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Looking for Indonesian baby names? This vast island nation has plenty of beautiful options to choose from. Find inspiration here.
Indonesian names are as varied and fascinating as the amazing 17,508 islands that make up the country. 🏝️
Indonesia is a rich tapestry of cultures, faiths, and peoples—and that diversity is reflected in the nation’s names and naming conventions.
Whether you have family roots in the country or just love traveling there, you’re sure to find some unique options to inspire you.
Ready to dive in? Let’s explore how Indonesian parents name their little ones and check out some of our favorite options for Indonesian baby names.
In this article: 📝
- Why do Indonesians have no last name?
- How are people named in Indonesia?
- What are common Indonesian names?
- Indonesian names based on birth order
- Indonesian names inspired by the birth month
- Beautiful Indonesian names for boys and girls
Why do Indonesians have no last name?
Surnames or family names aren’t part of Indonesia’s culture (except for within a few specific ethnic groups).
Instead, parents give their child a personal name of their choice.
This name can be made up of three—or even more—separate parts, but it still counts as a single given name.
Sometimes, parents will choose to make the father’s name part of the baby’s given name, but that’s a personal decision.
But while an Indonesian name may not tell you much about a person’s family connections, it might give you a clue about where they live.
That’s because Indonesian names are often specific to particular islands or cultures.
For example, a name beginning with “Su” and ending with “o” is likely to belong to a Javanese person.
How are people named in Indonesia?
Parents in Indonesia have a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing their child’s name.
Most people want to create something really individual, so they tend to avoid naming a baby after relatives or friends.
Some parents make up unique names by adding new endings to existing names.
Or they’ll pick a name that combines elements from different languages or cultures.
So they might pair a traditional Indonesian name with one of Arabic or Sanskrit origin, for example.
And, as we’ll see below, Indonesian names can also be inspired by a baby’s place in the family or even the month of their birth.
What are common Indonesian names?
A popular choice in Indonesia is to name children based on the order in which they’re born into the family.
So, if you’re the first child, part of your name would mean “first,” if you’re the second child, “second,” and so on.
Here are some common Indonesian names that follow this pattern:
Indonesian names based on birth order
- Eka or Eko, meaning “one” or “first.”
- Dwi, meaning “two” or “second.”
- Tri, meaning “three” or “third.”
- Kwarta, meaning “four” or “fourth.”
- Panca, meaning “five” or “fifth.”
And on the island of Bali, they have their own unique names related to birth order:
- Putu or Wayan or Gede, meaning “first child”.
- Made or Kadek or Nengah, meaning “middle child” or “second child.”
- Nyoman or Komang, meaning “third child.”
- Ketut, meaning “fourth child” or (how cute is this?) “little banana.” 🍌 The bonus banana in the bunch?
Indonesian names inspired by the birth month
A name related to a season or month of the year can be a lovely way to commemorate the date of your baby’s arrival in the world. 📅
These popular Indonesian names are all inspired by the months of the year, from January to December:
- Janu or Januar or Yanuar, for a boy.
- Febrianto, for a boy, Febriana, for a girl, or Febri, as a gender-neutral option.
- Mareta, for a girl.
- Aprilio, for a boy, or Aprilia, for a girl.
- Meila or Meida, for a girl.
- Yuni or Yuniati, for a girl.
- Yulio, for a boy, or Yulia, for a girl.
- Agus, for a boy, or Agustina, for a girl.
- Septa, for a boy, or Septi, for a girl.
- Oktaviana, for a girl, or Okta, as a gender-neutral option.
- Nova or Novi, for a girl.
- Deswanto, for a boy, or Desi, for a girl.
Beautiful Indonesian names for boys and girls
Indonesian names have many different roots, reflecting the country’s diversity of languages and cultures.
As Islam is the largest faith group in Indonesia, Arabic names are favorites with parents.
And with Java being the most densely populated island, names with Javanese roots are also popular.
Here are our favorite Indonesian names to inspire you:
Indonesian girl names
- Anisa. An Arabic name with a lovely meaning: “pleasant companion” or “faithful friend.”
- Aulia. This strong Indonesian name means “leader.”
- Budiwati. Also of Indonesian origin, it means “the wise one.” 🦉
- Bulan. “The moon.” 🌙
- Dewi. This name has Javanese and Sanskrit roots and means “goddess” or “angel.” 😇
- Fitri. From the Arabic, meaning “purity.”
- Indah. This Indonesian name means simply “beautiful.”
- Intan. A name with sparkle. It means “diamond.” 💎
- Kartika. This radiant Javanese name means “shining star.” 🌟
- Kirana. An Indonesian name meaning “beautiful sunbeam.” ☀️
- Lestari. Of Javanese origin, it means “eternal, everlasting.”
- Marshanda. This inspiring Indonesian name means “brave girl.”
- Melati. Of Sanskrit origin, this one has the fragrant meaning, “jasmine flower.” 💮
- Merpati. This sweet Indonesian name means “dove.” 🕊️
- Nur. An Arabic name meaning “light.”
Indonesian boy names
- Aditya. This shining Sanskrit name means “the sun.” ☀️
- Banyu. An Indonesian name with a refreshing meaning: “water.” 🌊
- Basuki. This name will give your little boy a good start in life: it means “to flourish.”
- Bayu. Of Sanskrit origins, Bayu means “wind.”
- Bintang. A celestial Indonesian name, Bintang means “star.” 🌟
- Budi. This one means “good manner” or “wisdom.” 🦉
- Cahyono. A Javanese name meaning “bright.”
- Elang. This Indonesian name has natural grace: it means “falcon.” 🦅
- Fadhlan. “Gift from God.”
- Fajar. An Arabic name, Fajar means “dawn, morning.” 🌅
- Panuta. “Leads by example”
- Reza. From its Indonesian roots, this name means “love of justice,” but its Arabic meaning is “contentment.” 🤗
- Rimba. Why not try this name to inspire your little boy with love for the wild? It means “jungle.”
- Rizky. Of Arabic origin, this name means “blessings.”
Looking for more baby names inspired by places?
Fly south to check out our ultimate list of Australian names. 🦘
Happy choosing! We hope you find the perfect fit.
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