THE SINHALA NAMES


The early Sinhalese names were like "Silindu" "Babun" "Menika" etc.Then surnames were added by foreign invaders.They were like "Kumbukgahage", Mudiyanselage" etc.Then people started using first names names of Portuguese Dutch and English origin like Selesthina,David ,John .There were similar surnames like Silva,Perera,Dias etc.Subsequently "national minded" people created first names like Gunapala Sugathadasa,These names were meaning ful.Sugathadasa means a devotee of Buddha.There were similar surnames but they had megalomaniac touches.Jayasuriya,is a victorious sun and Amarasuriya is a Immortal sun .Senanayaka is an army general!
The came names like Sarath ,Nimal ,Sunil etc.Thes e names too are meaningful. Nimal means pure.Than came the meaningless lot Surah ,Akash,Kushla ,Sudesh ,Kushla etc.
Islam names were Mohamad,Aziz etc throughout.There first name are like Umar,Tarique,Pathuma,Faridaa etc.Tamil surnames remain as Subramanium,Chinniahas,Arumugams etc.Their Female first names are Lalitha,Vasanthamala etc.Tamill males have two similar names like Velupliiai Prabhkaran or Ponnambalam Ramanadan.I am not aware of the significance of this.The Burgers have first names like Tom Dick Harry and Mary and surnames like Buuljens ,Koelmeyer,Holdeboettle Wise and Ludovyke.
My observation is that Sinhalese are still trying to to find an identity.They are not stable and have not settled down as far as names are concerned.They have been highly influenced by the invaders like Portuguese and Dutch