Editing Patronymic (section)

===South Asia===
====India====
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2017}}
A patronymic is common in parts of [[India]]. For example, if a father is named Ramprasad Sachin Pandey (a masculine name), he might name his son Sunil Ramprasad Pandey, who in turn might name his son Sanjeev Sunil Pandey. As a result, unlike surnames, patronymics will not pass down through many generations.

In [[Tamil Nadu]] and some parts of [[Kerala]] and [[South Karnataka]], patronymy is predominant. This is a significant departure from the rest of the country where caste names are mostly employed as surnames. This came into common use during the 1950s and 1960s when the Dravidian movement campaigned against the use of one's caste as part of the name.

However, rather than using the father's full name, only the first letter, popularly known as the initial, is prefixed to the given name. For example, if a person's given name is ''Nikhilesh'' and his father's ''Rajaraman'', then the full name is ''R. Nikhilesh'' and is seldom expanded, even in official records. Only if absolutely necessary, such as when applying for an Indian passport, which does not usually allow initials, is the initial expanded and the name rendered in reverse order as "Nikhilesh Rajaraman" or sometime in the original order as "Rajaraman Nikhilesh". Some families follow the tradition of retaining the name of the hometown, the grandfather's name, or both as initials. The celebrated Indian English novelist [[R. K. Narayan]]'s name at birth was Rasipuram Krishnaswami Ayyar Narayanaswami, which was shortened at the behest of his writer friend [[Graham Greene]]. Rasipuram is a [[toponym]], and Krishnaswami Ayyar is a patronym.

In Tamil Nadu, the patronymic naming convention diverges significantly from other regions of India, influenced by a social justice movement aimed at eliminating [[Caste|caste-based discrimination]]. Traditionally, many Indian states used patronyms or surnames to reflect familial heritage and caste, but Tamil Nadu's system intentionally disrupts this structure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-01 |title=Discover The Origins And Meanings Of Tamil Last Names |url=https://namesflare.com/discover-the-origins-and-meanings-of-tamil-last-names/ |access-date=2024-09-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In this system, individuals often use their father's given name as an initial or surname. For example, "R. Karthik" signifies Karthik, son of Rajesh, with "R" representing his father's name. Unlike other Indian states, where the patronym serves as a marker of lineage or [[social status]], Tamil Nadu's system allows for the patronym to change with each generation, ensuring that no permanent surname is passed down. This shift reflects the state's broader efforts to dismantle [[Periyar and the eradication of caste|caste markers]] in society, a key initiative of the [[Dravidian movement]] led by figures like [[Periyar|Periyar E.V. Ramasamy]] in the 20th century.

However, the use of initials and surnames in Tamil Nadu remains flexible, leaving it to the individual's discretion. For instance, the late Chief Minister [[M. Karunanidhi]] preferred to be addressed as M. Karunanidhi, where "M" stood for his father, Muthuvel's, name. His son, [[M. K. Stalin]], incorporates both his father's and grandfather's names, while Stalin's son chooses to go by [[Udhayanidhi Stalin]], using his father's name as his surname rather than as an initial.

This flexibility extends beyond political figures. In sports, cricketer [[Ravichandran Ashwin]], whose father's name is Ravichandran, prefers to be known as "R. Ashwin" or "[[Ravichandran Ashwin]]." This choice is particularly relevant in sports commentary, where players are often referred to by their surnames. Since it would be incorrect to call him by his father's name alone, Ashwin uses his given name in conjunction with his father's name.

There is also a growing trend in Tamil Nadu to expand initials in ways that align with how names sound in the Tamil language. For example, some choose to expand names phonetically, such as "[[Pala. Karuppiah]]" instead of "P. Karuppiah," or "[[Pa. Ranjith]]" rather than "P. Ranjith," to reflect a closer approximation of the name in Tamil.

In the academic and professional world, scientists like [[Mylswamy Annadurai|M. Annadurai]] expand their names to "Mayilsami Annadurai," though it would be inappropriate to address him by his father's name, Mayilsami. Instead, he is referred to by his given name, Annadurai, underscoring the unique flexibility and personalization that Tamil Nadu's naming conventions allow.

