Changing Names

[Valdezugar]

I've heard and met some Thai ladies who have changed their names. One said it was because the new name was lucky.

Is this a common thing? Is it really because it's lucky? Just curious . . . .

[Farma]

I know a few people who've changed their name for various reasons.

One worked in Taiwan. They were only allowed to work there for 2 years at that time. To get around the 2 year maximum working time he would return home, change his name and with new passport return to Taiwan.

Another changed her name when her mother died. The new name was to show respect to her mother.

A couple of guys I know keep changing their names for luck. One of them seems to change his name every 2 years. I never know what name to call him by when we meet.

[spud1]

It;s certainly a common occurrence.My G/F recently changed her name for good fortune reasons.Apparently her previous name didn't correspond with her day of birth.I suspect it;s a superstitious thing.

[Shotime]

The women (I don't know about the men) do change their names a few times. One girl I know has changed it at least twice. Everyone still calls her by her first, given, name, but they attach importance to changing their name. It becomes a pain in the ass because then passports, ID's, and other things have to be changed. If it helps them in some small way, then so be it.

[GuestHouse]

It's common enough and I've known a number of people who have changed there names - Every single one of them was a fruit cake.

[mark45y]

Bar girls also change their names for the obvious reasons.

I also change my name if I ever go in a bar and I have been called a lot of different names on Thai Visa.

Matter of fact, people call me names all the time. But you know it’s like sticks and stones.

[thepanicandthevomit]

It's common enough and I've known a number of people who have changed there names - Every single one of them was a fruit cake.

The two or three brits I've known who have changed their names are also complete nutters.

[scorecard]

It's common enough and I've known a number of people who have changed there names - Every single one of them was a fruit cake.

I have people very close to me who have changed their names (as many Thais do, both male and female, for lots of reasons, many of which westerners don't really understand). Those close to me who have changed their names are not fruitcakes, they are intelligent and balanced people, and I find your comment insulting.

[thepanicandthevomit]

It's common enough and I've known a number of people who have changed there names - Every single one of them was a fruit cake.

I have people very close to me who have changed their names (as many Thais do, both male and female, for lots of reasons, many of which westerners don't really understand). Those close to me who have changed their names are not fruitcakes, they are intelligent and balanced people, and I find your comment insulting.

Do they find his comments insulting? I think that is the pertinent point here.

The culture of offence by proxy!

[smokie36]

It's common enough and I've known a number of people who have changed there names - Every single one of them was a fruit cake.

I have people very close to me who have changed their names (as many Thais do, both male and female, for lots of reasons, many of which westerners don't really understand). Those close to me who have changed their names are not fruitcakes, they are intelligent and balanced people, and I find your comment insulting.

Do they find his comments insulting? I think that is the pertinent point here.

The culture of offence by proxy!

I want to change my name to smokie16.....not enough PM's you see.....some might call me a fruitcake but the truth is with the constant infusion of alcohol I'm more of a Christmas pudding. Ummmmm.......

[Mossfinn]

It is not an uncommon situation and can be done for varying reasons.

Some will do it for the basic reason of wanting a change from an unhappy event in the past, maybe a divorce and a change of horizons and a new name helps this along.

I have found in my experience, when surrounded by fruit cakes, change environments, if still surrounded by fruit cakes, check the walls, if they are padded, you will always be surrounded by fruitcakes

[isanbirder]

A lot of hilltribe people change their names so that they are not so easily recognisable as hilltribe people; I've never really understood this, as the new names they choose shout 'hilltribe' at anyone familiar with Thai names.

The best reason I've heard for changing a name was."My father is too well-known to the police!"

By the way, if you think you're always surrounded by fruitcakes, have you looked at yourself lately?

[Shotime]

I can't speak for all Thai women who change their names. but the ones I know are "fruit-cakes." Especially the ones that do it because they think it will change their fortune, some palm reader or monk told them to, or someone elsa told them their old name was too strong for them. It wasn't cause they wanted to avoid the law or go into deep cover from anyone. Don't do something internally to change yourself when a simple name change will do the trick. Sounds easier, though.

[spud1]

Be it bread or fruit cake smug is smug.I.d rafter spend my time with a few happy fruit cakes than one miserable old git.

[TAWP]

Had some work-friends that changed their names. Makes for confusing talks when they are involved with foreign customers, when the new senior programmer suddenly has a new name 'but is the same guy'. They must think we where BSing them...

In anyway, the reasons told are usually 'create luck', 'change my luck' and 'my name's first letter didn't run well with the weekday I was born on' (again, with an outcome of not enough luck...).

[Travel2003]

It happens here, but really not that common.

More common is it actually that Thais change their birth date, due to lucky numbers.

Yep, the officials can be bribed to issue out a new set of papers to show a new (and lucky) birth date.

I remember it was a long article about it in either the Post or Nation 2-3 years ago.

Fascinating stuff.

[avcomth]

But all Thais have a permanent "nickname" which they never change...and they often use that name, even in business correspondence (and printed on name cards)

Also sometimes you'll know a Thai person by his/her nickname and tend to forget the real name of that person. Back at the international school when I was in 8th grade, there was

this classmate that tried to change her nick name from "Mon" to "Pat", the homeroom teacher announced that in front of the class one day, but nobody ever bother to call her by the

new name I thought it was pretty hilarious at the time.

