Appendix:Malay given names
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Pre-Islamic era
[edit]Prior to the introduction of Islam, Malay names were mostly taken from Malay, Sanskrit, or Indonesian languages.
Post-Islamic era
[edit]Traditional Malay names persisted into the Islamic era but were gradually superceded by names of Arabic origin. Most Malays today have Arabic names, although some parents still give their children traditional names.
List of Malay Names
[edit]A
[edit]- Adi (masculine) - "first"
- Adiputera / Adiputra / Adi Putera / Adi Putra (masculine) - combination of Adi ("first") and Putera / Putra ("prince" / "son")
- Adiputeri / Adiputri / Adi Puteri / Adi Putri (feminine) - combination of Adi ("first") and Puteri / Putri ("princess" / "daughter")
- Agung (masculine) - "supreme"
- Agus (masculine) - "excellent"
- Ahad (masculine) - "Sunday" / "one" / "first"
- Aishah or Aisyah (feminine) - Malay version of Aisha
- Alang (masculine) - "cogon grass"
- Andika (masculine) - "Man", "warrior"; "manly"
- Anuar (masculine) - Malay version of Anwar
- Atan (masculine)
- Awang (masculine) - "male" / "eldest son"
- Ayu (feminine) - "pretty"
- Azura (feminine) - "sky blue" (colour) - derived from English word azure
B
[edit]- Baba (masculine) - "father"
- Bachok (masculine)
- Bagus (masculine) - "excellent"
- Bambang (masculine) - "knight"
- Basuki (masculine) - "to flourish"
- Bayu (masculine) - "wind"
- Benderang (masculine)
- Bestari (masculine) - "wise one"
- Bijaya (masculine) - from Sanskrit name Vijaya, meaning "success"
- Bintang (masculine) - “star”
- Biru (masculine/feminine) - "blue" (colour) ; name of Great Queen of Patani, Raja Biru
- Bongsu (masculine/feminine) - "youngest child"
- Bujang (masculine) - "bachelor"
- Budi (masculine) - "wise one"
- Budiarto (masculine) - "One who is wise with money"
- Bulat (masculine/feminine) - "round" / "circular" / "spherical"
- Bunga (feminine) - "flower"
- Bulan (feminine) - "moon"
C
[edit]- Cahaya / Chahaya (feminine) - "light"
- Chempaka (feminine) - "frangipani"
- Che (masculine) - "Mr", attached to names such as Che Wan or Che Poh
- Chik (masculine) - short form of Kechik meaning "small"
- Cik (feminine) - "Miss" ; name of well known legendary queen of Kelantan, Cik Siti Wan Kembang
- Chinta / Cinta (feminine) - "love"
D
[edit]- Daeng (masculine)
- Danang (masculine)
- Danial / Daniel (masculine) - Malay version of Danyal (Daniel)
- Dara (feminine) - "virgin" / "maiden"
- Daud / Daut (masculine) - Malay version of Dawood (David)
- Dayang (feminine) - "young lady" / "virgin"
- Delima (feminine) - "ruby"
- Demak (masculine)
- Demang (masculine) - "chief"
- Deraman (masculine) - Malay version of Abdul Rahman
- Deris (masculine) - Malay version of Idris
- Desa (masculine) - "village" / "countryside"
- Dewi (feminine) - "goddess"
- Dian (feminine) - "candle"
- Dollah (masculine) - Malay version of Abdullah
- Dumadi (masculine) - "becoming"
E
[edit]- Elyas / Elias (masculine) - Malay version of Ilyas (Elias)
- Embong (masculine)
- Embun (feminine) - "dew"
- Esah (feminine) - Malay version of Aisha
F
[edit]- Fajar (feminine/masculine) - "dawn"
G
[edit]- Gana (masculine) - Malay version of Ganesha
- Gajah (masculine) - Elephant
- Garuda (masculine)
- Gombak (masculine) - "crest" / "tuft on head"
- Golok (masculine)
- Guntur (masculine) - "thunder"
H
[edit]- Hamengku (masculine) - "guardian"
- Hapsah (feminine) - Malay version of Hafsa bint Umar
- Haron (masculine) - Malay version of Harun
- Harum (feminine) - "fragrance"
- Haryati / Hayati / Heryati (feminine)
