Sikh names

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Sikh names" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Part of a series on
Sikhism
People Topics Outline History Glossary
Sikh gurus Guru Nanak Guru Angad Guru Amar Das Guru Ram Das Guru Arjan Guru Hargobind Guru Har Rai Guru Har Krishan Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Gobind Singh Guru Granth Sahib
Selected revered saints Bhagat Kabir Bhagat Ravidas Bhagat Farid Bhagat Ramanand Bhagat Beni Bhagat Namdev Bhagat Sadhana Bhagat Bhikhan Bhagat Parmanand Bhagat Sain Bhagat Dhanna Bhagat Pipa Bhagat Surdas Bhagat Jaidev Bhagat Trilochan Bhatt Kalshar Bhatt Balh Bhatt Bhalh Bhatt Bhika Bhatt Gayand Bhatt Harbans Bhatt Jalap Bhatt Kirat Bhatt Mathura Bhatt Nalh Bhatt Salh Baba Sundar Satta Doom Balvand Rai
Philosophy Naam Japo Kirat Karō Vand Chakkō Charhdi Kalā Guru Maneyo Granth Five Thieves Five Virtues
Practices Sikh Rehat Maryada Prohibitions Ardās Kirtan Amrit Velā Dasvand The Five Ks Langar Sewa Simran Nitnem Dastar (Turban) Naam Karan Amrit Sanskar Anand Karaj Antam Sanskar
Scripture Guru Granth Sahib Dasam Granth Sarbloh Granth Five Banis
Places and Takhts Gurdwara Harmandir Sahib Akal Takht Keshgarh Sahib Damdama Sahib Patna Sahib Hazur Sahib
General topics Ik Onkar Khalsa Waheguru Panj Pyare Nirgun and Sargun Khanda Literature Music Names Nanakshahi calendar Criticism Jathedar of Akal Takht War Sects
Sikhism and other religions Sikhism and Hinduism Sikhism and Islam Sikhism and Jainism
Religion portal
v t e

Sikhs have a given name and one or both of a surname and a Khalsa name. The surname may be a family name (based on the name of the ancestral village) or a caste name. Different castes still exist today in some aspects of Punjabi culture; similarly to the Hindu caste system, this system is based on employment^{[citation needed]} (ex. jatt signifies the farming caste).^{[citation needed]}

On becoming a Khalsa, the Sikh undertakes the obligation to wear the physical symbols of this status (the Five Ks) and takes the name "lion", usually romanized as Singh, if a man, or "the Crown Princess" for female, usually romanized as Kaur, if a woman. (Note that Singh is spelled irregularly: it is written /singh/ but pronounced /siṅg) These names reflect the strong egalitarianism of the Sikh religion. The adopting of the Khalsa name is symbolic for being a member of a larger family or faith. These names were originally intended to replace the Sikh's original surname, which was often a caste name.

Some Sikhs do replace their original surname with their Khalsa name, but many retain their original surname and add the Khalsa name before it. Thus, a man born Sandeep Brar should become Sandeep Singh but more likely will become Sandeep Singh Brar. Similarly, a woman born Harjeet Gill should become Harjeet Kaur or Harjeet Kaur Gill.