[avcomth]

Also some Thai names can be hilarious to English speaking people. Ex. a lot of women are Porn--something Pornthip, Pornphen, Thitiporn As for men, the Chid--something "Pichid, Chidchai etc. won't sound good when someone hears it

[thepanicandthevomit]

Also some Thai names can be hilarious to English speaking people.

Thitiporn

Yes, that one is quite funny.

[needforspeed]

A Japanese guy playing darts with us in Patpong area for years, one day he had his name changed.

I asked him why, he told me for good luck.

No good luck with darts after changes his name still the same level, as he more likely scored a 180 in the back of the lovely girl who did the score than hit any number on the board.

Also 2 weeks later he committed suicide.

Not sure if the last part was luck for him or not.

[Valdezugar]

Had some work-friends that changed their names. Makes for confusing talks when they are involved with foreign customers, when the new senior programmer suddenly has a new name 'but is the same guy'. They must think we where BSing them...

In anyway, the reasons told are usually 'create luck', 'change my luck' and 'my name's first letter didn't run well with the weekday I was born on' (again, with an outcome of not enough luck...).

Got caught out by some business connection's name change too . . . . I thought someone was trying a fats on me lol!

My GF says the girl who changed her name met some new guy and she changed her name so she can leave her past behind her and "start a new future". Is is just the younger generation or do some of the more "mature" demographic do it too?

[isanbirder]

It happens here, but really not that common.

More common is it actually that Thais change their birth date, due to lucky numbers.

Yep, the officials can be bribed to issue out a new set of papers to show a new (and lucky) birth date.

I remember it was a long article about it in either the Post or Nation 2-3 years ago.

Fascinating stuff.

Very common among late teens and twenties. I ran a scholarship scheme for 10 years in Chiangmai, and at any one time had 1500 students on my books, so I got quite used to name changes..,. sometimes first name, sometimes surname, sometimes both. The worst was one boy who left school, and returned a year later to claim a scholarship for college.... with BOTH names changed... the trouble I had tracing that one!

[mark45y]

Also some Thai names can be hilarious to English speaking people. Ex. a lot of women are Porn--something Pornthip, Pornphen, Thitiporn As for men, the Chid--something "Pichid, Chidchai etc. won't sound good when someone hears it

English names can be quite funny to Thai people. For example if your name is Jim I would suggest a change!

[taninthai]

Also some Thai names can be hilarious to English speaking people. Ex. a lot of women are Porn--something Pornthip, Pornphen, Thitiporn As for men, the Chid--something "Pichid, Chidchai etc. won't sound good when someone hears it

English names can be quite funny to Thai people. For example if your name is Jim I would suggest a change!

just asked the misses about jim yeah defo change name:thumbsup:

[bina]

quite common for the reasons written above: the given name (the long name) is changed according to monk recommendations... for luck, new life, or change of passport. the nickname (all those lek, dam, dao, sek,pom etc etc) stays the same and most people are hard pressed to even know or remember their siblings' friends and colleagues' 'real names'. my husband is noy to everyone thai, and to many of his previous employers - the ones he liked-, his real name being a name that he says is 'female'. he also introduces himself using a slightly different version of his real name to most people but on all official records, its still the original birth name that he doesnt like. so he is 'noy' to most thais, and some israeli guys; he is anon (based on the name of a monk) to me and all my circle of friends, the kibbutz, and his bosses nowadays, and his real name is anong which he hates.

their parents dont make a big deal of it like with us, they dont seem to attach any particular importance to being named i.e named after a brother that died, an auntie on mom's side, a famous general who died in a battle, or whatever.

the funny thing is he complains that here the names are all too similar - meaning there are usually about one out of every five people with the same nickname for a longer name -the equialent of the lek, dam, dao, sek, pon sort of thing.like every fifth person named jim , or something.

'a rose by any other name is still a rose'....

bina

israel

[needforspeed]

quite common for the reasons written above: the given name (the long name) is changed according to monk recommendations... for luck, new life, or change of passport. the nickname (all those lek, dam, dao, sek,pom etc etc) stays the same and most people are hard pressed to even know or remember their siblings' friends and colleagues' 'real names'. my husband is noy to everyone thai, and to many of his previous employers - the ones he liked-, his real name being a name that he says is 'female'. he also introduces himself using a slightly different version of his real name to most people but on all official records, its still the original birth name that he doesnt like. so he is 'noy' to most thais, and some israeli guys; he is anon (based on the name of a monk) to me and all my circle of friends, the kibbutz, and his bosses nowadays, and his real name is anong which he hates.

their parents dont make a big deal of it like with us, they dont seem to attach any particular importance to being named i.e named after a brother that died, an auntie on mom's side, a famous general who died in a battle, or whatever.

the funny thing is he complains that here the names are all too similar - meaning there are usually about one out of every five people with the same nickname for a longer name -the equialent of the lek, dam, dao, sek, pon sort of thing.like every fifth person named jim , or something.

'a rose by any other name is still a rose'....

bina

israel

'a rose by any other name is still a rose'.....

But could be quite confusing:) .

NFS

[BananaLeaf]

My GF says the girl who changed her name met some new guy and she changed her name so she can leave her past behind her and "start a new future". Is is just the younger generation or do some of the more "mature" demographic do it too?

Of the people that I know that have done this, all have been over 50, and the majority have been men. All for "business luck" reasons. I personally don't know anyone under the age of 30 who has done this.