- Hijau (masculine/feminine) - "green" (colour) ; name of Great Queen of Patani, Raja Ijau
- Hitam (masculine) - "black" (colour)
I
[edit]- Indah (feminine) - "beautiful"
- Indera (masculine) - Malay version of Indra
- Intan (feminine) - "diamond"
- Ishak (masculine) - Malay version of Ishaq/Isaac
- Isnin (masculine) - "Monday"
- Izzati (feminine) & Izzat (masculine) - "glory, honour, prestige" derived from Urdu and Arab- Izza
J
[edit]- Jalak (masculine) - "starling"
- Jantan (masculine)
- Jati (masculine) - "pure, saintly"
- Jaya (masculine/feminine) - "success"
- Jebat (masculine) - a well known Malay hero named Hang Jebat - derived from Arabic word zabad
- Jejaka (masculine) - "youth"
- Jenab (feminine) - Malay version of Zaynab
- Jiwa (masculine) - Malay version of Sanskrit name Jiva
- Johan (masculine) - "winner"
- Jumaat (masculine) - "Friday"
- Juara (masculine) - "champion"
- Jusoh (masculine)
- Juwita (feminine)
K
[edit]- Kamat (masculine)
- Kartika (feminine) - "seven" ; a name type of star, bintang kartika (literally means star of seven)
- Kartini (feminine)
- Kaseh / Kasih (feminine) - "love"
- Kasturi (masculine/feminine)
- Kechik (masculine) - "small"
- Kelana (masculine) - "a wanderer"
- Kepli / Kipli (masculine) - Malay version of Dhul-Kifl
- Kemang (masculine) - "mango"
- Kemangi (masculine) - "Thai basil"
- Kembang (feminine) - "bloom"
- Kembara (masculine) - "wander"
- Kemboja (feminine) - "frangipani"
- Kemuning (feminine) - "yellow flower"
- Kenanga (feminine) - "cananga flower"
- Kersani (masculine) - "iron"
- Kesuma (masculine) - "flower"
- Khamis / Kamis (masculine) - "Thursday"
- Khatijah / Katijah (feminine) - Malay version of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
- Kilau (masculine) - "shine" ; name of mat kilau
- Kuning (masculine/feminine) - "yellow" (colour) ; name of Great Queen of Patani, Raja Kuning
- Kuntum (feminine) - "petal"
- Kulup (masculine) - most famous name
L
[edit]- Labuh (masculine) - "to dangle"
- Lanang (masculine)
- Latipah (feminine) - Malay version of Latifa
- Lekir (masculine)
- Lekiu (masculine)
- Leman (masculine) - Malay version of Sulaiman
- Lestari (feminine) - "eternal"
- Linda (feminine) - "pretty" - derived from Spanish word linda, which is the feminine form of lindo
- Lokman or Lukman (masculine) - Malay version of Luqman
- Luncai (masculine)
M
[edit]- Mat / Mamat (masculine) - Malay version of Muhammad
- Mahsuri (feminine) - combination of "mah" (great) and "suri" (queen), a name of well known princess of Langkawi Island
- Mahura (feminine) - name of Mahsuri's mother-in-law
- Mail (masculine) - Malay version of Ismail
- Malim (masculine) - "expert" or "leader"
- Manjalara (feminine) - combination of "manja" (pampered) and "lara" (heartache)
- Mariah (feminine) - Malay version of Maria al-Qibtiyya
- Mariam / Meriam (feminine) - Malay version of Maryam (Mary)
- Mas (feminine) - "gold"
- Masayu or Mas Ayu (feminine) - combination of "mas" (gold) and ayu (pretty)
- Mastini (feminine)
- Mayang or Mayang Sari (feminine) - "palm blossom"
- Mawar (feminine) - "rose"
- Maya (feminine) - Sanskrit for "illusion" or "delusion"
- Mayang (feminine) - "palm blossom"
- Megat (masculine) - derived from Minangkabau words Maha Gaek, meaning "Great One"
- Melati (feminine) - "jasmine"
- Melur (feminine) - "jasmine"
- Merah (feminine) - "red"
- Merdeka (masculine) - Sanskrit for "independent" or "free"
- Minah (feminine) - Malay version of Aminah bint Wahhab
- Muda (masculine) - "young"
- Mulia (masculine) - "noble"
- Munah (feminine) - Malay version of Maymuna bint al-Harith
- Murni (feminine) - "pure"
