Cambodian Name Generator

Cambodian (Khmer) names put the family name first and the given name second, so in Sok Dara the surname is Sok and the person is called Dara. Surnames are usually a single short syllable and until 1910 did not exist at all; many families simply adopted the father's given name, which is why the most common Cambodian surnames (Sok, Chea, Chan, Keo, Heng, Meas, Sam, Kong, Ly, Ouk, Prak, Pich, Seng, Vong) also work as given names. Some, like Ly, Heng, Lim and Kim, reflect Chinese ancestry that is common in the towns.

Given names carry the meaning. Most come from Pali and Sanskrit through Buddhism, or from Khmer words for beautiful or auspicious things. Sovann means "gold", Bopha "flower", Dara "star", Sokha "happiness", Samnang "luck", Pheakdey "loyalty", Sophea "wisdom", Chantrea "moon" and Vichet "splendid". Names are often built from two or three of these parts (Sovannarith, Chanmony, Sokunthea, Rathanakpheap), which produces the long, flowing names typical of Cambodia. Gender is not always fixed: Sokha, Sophea and Samnang are used for both sexes, while names starting with Srey ("lady", as in Sreymom, Sreypov, Sreyleak) are always female and names with Vuth or Rith usually male.

Romanized spellings vary because Khmer script is transliterated by ear; Sopheap and Sopheab, Rattana and Ratana, Chea and Chia are the same names. In daily life people are called by their given name with a kinship term or honorific (Lok for Mr, Lok Srey for Mrs, Neak Kru for teacher), never by the surname alone.