Thai nickname finder: what does my nickname mean?

Aom (Om, Orm)

ออม orm

To save, to be thrifty.

Art

อาร์ต aat

Art, often chosen just for its sound.

Ball

บอล born

Ball. Top of a 2007 survey of English nicknames, possibly thanks to tennis star Paradorn Srichaphan.

Bank

แบงค์ baeng

Bank, as in money in the bank: a wish for a comfortable life. A 2007 survey found it among the top English nicknames.

Bee

บี bii

The letter B, or a bee.

Beer

เบียร์ bia

Yes, like the drink. Parents often pick an English word for its short, bright sound.

Benz

เบนซ์ ben

After Mercedes-Benz, a wish for success. In 2024 Mercedes-Benz Thailand made a whole campaign about Thais named Benz.

Boom

บูม buum

Boom: a big, happy sound.

Boss

บอส bort

Boss: the one in charge, at least at home.

Bua

บัว bua

Lotus.

Cake

เค้ก khek

Cake: sweet, and good enough to eat.

Cartoon

การ์ตูน gaa-tuun

Cartoon: fun and bright.

Chai (Chaai)

ชาย chaai

Boy.

Champ

แชมป์ chaem

Champion: a wish to win.

Chang (Chaang)

ช้าง chaang

Elephant, often for a strong, healthy boy.

Chompoo (Chomphu, Chompu)

ชมพู่ chom-phuu

Rose apple, a crisp, pink fruit.

Cream

ครีม khriim

Cream: soft and sweet.

Daeng (Dang)

แดง daeng

Red, traditionally for a rosy-cheeked baby.

Dam

ดำ dam

Black, dark: an older, classic nickname.

Dao (Dow)

ดาว daao

Star.

Ek (Aek, Eak)

เอก ek

First, number one: often the eldest son.

Fah (Fa, Faa)

ฟ้า faa

Sky. Sometimes short for นางฟ้า, angel.

Fai (Fy, Faai)

ฝ้าย faai

Cotton.

First

เฟิร์ส fert

First: often the first child.

Fon

ฝน fon

Rain.

Gai (Kai)

ไก่ gai

Chicken.

Gift

กิ๊ฟ gip

Gift: a present, like a new baby.

Golf

กอล์ฟ gorp

The sport. Sports words are a whole family of Thai nicknames, with Ball.

Ice

ไอซ์ ai

Ice: cool and clear. A popular English nickname.

Jiw (Jiu, Jew)

จิ๋ว jiu

Tiny.

Kaem (Gaem, Gam)

แก้ม gaem

Cheek: for a baby with round cheeks.

Kaew (Kaeo, Gaew)

แก้ว gaew

Crystal, something precious.

Keng (Geng)

เก่ง geng

Clever, good at things.

Khanom (Kanom)

ขนม kha-nom

Sweets, a little treat.

Khao (Kao)

ขาว khaao

White, fair.

Khing (Ging)

ขิง khing

Ginger.

Kluay (Gluay, Kluai)

กล้วย gluai

Banana.

Kob (Gop, Gob, Kop)

กบ gop

Frog. Another old name meant to keep spirits away.

Kung (Goong, Gung)

กุ้ง gung

Shrimp.

Kwan (Khwan)

ขวัญ khwan

The soul, the precious one, as in ขวัญใจ, darling.

Kwang (Gwang, Gwaang)

กวาง gwaang

Deer.

Lek

เล็ก lek

Small, little one. One of the most common nicknames in Thailand.

Ma (Mah)

หมา maa

Dog. One of the old names that hid a precious baby from spirits.

Maew (Maeo, Meaw)

แมว maew

Cat.

Mali

มะลิ ma-li

Jasmine, the flower of Thai Mother’s Day.

Manao

มะนาว ma-naao

Lime.

May

เมย์ meh

The month of May, and a sweet, short sound.

Mek (Mekh)

เมฆ mek

Cloud.

Mint

มิ้นท์ min

Mint: fresh and sweet, in the “cute and tasty” family with Cream, Cake and Peach.

Mod (Mot)

มด mot

Ant: small and hard-working.