N
[edit]- Nawar (feminine) - from Sanskrit Nawa, meaning "nine"
- Ngah (masculine)
- Nerang (masculine)
- Nik (masculine/feminine)
- Nilam (feminine) - "sapphire"
- Nirmala (feminine) - Sanskrit for "clean" or "pure"
- Noh (masculine) - Malay version of Nuh
O
[edit]P
[edit]- Pandak / Pendek - "short"
- Panjang (masculine) - "long"
- Perang (masculine) - "war" / "brown"
- Pertiwi (feminine) - Malay version of Prithvi
- Perwira (masculine) - "officer"
- Puspa (feminine) - from Sanskrit pushpa, meaning "flower"
- Puspasari (feminine) - a term equivalent to "fair maiden"
- Puspawangi (feminine) - combination of "puspa" (flower) and "wangi" (fragrant)
- Puspawati (feminine) - combination of "puspa" (flower) and "wati" (lady)
- Putera / Putra (masculine) - "prince" / "son"
- Puteri / Putri (feminine) - "princess" / "daughter"
- Puteh / Putih (masculine/feminine) - "white" / "fair"
R
[edit]- Rabu (masculine) - "Wednesday"
- Raden (masculine)
- Rai (masculine)
- Raja (masculine) - "King", (also) a name used by descendants of Malay royal family
- Rindu - "miss" / "longing" / "yearn"
- Rimau (masculine) - Tiger
S
[edit]- Saadong / Sa'adong - name of well-known legendary Puteri Saadong, the adopted daughter of Cik Siti Wan Kembang
- Sabtu (masculine) - "Saturday"
- Sagari (masculine)
- Sangkara (masculine) - Malay version of Sanskrit name Shankara
- Sari (feminine) - "essence of flower"
- Satria (masculine) - Sanskrit for "knight" or "warrior"
- Sayang (feminine) - "love"
- Selamat (masculine) - “safe”
- Selasa (masculine) - "Tuesday"
- Seman (masculine)
- Senin (masculine) - "Monday"
- Sepiah (feminine) - Malay version of Safiyya bint Huyayy
- Seri / Sri (feminine) - Sanskrit for "splendour" or "brightness"
- Seroja (feminine)
- Setia (masculine/feminine) - "faithfulness"
- Shuib / Suib (masculine) - Malay version of Shoaib
- Siti (feminine) - Malay version of Sita
- Sugriwa (masculine) - Malay version of Sugriva
- Sulong / Sulung - "eldest child"
- Suria (masculine/feminine) - "sun" or "light"
- Suriani (feminine) - "light of small girl"
- Suriawati (feminine) - "light of women"
- Surintan (feminine)
T
[edit]- Tanggang (masculine) - character from the legend Si Tanggang
- Tarung (masculine) - "fight"
- Taufan (masculine) - "typhoon"
- Teh (masculine) - “tea”
- Tembam (masculine) - "plump"
- Tempawan (feminine)
- Tempawi (masculine)
- Tengku (masculine/feminine) - "prince" / "princess" (used for descendants of malay royalty)
- Teratai (feminine) - "lotus"
- Teruna (masculine)
- Tijah (feminine) - Malay version of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
- Tipah (feminine) - Malay version of Latifa
- Tuah (masculine) - "luck" or "fortune", (also) a well known Malay hero named Hang Tuah
U
[edit]- Ucop / Usop (masculine) - Malay version of Yusuf (Joseph)
- Uda (masculine) - "a bachelor" or "young"
- Ujang (masculine) - "a bachelor"
- Ungu (masculine/feminine) - "purple"; name of Great Queen of Patani, Raja Ungu
W
[edit]- Wan
- Wangi (feminine) - "fragrant"
- Warna (feminine) - "colour"
- Wati (feminine) - "female", "woman" or "girl"
- Wira (masculine) - from Sanskrit Vira, meaning "hero"
Y
[edit]- Yaakob / Yaakop /Yaacob (masculine) - Malay version of Yaqub (Jacob)
- Yahaya (masculine) - Malay version of Yahya (John)
- Yati (feminine)
- Yeop (masculine) - Malay version of Ayyub
- Yunos (masculine) - Malay version of Yunus
Z
[edit]- Zakaria (masculine) - Malay version of Zakariya
- Zamrud (feminine) - Arabic for "emerald"
- Zulkarnain (masculine) - Malay version of Dhul-Qarnayn
- Zulkifli / Zulkipli (masculine) - Malay version of Dhul-Kifl