This evolution in Tamil naming practices highlights both the influence of social justice reforms and the cultural adaptability within the state. While Tamil Nadu has largely moved away from caste-based surnames, the naming system retains a focus on individual identity, free from rigid lineage-based structures, distinguishing it from other Indian states.

While the usage of caste names as surnames/last names is discouraged (but not banned) in Tamil Nadu, such usage by out-of-state people is greeted with indifference. So, Lakshmi Menon, Shilpa Shetty, etc. are referred by their preferred names which include their caste names. Likewise, old Tamil names with the caste in them are also fully used while referring to them such as [[Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar|Pasumpoan Muthuramalinga Thevar]], [[U. V. Swaminatha Iyer|U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer]], [[V. O. Chidambaram Pillai|V.O Chidambaram Pillai]] etc.

To further reinforce Tamil Nadu's efforts in promoting social equality through its naming conventions, the Madras High Court recently directed the removal of community and caste names from government school names across the state. This move aligns with the state's long-standing policies to reduce caste-based distinctions in public life, including naming practices. The court's decision reflects the state's dedication to social justice by eliminating caste markers, particularly in institutions that shape young minds. This legal step ensures that the caste system is not perpetuated through the education system, aligning with the larger movement that has shaped Tamil Nadu's approach to names and identity over the past century.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-07-27 |title=Madras High Court directs removal of community, caste names from government schools in Tamil Nadu |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/madras-high-court-directs-removal-of-community-caste-names-from-government-schools-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/112066186.cms#:~:text=June%20Admit%20Card-,Madras%20High%20Court%20directs%20removal%20of%20community,%20caste%20names,government%20schools%20in%20Tamil%20Nadu&text=The%20Madras%20High%20Court%20instructed,school%20names%20across%20the%20state. |access-date=2024-09-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

This final ruling serves as an important reminder of the state's commitment to dismantling caste-based identity and promoting a more egalitarian social structure, further cementing Tamil Nadu's unique position in its approach to names, identity, and social justice.

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the naming pattern is a family name, given name and caste name in that order, but sometimes the caste name is omitted. If a name appears like Alugupally Sudhir Reddy, Alugupally is the family name, Sudhir is the given name and Reddy is the caste name. If you find a name like Gorle Sunil Kumar, Gorle is the family name, and Sunil Kumar the given name. Here, the caste name is omitted. Of late, some people are writing their names in the order of given name, caste name, and family name. Sometimes, the caste name is omitted here too. It can be seen in names like Satyanarayana Bandi, where Satyanarayana is the given name, and Bandi the family name.

In [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]],[[Sindhi Hindus|Sindh]] and [[Gujarat]], a very common convention among the Hindu communities is to have the patronymic as the middle name. Examples:

* First Deputy Prime Minister and first Home Minister [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel]]'s full name is Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, where Jhaverbhai is his father's given name.
* Cricketer [[Sachin Tendulkar]]'s full name is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, where Ramesh is his father's given name.
* Cricketer [[Sunil Gavaskar]]'s full name is Sunil Manohar Gavaskar, where Manohar is his father's given name. Sunil Gavaskar's son [[Rohan Gavaskar]] would be Rohan Sunil Gavaskar, and so on.
* India's 15th Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] famously took the oath of office as the Prime Minister of India as Narendra Damodardas Modi, wherein Damodardas is his father's given name. He prefers to write his full name, including his father's name as his middle name.

This system works for both boys and girls, except that after marriage, a woman takes her husband's given name as her middle name – her new middle name is no longer a patronymic. [[Russian name|East Slavic naming customs]] are similar, except that the suffix ''-yevich'', ''-yevna'', or something similar is used in a Russian language patronymic.

Indians of the [[Muslim]] [[Isma'ili]] [[Fiqh|sect]] also have patronymic middle names that use the father's first name and the grandfather's first name plus a family name. Someone called "Ramazan Rahim Ali Manji" might call his son "Karim Ramazan Rahim Manji" and his granddaughter might be called "Zahra Karim Ramazan Manji".

=====Indian diaspora=====
Indians in Singapore and Malaysia, particularly those of Tamil descent, often continue the patronymic tradition. This entails having a single given name, followed by son/daughter of, followed by their father's name.

====Pashtuns====
{{Main|Zai (suffix)}}

Pashtuns have a -zai or -zay suffix meaning "son of", with tribe names being formed over it.