Moo (Mu, Muu)

หมู muu

Pig. An old trick: a plain name was thought to make a baby less tempting to spirits.

Mook (Muk)

มุก muk

Pearl.

Muay (Muai)

หมวย muai

Girl, from Teochew Chinese, the sister of ตี๋.

Music

มิวสิค miu-sik

Music.

Nam (Nahm, Num, Naam)

น้ำ naam

Water.

Namfon (Nam Fon)

น้ำฝน naam fon

Rainwater.

Nan

แนน naen

Not a Thai word: chosen for its soft sound.

New

นิว niu

New: a fresh start.

Nine

ไนน์ nai

Nine, a lucky number in Thailand: เก้า, nine, sounds like ก้าว, “to step forward”.

Noi (Noy)

น้อย noi

Little. Given to a baby, so a Noi can grow up tall.

Nok

นก nok

Bird. One of the most common nicknames of all.

Noo (Nu, Nuu)

หนู nuu

Little mouse: the classic word for a little one.

Nueng (Neung, Nung)

หนึ่ง nueng

One: often the first child.

Off

ออฟ orp

Off, chosen for its short sound rather than its meaning.

Oil

ออยล์ oi

Oil. Close behind Ball, with Bank, in a 2007 survey of English nicknames.

Oon (Un, Aun)

อุ่น un

Warm.

Ouan (Uan, Auan, Oun)

อ้วน uan

Chubby, said fondly about a round baby.

Oy (Oi, Aoy)

อ้อย oi

Sugarcane: sweet.

Pang (Paeng)

แป้ง paeng

Powder, or flour.

Peach

พีช phiit

Peach: soft and rosy.

Ped (Pet)

เป็ด pet

Duck.

Pen (Phen)

เพ็ญ phen

Full moon.

Pepsi

เป๊ปซี่ pep-sii

The fizzy drink, picked for its bright sound. Fun fact: in 1898 the drink was named after dyspepsia, an upset stomach.

Petch (Phet, Pech)

เพชร phet

Diamond.

Phum (Poom, Pum, Phoom)

ภูมิ phuum

Dignity, as in ภูมิใจ, proud.

Pim (Phim)

พิมพ์ phim

A mould or print, as in “a perfect copy”.

Pin

ปิ่น pin

A hairpin. It can also mean the very best.

Pla (Plaa)

ปลา plaa

Fish.

Ploy (Ploi)

พลอย phloi

Gem, a precious stone.

Poo (Pu, Puu)

ปู puu

Crab.

Pop

ป๊อป porp

Pop, as in pop music, or a happy little sound.

Porn (Pon, Phorn)

พร phorn

Blessing. Also short for names ending in -porn.

Prae (Phrae)

แพร phrae

Silk.

Prem

เปรม prem

Joyful, content.

Prik (Phrik)

พริก phrik

Chilli: small but fiery.

Pueng (Phueng, Peung, Phung)

ผึ้ง phueng

Bee: sweet and busy.

Sai (Saai)

ทราย saai

Sand.

Seven

เซเว่น se-wen

After 7-Eleven, the shop on every Thai corner.

Som

ส้ม som

Orange (the fruit).

Stamp

แสตมป์ sa-taem

Stamp, as on a letter.

Tai (Taai)

ต่าย taai

Bunny, short for กระต่าย, rabbit.

Tan (Taan, Tarn)

ตาล taan

Sugar palm, the source of palm sugar.

Tangmo (Taengmo)

แตงโม taeng-moh

Watermelon.

Tao

เต่า tao

Turtle.

Tee (Ti)

ตี๋ tii

Boy, from Teochew Chinese: a classic in Thai-Chinese families.

Thong (Tong)

ทอง thorng

Gold.

Toey (Toei)

เตย toei

Pandan, the fragrant leaf in Thai sweets.

Ton (Tonn)

ต้น ton

Tree, and also “the beginning”.

Yai

ใหญ่ yai

Big, often the eldest. Not ยาย (Yai, grandma), which has a long aai.

Ying

หญิง ying

Girl.

Yod (Yot)

ยอด yort

The top, the best.