Thai personal names typically pair a unique, often long given name with a family surname, the latter standardized by the 1913 Surname Act under King Vajiravudh. Given names are frequently coined compounds built from Thai plus Pali/Sanskrit elements with auspicious meanings such as victory, wisdom, prosperity, or beauty. Common morphemes include chai (victory), wut/wit (knowledge), sak (power), porn/phon (blessing), and siri (splendor). Many names are multi‑syllabic with clear compound structure. There is no single fixed pool of traditional given names; new formations are common.
Nicknames are near-universal in daily use and are short, often one syllable; they may be Thai words, numbers, colors, foods, or English words, while formal contexts use the full given name and surname. Romanization varies; systems such as RTGS render aspirated consonants with ph, th, kh, and vowel length or tone may lead to multiple spellings. Recent trends include shorter formal given names and widespread English‑influenced nicknames; some Thai Chinese families also use Chinese names or nicknames alongside Thai legal names.
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ananya | Without equal | Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Thai | Girl | 1,113 #1 | |
| Kalaya | Varies by origin - related to Sanskrit 'kala' (art/time) or names like Kaliya; in Thai used as a feminine name (connotations of beauty/grace); in Tagalog it echoes 'kalayaan' (freedom). | Indian, Sanskrit, Tagalog, Thai | Girl | 625 #2 | |
| Mali | Jasmine; also associated with 'gardener' or the West African country Mali | Hindi, Sanskrit, Thai | Girl | 515 #3 | |
| Lanna | Depends on origin: Arabic 'soft, tender'; Hawaiian 'calm, afloat'; English usage as a form of Lana/Alana (variously linked to 'light' or 'child/precious'); Thai 'Lanna' refers to 'a million rice fields' (name of a historical kingdom). | Arabic, English, Hawaiian, Thai | Girl | 435 #4 | |
| Varun | Encompasser; water god | Hindi, Sanskrit, Thai | Boy | 302 #5 | |
| Chai | Varies by language - Hebrew: "alive"/"life"; Thai/Sanskrit-derived: "victory"; Chinese: a surname (柴). | Chinese, Sanskrit, Thai | Unisex | 138 #6 | |
| Malai | Thai: garland (flower garland); Tamil: mountain; Hindi/Urdu: cream (milk cream) | Hindi, Tamil, Thai, Urdu | Girl | 81 #7 | |
| Chan | Meanings vary by language: Cantonese form of the surname Chen; in Khmer/Thai derived from Sanskrit for 'moon'; in Vietnamese 'Chân' means 'true/real'; in Korean as a name syllable it can mean 'bright', 'praise', etc., depending on the hanja chosen. | Chinese, Khmer, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese | Unisex | 67 #8 | |
| Keng | Thai: 'skillful, capable'; Chinese: varies by character (e.g., 耿 'bright/upright', 庚 'seventh heavenly stem/robust') | Chinese, Thai | Unisex | 61 #9 | |
| Kanya | Maiden; girl; virgin; also associated with the zodiac sign Virgo | Sanskrit, Thai | Girl | 55 #10 | |
| Isan | May derive from Sanskrit Ishan meaning 'lord'/'sun' (associated with Shiva), or from Arabic/Persian Ihsan/Ehsan meaning 'benevolence'/'excellence', or be a place-name referring to the Isan region of Thailand. | Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Thai | Boy | 52 #11 | |
| Naw | A Karen feminine name element or honorific often marking a female; used as part of given names | Thai | Girl | 47 #12 | |
| Thian | Varies by origin - commonly 'heaven' or 'sky' (from Chinese/Vietnamese Tiān/Thiên), sometimes 'field' (Chinese 田), or 'candle' (Thai เทียน). | Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese | Unisex | 41 #13 | |
| Seri | Varies by origin: in Korean meanings depend on chosen hanja; from Sanskrit (śrī) via Malay/Thai it means 'fortune', 'prosperity' or 'glory'; in Japanese it's the name of a water herb (seri); in Turkish it can mean 'rapid'. | Japanese, Korean, Malay, Sanskrit, Scandinavian, Thai, Turkish | Girl | 40 #14 | |
| Noy | Hebrew: "ornament, beauty"; Thai: "small, little" (commonly used as a nickname) | Hebrew, Thai | Unisex | 36 #15 | |
| Thanya | Blessed, fortunate; prosperous, wealthy | Sanskrit, Thai | Girl | 34 #16 | |
| Dao | Star; way; peach | Chinese, Lao, Thai, Vietnamese | Boy | 23 #17 | |
| Niran | Eternal; everlasting; perpetual | Thai | Boy | 21 #18 | |
| Sarit | Diminutive of the Hebrew name Sarah, meaning "princess"; in Thai it is used as a masculine name with a different origin. | Hebrew, Thai | Girl | 20 #19 | |
