Tamil people’s name
தமிழ் மக்கட்பெயர் -பெண்பெயர்
தமிழ் மக்கட்பெயர் -ஆண்பெயர்
From time people have been giving their favorite names to objects, places and their children.
Tolkappiyar stated that “Everything is about meaning”. There are many causal names in Tamil language. Later unexplained words came to be known as names. We say, “Look at that girl, she looks like a Tamil girl”. What is the reason? We guess the girl may be a Tamil girl by her dress, appearance and looks. If the girl’s name is a good Tamil name, we confirm that she is a Tamil girl. Our language, our food, our dress, our customs, all these are the symbols of Tamil culture, civilization and nationality.
Mostly Tamil names are symbols that definite the national identity of Tamils. The names that Tamil people give to their children have changed from time to time. During the Sangam period the names were in pure Tamil. Later, due to the domination of the Northern language, kings, poets, citizens and place names were changed.
The pure Tamil names of Karikalan, Senguttuvan, Neduncheliyan, Nalangilli and Nedunkilli later became the Northern language names of Mahendravarman, Rajavarman, Rajarasan, Kulothungan and Varagunapandian. Muthukundram became Vriddhachalam. Maraikkadu – became Vedaraniyam. Mamallapuram became Mabalipuram. The beautiful name of Mayiladuthurai became Mayuram. Kirimalai became Nakuleswaram.
In the middle of the last century, Tamil scholars as Parithimarakalaignar and Maraimalai Adigal removed names in Northern languages and putted names in pure Tamil language. Not only the names of the children but also the names of the adults were changed into Tamil.
Swami Vethasalam was changed as Maraimalai Adigal (Swami-Adigal, Vedam-Marai, Asalam-Malai) and Suriya Narayana Sastriyar was changed as Parithimarth Kalaingar (Suriyan-Parithi, Narayanan-Maal, Shastri-Kalaingar) and Narayanasaami as Nedunchekiyan, Kiruttinan as Nedumaran, Saaththaya as Tamilkudiyan, Raamaya as Anpalagan, Somasuntharam as Mathiyalagan. They changed their names as the kings of the Sangam period.
The leader of the organization “Viduthalay Siruththayhal”, Thirumavalavan removed the names of thousands of members of his movement and gave them pure Tamil names. He also changed the name of his father Ramasamy to Tolkappian.
Few years ago following words were used in wedding invitations: Vivaaham, supa muhoortha, paththirikai (magazine), Shri, Varusham, masam (month), thethi (date), Chiranjeevi, Chaupakkiyavathi, kanishda, sireshda, nichayam, ishdamithira, panthu, jana samethara vijayam. They blessed the married couple with these words. Due to the pure Tamil movements today we have changed the words in wedding incitations as: wedding, good day, invitation, year, thingal, day, thiruniray chelvan, thiruniray chelvi, thalaymahan, thalaymahal, uruthi, family and relatives.
One cannot become a Tamil person just by speaking Tamil. Being born in Tamil Eelam alone does not make you a Tamil person. Being a Tamil heritage alone does not make you a Tamil person. You shall love Tamil. You shall worship Tamil. You shall thirst for Tamil. Tamils are the ones who are like that.
Recently there has been a growing trend of Tamil parents giving non-Tamil names to their children. Not only Tamil names changes, but also the tradition of giving name to children by leaders, celebrities and ancestors in the family is disappearing. The name peran (grandson), comes from the word peyaran, means coming from the grandfather. So do perthi, from the word peyarthi. These names are not only non-Tamil, they are also meaningless.
For example these names are non-Tamil names: Gajan, Dilakshana, Dilakshan, Sadhana, Ratisha, Shara, Shiromi, Urania, Zenath, Darsha, Jason, Asha, Kosa, Vavian, Latsika, Niruja, Nirupika, Abhisha, Sujuta, Jeevithan, Nirojan, Niroji, Suresh, Suresh, Varsh. The name of the Tamils is the symbol of their national identity. Ignoring Tamil names and placing Northern language names is humiliating to Tamil culture. It is to mislead the Tamil nation. It is to lose the character and ethnicity of Tamil.
You can find a Jew or a British by his name. Tamils cannot be found like that. The reason why Tamil parents give non-Tamil names to their children is that they do not have the knowledge of the antique, purity and sweetness of Tamil language.
Tamils names their children by astrology in various languages without any meaning or knowledge. The astrologers say that the name should start with this letter. Among Tamil people, the astrologers play a major role in giving names to the children.
They give Northern names to their children due to their ignorance of Tamil language. They do not know what Tamil is and what Northern language is. This loss is especially caused by listening to the priests and astrologers. The number astrology is another reason. Nirojan, Niroji means disrespectful person. Parents put those names without knowing it. There are letters in Tamil language that cannot come as first letter in a name or word. For example; ட, ண ற, ண, ன, ர, ல, ழ, ள. The parents do not have the knowledge of this basic grammatical rule and give names with these letters first.
In Tamil Alli, Arulmoli, Anparasi, Kalaimagal, Kalaiyarasi, Kothai, Nangai, Nila, Thirumakal, Tamilchelvi, Poonkothai, Poomagal, Mangai, Malar, Malarvili, Valli, Anparasan, Ilango, Kannan, Senthil, Senthuran, Cheran, Bari, Maran, Murugan, Velan, are such sweet, beautiful, iconic names. According to Tamil grammar, men’s names should end in “an”, “ar” or “am”. Examples are Kamban, Valluvan, Ilangovan, Thirumavalavan, Tolkappiyan. Women’s names should end in “e”, “i” or ”al”. Examples are Kannaki, Vani, Kunthavai, Kotha, Kalaimagal, Thirumagal, Namakal.
If every Tamils named their children like above, the market will be sweet. If possible try to avoid the letters “vallina eluthukkal” in the names. A separate list of Tamil names is given below. Give this to all your relatives and friends and encourage them to give their children unique Tamil names.