering, although some are based on onomatopoeia, nonsense syllables, or peculiar characteristics. This is largely based on old superstitions from times when health care was not available and there was high infant mortality, as many of these names were supposed to ward off evil spirits from claiming the child.
The French Colonial government mandated the introduction of surnames in Laos in 1943, beginning first with the royalty and the élite before becoming a common practice among the other classes. To this day, among isolated ethnic groups and remote rural villages, it is still possible to find individuals who do not possess a surname.
Both first and surname are a mixture of Pali or Sanskrit and Lao words. The wording comes from variety of influences, such as nature, animals, and royal titles. Lao names are generally made up of two or three words, but when translated into English span nearly 10–15 letters, for which both Lao and Thai names are known.
Common name components
::data[format=table]
| Name Component | Modern Spelling | Archaic Spelling | Origin and Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boun | ບຸນ | N/A | Pali , “happiness,” “prosperity,” "goodness,” “virtue”. |
| Vong(sa) , Phong(sa) | ວົງ, ພົງ | ວົງສ໌, ພົງສ໌ | Sanskrit vamsha, "royal lineage" or "family", hence this component is a staple in many Lao surnames. |
| Singh or Syha | ສິງ , ສິຫະ | ສິງຫ໌, N/A | Sanskrit siṃha, "Leo" or "lion". |
| Chan, Chanh, Chantha | ຈັນ | ຈັນທ໌, ຈັນທຣ໌ | Sanskrit chandra, "moon", not to be confused with the tiane in ''Vien'''tiane''''' which means "sandalwood". |
| Dao | ດາວ | N/A | Lao, "star." |
| Dara | ດາລາ | ດາຣາ | Sanskrit tara, "Evening Star". |
| Pha , Phra | ພະ | ພຣະ | Lao, usually imparts royal or religious significance to the following component. |
| Kham | ຄຳ | N/A | Lao, "golden" or "precious." |
| Mali | ມະລິ | ມາລີ | Lao/Thai, "Jasmine" () or "blossom". |
| Ngeun, Ngoen | ເງິນ | N/A | Lao, "money" or "silver." |
| Racha, Rasa | ລາຊາ, ລາດ | ຣາຊາ, ຣາຊ | Sanskrit raja, "king". |
| Savane, Savan, Savanh | ສະຫວັນ | ສວັຣ, ສວັຣຄ໌ | Sanskrit swarga, or "heaven". |
| Seng, Saeng | ແສງ | N/A | Lao, "light". |
| Phou, Phu | ພູ | N/A | Lao, "mountain". |
| Sri, Si | ສີ | ສີ, ສຣີ | Sanskrit sri, or "splendid". |
| Keo, Kaew, Kèw | ແກ້ວ | N/A | Lao, "glass", "precious", "gem". |
| Vora, Worra | ວໍລະ | ວໍຣະ | Sanskrit varaha, "excellent", "superb". |
| Chai, Sai, Xai, Xay | ໄຊ | ໄຊຍ໌, ຊັຍ | Sanskrit jaya, "victory". |
| Tong, Thong | ທອງ | N/A | Lao, "golden" or "copper." |
| :: |
List of Lao Surnames
::data[format=table]
| Surname | Population | Components |
|---|---|---|
| Inthavong | ອິນທະວົງ | ອິນທະ,'Intha' - Indra |
| Chanthavong | ຈັນທະວົງ | ຈັນທະ, 'Chantha' - Moon |
| Thammavong | ທັມມະວົງ | ທັມມະ, 'Thamma' - Dharma |
| Noy | ||
| Manivong | ມະນີວົງ | ມະນີ, 'Mani' - Jewel, Gem |
| Phanthavong | ພັນທະວົງ | ພັນທະ, 'Phantha' - Connect, Join, Tie |
| Lao | ||
| Kham | ຄຳ | ຄຳ, 'Kham' - Gold |
| Keo | ແກ້ວ | ແກ້ວ, 'Keo' - Glass |
| Phommachanh | ພົມມະຈັນ | ພົມມະ, 'Phomma' - Brahma |
| Sayavong | ໄຊຍະວົງ | ໄຊຍະ, 'Saya' - Victory |
| Vongphachanh | ວົງພະຈັນ | ວົງ, 'Vong' - Family, Lineage |
| Xayavong | ໄຊຍະວົງ | ໄຊຍະ, 'Xaya' - Victory |
| Phommavong | ພົມມະວົງ | ພົມມະ, 'Phomma' - Brahma |
| Chanthalangsy | ຈັນທະລັງສີ | ຈັນທະ, 'Chantha' - Moon |
| Keomany | ແກ້ວມະນີ | ແກ້ວ, 'Keo' - Glass |
| Phimmasone | ພິມມະສອນ | ພິມ, 'Phim' - Law, Custom, Form |
| Seng | ||
| Vongxay | ວົງໄຊ | ວົງ, 'Vong' - Family, Lineage |
| :: |
References
References
- Siegall, A. L., & Connoly, W. G. (1999). The New York Times manual of style and usage. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.
- Rehbein, B. (2007). ''Globalization, culture and society in Laos''. New York: Routledge.
- LeBar, F., & Suddard, A. (1967). ''Laos: Its people, its society, its culture''. New Haven, CT: Human Relations Area Files Press.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::