| Aree | Varies by origin; commonly associated with 'lion' (from Hebrew Ari/Arieh) or linked to 'noble'/'melody' in related forms | Hebrew, Indian, Korean, Sanskrit, Scandinavian, Thai | Unisex | 19 #20 | |
| Pao | Varies by origin. In Chinese (as a transliteration of characters like 包) it can relate to 'wrap/package' or be a family name; as a nickname for Pablo/Paola it derives from Latin Paulus meaning 'small' or 'humble'. | Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai | Unisex | 18 #21 | |
| Malisa | Commonly 'jasmine' (Thai); sometimes treated as a variant of Melissa meaning 'honeybee'. | Thai | Girl | 12 #22 | |
| Narai | Derived from Narayana - a name of the Hindu god Vishnu; broadly 'abode/protector of man' or 'belonging to Narayana'. | Thai | Boy | 12 #23 | |
| Chaiya | Victory | Sanskrit, Thai | Girl | 10 #24 | |
| Koh | Varies by origin and characters. Commonly from Korean/Chinese 高 meaning 'high, tall'; in Japanese the meaning depends on the kanji (examples: 孝 'filial piety', 幸 'happiness', 浩 'vast'); in Thai (เกาะ) 'koh' means 'island' (used in place names and nicknames). | Cantonese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai | Unisex | 10 #25 | |
| Chanya | Commonly interpreted in Thai as "wise" or "knowledgeable" (exact derivation uncertain) | Thai | Girl | 8 #26 | |
| Makha | Likely tied to Sanskrit/Pali 'Magha' (name of a lunar month and an auspicious festival); as a surname or place name in Africa it may have different, local meanings. | Sanskrit, Thai | Unisex | 3 #27 | |
| Abhisit | Special attainment | Sanskrit, Thai | Boy | — | |
| Aim | Can mean 'goal' or 'aspiration' (English); derived French forms mean 'beloved'; in Thai used as a nickname meaning 'sweet' or 'cute'. | Thai | Unisex | — | |
| Anchaley | Likely derived from Sanskrit 'Anchal' meaning 'shelter, protective fold (of a sari)' or related to 'Anjali' meaning 'offering/salutation'; conveys shelter/protection or a devotional offering. | Hindi, Sanskrit, Thai | Girl | — | |
| Anchali | Derived from Sanskrit 'añjali' meaning 'divine offering; salutation; folded hands.' | Thai | Girl | — | |
| Anucha | Younger brother (born later) | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Anurak | Protector; guardian; preserver | Sanskrit, Thai | Boy | — | |
| Anuwat | One who advances or promotes growth; a continuer/successor (connotations of development/prosperity) | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Apanee | Often interpreted as 'beautiful' or 'pleasant' in Thai; likely derived from Sanskrit elements | Thai | Girl | — | |
| Apichatpong | Combines elements meaning 'victorious/renowned' (Apichat) and 'lineage/blessing' (pong) - roughly 'victorious lineage' or 'blessed victor'. | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Apidej | Associated with power, glory, or might - a name implying strength and prestige. | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Apisara | Associated with Apsara (a celestial nymph); connotes divine beauty, grace, or nobility. | Thai | Girl | — | |
| Apisit | Privileged, superior, distinguished; excellent | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Apisith | Privileged, distinguished; one with special rights or superior status | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Apisorn | From elements meaning 'excellent' or 'supreme' + 'glory/honor' - roughly 'excellent glory'. | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Arunee | Dawn; the reddish glow of sunrise | Thai | Girl | — | |
| Atiravat | Likely derived from Sanskrit and associated with Airavata (Indra's elephant); connotes might, grandeur or great swiftness | Sanskrit, Thai | Boy | — | |
| Barom | Supreme; great; exalted | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Bhumibol | Protector/strength of the land | Sanskrit, Thai | Boy | — | |
| Boons | Merit; blessing; good deed | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Boun | Merit; good deed; virtue | Lao, Sanskrit, Thai | Boy | — | |
| Buakaw | White lotus (บัว = lotus, ขาว = white) | Thai | Boy | — | |
| Bun | Commonly 'merit' or 'goodness' (from Pali/Sanskrit, used in Khmer/Thai/Lao); in some Chinese contexts relates to 'literature/culture' (character 文); in English used as a diminutive/nickname (bunny or baked good). | Chinese, English, Khmer, Lao, Sanskrit, Thai | Unisex | — | |
| Buny | Merit; virtue; good deeds | Khmer, Thai | Boy | — |
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Thai-origin name in our dataset.
