Manusmriti not only laid down the rules prohibiting untouchables from getting the education, punishing untouchables and women for not following the rules of Manusmriti, it also defined how community divided into the castes should name their children.

I have many times wondered why names of Dalits (especially Dalits of my parents’ generation) are bad and sometimes derogatory such as Manga (Begging/Beggar), Jalah (one who doesn’t know anything, kind of retarded), Kachra (Rubbish) (remember famous movie Lagan’s Dalit character’s name?) etc. I am sure older generation can surely bring worse names than what I have mentioned here and were assigned to Dalits.

I also remember my father telling me that Dalits were not allowed to name their kids’ good names as were so-called upper castes. Still, you can hear backlash news if some Dalit names his/her kid “differently” than what society accepts. Many a time, Dalits are even killed for having the same name as of some so-called upper caste person.

“The second part of a Brahman’s name shall be a word implying happiness, of a Kshatriya’s a word implying protection; of a Vaishya’s a term expressive of prosperity and of a Shudra’s an expression denoting service. Accordingly the Brahmans have Sharma (happiness) or Deva (god), the Kshtrayas have Raja (authority) or Verma (armour), the Vaish ayas have Gupta (gifts) or Datta (giver) and the Shudras have Das (service) for the second part of their names. As to the first part of their names … in the case of a Shudra, Manu says the first part of his name should denote something contemptible.”  – Dr. Ambedkar, Philosophy of Hinduism, pp. 32–3

A low-caste Dalit boy has been killed in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh for sharing a name with a man of a higher caste

I knew there must be something in the Brahminical scriptures that prohibits Dalits from having good names. Today, I stumbled upon the following verses from the Manusmriti, law book of Hindus that guidelines how society should have names/surnames and no wonder Brahminical society followed –

Let (the first part of) a brahmin’s (denote) something auspicious, a kshatriya’s name be connected with power and a vaishya’s with wealth, but a Shudra’s (express something) contemptible. – Manusmriti II – 31

(The second part of) a brahmin’s (name) shall be (a word) implying happiness, of a kshatriya’s (word) implying protection, of a Vaishya’s (a term) expressive of thriving, and of a shudra’s (an expression) denoting service. – Manusmriti II-32

Hinduism teaches that Sudras are trash and should be named accordingly. Here is another verse from Vishnusmriti

“The Namadheya (naming-rite) must be performed as soon as the term of impurity (caused by the birth of the child) is over. (The name to be chosen should be) auspicious in the case of a Brahmana; Indicating power in the case of a Ksatriya; Indicating wealth in the case of a Vaisya; Indicating contempt in the case of a Sudra.” – Vishnusmrti 27:5-9

Check the names of people around you and compare and see the difference. If you find the differences, let us know in the comments section.

Read also – 

Some Excerpts from Manusmriti – Law Book of Hindus

Casteist Verses from Manusmriti – Law Book of Hindus

Caste in Bhagavad Gita

Caste in Parashara Smriti