Behind the Name
the etymology and history of first names
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Indonesian Names

Indonesia is home to many different ethnic groups and languages. The names of Indonesia vary greatly between these groups. The dominant ethnic group is the Malay people (whose languages include Indonesian, Javanese and Sundanese).

Generally, all Indonesians have one or more given names. Some ethnic groups also use a family name or clan name, other groups use a patronym. Some Indonesians have neither a family name nor a patronym. Telephone books in Indonesia are organized by given name.

Under president Suharto, Indonesians of Chinese ancestry were required to change their Chinese names to Indonesian names. This rule has since been repealed.

List of Indonesian names and meanings

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