"ANG"	VIRTUE NAMES	Combining VIRTUE NAMES
Days of the Week	SHERPA NAMES	NAME CHANGING after Birth

Sherpas [lit. Sher-wa, people from the East] migrated into the high plateaux and ravined valleys of what is now eastern Nepal, circa 1600. They came from Kham, in eastern Tibet. NAMING PRACTICES ANG A great many Sherpas are called "ang" plus another name."Ang" is simply the diminutive, meaning "small one" or "beloved." Sherpas are often named for example "Ang Tshe-ring" meaning "beloved Long Life" or "Ang Nyi-ma" meaning "beloved Sunday-born."  DAYS OF THE WEEK One of the Sherpa child's names will be the day of the week on which it was born. This custom places the child under the protection of that day's deity. E.g., Daniel Mingmar (my oldest son) was born on Tuesday.  By taking his first breath on Tuesday, he gains the protective power of Mars, the ruler of Tuesday.  Every time his name Mingmar is spoken, that protective power is re-affirmed.  [Tibetan pronunciation can be "Mikmar".] Planetary day rulers are the same as in the West. SHERPA DAY NAME Planetary Deity Euro-Himalayan Western Weekday Western Daily Planetary Ruler Nyi-ma Sun - Nyima Sun-day Sun Da-wa Moon - Dawa Mon-day Moon Ming-ma(r) Mars - Migmar Tues-day Tiu (Germanic name for Mars) [Note "Mar-di" in French] Lhak-pa Mercury - Lhakpa Wednes-day Woden (Germanic name for Mercury) [Note "Mercre-di" in French] Phur-ba Jupiter - Phurba Thurs-day Thor (Germanic name for Jupiter/Zeus) [Note "Jeu-di" in French] Pa-sang Venus - Pasang Fri-day Frieda (Germanic name for Venus) [Note "Vendre-di" in French] Pem-ba Saturn - Pemba Satur-day Saturn VIRTUE NAMES In addition to a day name, many Sherpa children receive virtue names.  Day names are often prefixed to the virtue name. Thus "Phu-dorje," (Jupiter Wisdom) "Da-phuti," (Moon Generosity) "Nyim-phuti" (Sun Generosity) etc. Often the virtue name is also the name of a great saint, and thus the children receive the patronage of the great saint. Here are some popular virtue name examples: NAME English MEANING Divine Personality Lhak-pa Gyal-tshen Courageous Speech   Pa-sang Lha-mo Beautiful Goddess famous Buddhist protector goddess, very fierce Tshe-ring Dol-ma     Pasang Do-ma     Mingma Dolma     Ki-lu Tem-ba     Tse-ten Gyer-me(d) Steady Good Life   Da-wa Phu-ti

SHERPA and TIBETAN Culture NAMES The single most important aspect of Sherpa life is devotional Nyingmapa Tibetan Buddhism.  Many Sherpa names are drawn from the vast reservoir of Tibetan religious names which are given to children throughout the Tibetan cultural regions. All children's names have a religious meaning. Some Sherpa Names and a few meanings are listed below. SHERPA NAME English Meaning Bhu-ti   Cham-ba   Che-gi   Chembal   Chen-sum   Che-pal / Choepal   Chia-mu   Chiang-chup   Chi-ki   Chin-du   Chir-gin   Chok-pa   Cho-kyi, Cho-kli Possessed of Dharma (Religion) Chos = dharma -- Chos is pronounced "Chö" Cho-nyi Radiance (Sun) of Dharma Chos = dharma -- Chos is pronounced "Chö" Chong-ba   Cho-pali/Cho-pal Chos = dharma - Chos is pronounced "Chö" Cho-sa Chos = dharma -- Chos is pronounced "Chö" Chun-bi   Chuti/Cho-ti Chos = dharma -- Chos is pronounced "Chö" Chutin/Cho-tin Chos = dharma -- Chos is pronounced "Chö" Da-, Da-wa Monday, Moon - a child born on Monday Da-ku Moon Da-nu Moon Di-ki   Doden (Thoden)   Do-ka   Do-lma   Do-ma   Do-mai/Do-me/Do-mi   Do-rje Lightening Bolt, Diamond Do-rje = "Do" = Stone -- "rJe"= Prince - - Prince of Stones = Diamond  (as in Diamond Path, or Vajrayana Enlightenment) Drol-ma   Dzi-mi   Dzol-pa   Gom-bu Meditation Gen-den   Gulu   Gya-tsho Ocean Gyel-tsen (Gyeljen, Geljen) Royal Courage, conqueror Gyel-tsen = King (gyel) Courage (tsen) Gyel-bu Royal Gyel=King Gyel-e / Gyel-je Royal Gyel=King Gyel-mu / Gye-lu Royal Gyel=King Gyer-me (Gyermey, Gyermay, Gyurme, Gyurmi, Germi, Gurmi) Steady, Unchanging, Regular Practice, Venerable Gyer-med = Gyer (change) + med (Not)  "med" is pronounced "may"  Je-tsun High Born (Woman) Jangbu byang-ba =  wise, learned, skillful, clever "byang" is pronounced "jang" (byang-chub = jang-chu = purified, one who has reached spiritual perfection (a name of Buddha), Bodhisattva) Jangmu  feminine form of Jangbu         Jig-me   Ka-ji   Ka-lden   Ka-mi/ Ka-min   Kap-kye   Ka-rma Work, Effort, Discipline Ka-rsang   Kel-sang   Ke-tsun   Kham-dang   Ki-bi   Ki-lu   Kin-tsum   Ki-tar   Kiu   Ku-nga   Ku-sho   Kyen-tse   Lhak-pa Wednesday, planet Mercury Lha-mi (Lha-mo, Lha-mu, Lhe-mi) Goddess - Lha-mo = Goddess (lha=god) (mo = female) -- a Fierce Buddha-Protectress Lob-sang / Lop-sang Disciple Ma-ya   Ming-ma (Ming-mar, Mig-mar, Mik-mar) Tuesday, planet Mars Nam-kha Spacious Sky, essential space, energy of Space Nang / Nanga   Nga-wang   Ngung-du   Nor-bu/Nur-bu precious Jewel, wealth Nu-ku / Nu-lu   Nur- Nu-ri (Nu-ru) Jewel Nyi-ma Sunday , planet Sun Omu   Ondi / Wang-di   Ong-cho /Wang-chhu   Pa-lden/ Pa-ldzen   Pal-mu/Pal-mo   Pa-sang Friday, planet Venus Pe-lu   Pe-ma   Pem-ba Saturday, planet Saturn Pendo   Penuri   Phu- / Phur-ba Thursday, planet Jupiter - Phu-dorje "Phu-dorje," = knowledge (a power of Jupiter, the day ruler) plus clarity (a quality of Diamond) Phuti   Rin-che (Rin-ji, Rinchen) Precious Great Ringbo   Ri-ta Sa-mden   Sang-mu   Sang-gye (Gautama) Buddha Sani   Sarkye   She-rap / She-rab Wisdom So-nam Merit Sungdare   Sun-jo   Tak   Tar-chin Giver Tar-ki   Ta-shi Good Luck Tem-ba sTen = good Ten-du (Te-nu) sTen = good Ten-dzen sTen = good Happiness Ten-zing/Ten-zin sTen = good  - rTen = holder, supporter Thun-du / Thun-dup   Thup-ten thugs-rTen = "the holder of the heart or mind" as manifest in a holy person. Tikbi   Top-ke   Tsang-dzum   Tshe-ri / Tshe-ring (nepali spelling = Chhiring) Long Life - Tshe-ring = Long (ring) Life (tshe) Tshe-ten Good Life Tshe-tsu   Tshe-wang Powerful life Tsi-mbuti   Tsul-trim   Tu-chi   Tu-li   Tu-tu   U-rken   Wang-chu/Wongchhu   Wang-chuk = Power (wang) holder (chuk) = Mighty One (Buddhist Lord of the World) Yak-ba   Yang-chen/Yangji Great Light - Yang-chen/Yangji = Light (yang) Great (chen) [Enlightenment] Yang-dzim   Yang-dzum   Zang-bu (Dzangbu, Jangbu) byang-ba = jang-ba = wise, learned, skillful, clever (byang-chub = jang-chu = purified, one who has reached spiritual perfection (a name of Buddha), Bodhisattva) Zang-mo (Dzangmo, Jangmu) feminine form of Jangbu Zopa bZod-pa - patience     Combining VIRTUE NAMES Phu-dorje = knowledge (a power of Jupiter, the day ruler) plus clarity (a quality of Diamond) makes a Great Teacher Pasang Lhamo = beauty (a power of Venus) plus fierce protection of the Dharma (a quality of the Goddess Lhamo) makes a Great Protectress Lhakpa Gyaltsen = fluent speech (a power of Mercury) plus Courage (a quality of Kings) makes a Great Leader Sang-gye Dorje = truth (a quality of Buddha) plus lightening wisdom (the thunderbolt) makes a Great WiseMan   NAME CHANGING after Birth A Sherpa's name may be changed at any time during his or her life through name-changing ceremonies. Sherpa parents normally request a Lama to name a new baby in a blessing ceremony within a year of birth. However, parents often give the child a family-chosen name in addition to the Lama-chosen name, so that a child may have three, four, or more different names. Sometimes a Sherpa child will be called one name by his mother's relatives and a completely different name by his father's relatives. Also, if the child falls deeply ill or seems to have recurring problems, its name will be changed (by Lamas) in order to improve its future. Adults often request a new name from a respected Lama in order to change their life, if they have had a series of accidents or bad luck. Monks and nuns receive new names with their vows. A woman typically assumes her husband's family surname after marriage. There are eighteen Sherpa clan surnames.