Sikh Names: Singh, Kaur and Choosing a Name

Almost every Sikh man carries the name Singh, and almost every Sikh woman the name Kaur. Singh is commonly explained as 'lion'; Kaur is often explained as 'princess', though its origin is discussed in different ways. According to Sikh tradition, these names are linked with the creation of the Khalsa in 1699, when Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave the initiated the shared name Singh. Historians note that the universal use of Kaur for Sikh women became firmly established over time. Whatever the details, the meaning is clear: every Sikh shares one family name given by the Guru, a sign of dignity, courage and belonging.

The Sikh Rehat Maryada describes a simple naming practice, often called Naam Karan. When the mother and baby are able, the family goes to the Gurdwara, or invites the sangat home, with Karah Prashad. Suitable shabads are sung, Ardas is said and a Hukamnama is taken from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The first letter of the Hukamnama's opening word is then used to choose the child's name, which is announced to the sangat. Singh is added for a boy and Kaur for a girl. The name is thus received as a gift from the Guru, and the family takes the Hukamnama itself as a first teaching for the child.

Many Sikh first names are used for both boys and girls — names built from words such as Har, Gur, Jas, Man or Prit, combined with endings such as -preet, -deep or -jeet. In such cases, Singh or Kaur is what shows whether the person is male or female. This reflects something in Sikh thought: the qualities these names point to — love, light, victory over the self, the Guru's grace — belong equally to everyone. Because the same name can serve a son or a daughter, families sometimes choose a name even before the birth, then confirm its first letter with the Hukamnama.

Many Sikhs also carry a family or clan surname, and in many parts of the world a surname is needed for official records. Some of these surnames are linked to caste or got. Sikh teaching rejects caste distinctions entirely: the Gurus taught that all people come from one divine light, and the shared names Singh and Kaur were meant to set aside such labels. For this reason many Sikhs choose to use only Singh or Kaur, or a village name, or add Khalsa. Others keep a family surname for practical reasons. Families differ, but most Sikhs agree that a surname should never be used to rank one person above another.

Parents today sometimes wonder how a Sikh name fits with passports, schools and forms. Some register Singh or Kaur as the surname; others use a family surname and keep Singh or Kaur as a middle name. There is no single right answer, and families choose what works in their country. Nicknames are common too. What matters most is that the child understands the meaning of their name and of Singh or Kaur, and grows up proud of both. Telling a child the story of their naming day, and the Hukamnama from which their name was chosen, can become a treasured family memory.