Balinese name

The Balinese name is a naming system used by the Balinese people of Bali, Indonesia and neighboring Lombok, Indonesia. Regardless of being male or female, each person receives one of four names based on birth order. Though there are significant variations in the four names of Balinese people, mostly due to caste membership, there are precisely four names in Balinese culture that are repeated endlessly. The firstborn is "Wayan" (or Yan, for short), second is "Made," third is "Nyoman" (Man for short), and fourth is "Ketut" (often elided to Tut). (The vowels are pronounced similarly as in Spanish or Italian). Balinese names are rendered into Roman script by the Romanization of the Indonesian language. The spelling to pronunciation relationship is said to be "perfect" because the spelling of words was revised significantly in the 70's and/or 80's (and even more recently).

The first born is Wayan, and if there is a fifth child, he/she is often called Wayan Balik (or Wayan "again"). Of course, Balinese children/people are given other names, including a new "name" after death. However, it is important to realize that by and large, everyone does use these birth order names to refer to each other, and to call each other constantly throughout the day. "Given" names may be chosen due to, for example, the influence of popular culture or politics. Like some other Indonesian cultures, Balinese do not use family names.