Bhutanese Personal Names and Identity

 

The lecture series Onomastics Online continued on 11 June 2026 with a lecture presented by Sonam Tshering (Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law, Bhutan) with the title "Bhutanese Personal Names and Identity". Keywords: #Bhutan #PersonalNames #Culture #Identity #GrossNationalHappiness Abstract: Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom between India and China, promotes Gross National Happiness (GNH). Bhutan has preserved its unique culture, strong Buddhist values, and lively social and cultural legacy despite its 400-year-old political structure. Bhutanese personal names are one of the most important ways people express themselves. Lamas and other religious figures often give Bhutanese names spiritual meaning. Buddhist philosophy, morality, and protection inspired these names. South and Southeast Asia often base names on family or ancestry, whereas Bhutan does not, ensuring equality. However, Bhutanese personal names rarely follow these patterns. Instead of ancestry, they value egalitarianism and community. Thus, in this lecture, I will briefly address Bhutanese names' cultural, social, and linguistic significance and uniqueness. I will also discuss how the names reflect Bhutanese culture, society, and religion. Finally, I will analyse how Westernised or hybrid naming patterns may affect Bhutanese culture expression and identity and belonging in modern Bhutan. Connect with the speaker:   / sonam-tshering-6a175276   Onomastics Online (ICOS – International Council of Onomastic Sciences) is a series of online lectures dealing with important timely topics related to names and naming. Presented by distinguished scholars from various academic backgrounds, the lectures demonstrate the importance and the multidisciplinary nature of onomastic research. To see the list of upcoming and past lectures, please visit our webpage at: https://icosweb.net/onomastics-online/. Previous lectures can be found on our YouTube channel:    / @theinternationalcouncilofo2460  . If you are interested in ICOS membership, please see the details here: https://icosweb.net/membership/member....