Meanings of Myanmar Names
Almost every syllable has its meaning in Myanmar language. Names of towns, names of people, all have meanings. And they are interesting.
Names of Myanmar Towns
• Yangon : Formerly called Rangoon in English. Means “end of strife”
• Dagon : Derived from Tain-goat-tra
• Mandalay : Named after the Mandalay Hill. Derived from Pali word “Mandalar”, meaning “the center”
• Yadanapone : meaning “pile of gems”
• Amarapura : “the land of no death”
• Bagan : Derived from Pagan which again is derived from pyugama, meaning “village of pyu”. The word “pyugama” to “pyugam” then pugan and then pagan.
• Tainpa Deepa : land of copper
• Innwa : mouth of the lake
• Innlay : small lake
• Bago : Derived from Paeko, meaning “stealing peas”
• Hantharwaddy : meaning “land of hinthar (a kind of mythical duck)”
• Beikthano : Derived from Hindu God’s name: Vishnu
• Shwebo : Mouke Tsoe Bo: meaning “auspicious place for hunters”
• Yan Gyee Aung:
• Kone Baung:
• Ratna Theinga:
• Shwebo:
• Yaynanchaung : meaning “stream of petroleum”
• Chauk : meaning “dry”, being in the heart of the dry zone.
• Sagaing : meaning “branch of a tree called ‘sis'”
Names of Myanmar Rivers
• Ayeyarwaddy : Formerly spelled Irrawaddy. Meaning “elephant river”. Derived from Sanskrit term “airavati”
• Than Lwin : Formerly called Salween. Meaning “olive”
Old Names and New Names
Old Name | New Name |
Myanmar | |
Rangoon | Yangon |
Pagan | Bagan |
Akyab | Sittwe |
Amherst | Kyaikkami |
Arakan | Rakhine |
Bassein | Pathein |
Maymyo | Pyin U Lwin aka. Pyin Oo Lwin |
Moulmein | Mawlamyine |
Myohaung | Mrauk U |
Pegu | Bago |
Prome | Pyay(Pyi) |
Sandoway | Thandwe |
Syriam | Thanlyin |
Yaunghwe | Nyaung Shwe |
Irrawaddy River | Ayeyarwady River |
Salween River | Thanlwin River |
Sittang River | Sittoung River |
Tennasserim | Tanintharyi |
Names of Myanmar People
• In the West, you may find a person with the last name “Edison” (Edi+son) like Thomas Edison. That means son of Edi or Edward. Jefferson will mean “son of Jeffery”, and so on. Mr. Black. Mr. Brown. Or even Mr. Bridget his/her name means:
Myanmar Names | Meaning |
aung aye chit cho hla hlaing htay htet htin htun htut htway, htwe khin khine kyaw kyi kyine kywe lwin maung moe mya myaing, myine myat myint myo naing nanda nyein nyunt ohnmar phyu sanda, sandi sein shein shway, thiri, shwe, theingi soe than thant thaung thein thet thida thura, thurein, thuya thuza tun win ye zaw zeya, zeyar |
succeed cool love sweet beautiful plenty rich sharp appear succeed apex youngest friendly firm famous, fry clear smell sweet rich outstanding brother, mister rain emerald forest better high relative win river quiet blossom mad white moon diamond reflection gold dominate million clean 10 thousand 100 thousand calm water sun angel succeed bright brave outstanding success |