Names and Titles among the Moors

When giving names to their children, the Moors like most Muslims elsewhere are governed by Islamic norms related to name-giving. Some names are strongly recommended in Islam while others are absolutely prohibited. Names suggestive of beauty are strongly recommended. The names of the Prophet’s grandsons Hasan and Husayn suggest beauty and the Prophet is said to have changed the name of a woman named Āsiya ‘Disobedient’ and told her that she was Jamīla ‘beautiful’ (Muslim).

It is also prescribed in Islam that children be given surnames or the names of their fathers following theirs. The Qur’ān states in Sūrah Al-Ahzāb (V.5) that children should be called by (the names of) their fathers and that is more just in the sight of God. Further, the Prophet is reported to have said: “On the Day of Resurrection you will be called by your names and by your fathers names, so give youselves good names” (Abu Dāwūd). The Qur’ān in Sūrah Al-Hujurāt (V.11) also cautions the believers not to defame or insult one another by nicknames, but this evidently refers to nicknames of a derogatory nature, for sobriquets are known to have been approved and given by the Prophet himself. For instance, take the name of a prominent companion of the Prophet and a prolific narrator of ahadith, Abu Hurayrah whose name literally means ‘Father of the kitten’ so called because of a kitten he was extremely fond of. Similarly, Khālid bin Wālid was called Sayfullāh ‘Sword of God’ for his military prowess and the name of Dhāt-un-Nitāqain ‘She of the two girdles’ was given to Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr on account of an incident connected with the flight to Medina when she cut a piece from her waistbelt with which she tied the mouth of a bag of provisions meant for the Prophet and her father (Bukhāri).

Names suggestive of the Divinity or His Attributes are strictly prohibited and it is clear that God’s names in the definite form cannot be given to His creation unless preceded by the prefix abd meaning ‘slave (or servant)’ such as is commonly done in the Muslim world, as for instance, Abdullāh ‘Slave of God’ and Abdur-Rahmān ‘Slave of the Merciful’. In a hadith recorded by Abu Dāwūd, we find the Prophet telling a man who had the name Abu Al-Hakam (The father of justice or the Judge) to change his name to Abu Shurayh after his eldest son since Allah is the Judge and His the Judgement.

Names and Patronymics

The names of Moors today are varied and reflect a number of influences, largely Arabian and Persian. Although proper names are usually of Arabic or Persian origin, certain name suffixes especially titular ones may be of Tamil origin while some hereditary patronymics are of Sinhala origin. As with most Muslim peoples, the Sri Lankan Moors have preferred names of Arab origin and this has evidently been the case from very early times. The tradition of giving Arabic names may well have been inherited from the Arab forbears of the Moors, though its continuity could have also been influenced by the sanctity with which Muslims in general hold Arabic as the language of the Qur’ān and the speech of the Prophet, as well as the beauty of this wonderfully rich language which has a profundity and mellifluousness perhaps unrivalled by any other language. Little wonder then that even non-Arab Muslim peoples such as those of the Balkans, Turkey, Southern Russia, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Malayan Peninsula are known to bear names of Arabic origin. In giving names to their children, the Moors follow a pattern similar to that described by A.T.Shamsedeen 1 over a century ago. Shamsedeen says that boys are generally named after the Prophet, or some of the members of his family, or his eminent companions, or some of the prophets and patriarchs of early times, or a name signifying ‘Servant of God’ (Abdullah), ‘Servant of the Compassionate’ (Abdul Rahiman), ‘Servant of the Powerful’ (Abdul Kader) & c. or they receive the name of some one of the family. Girls, he says, are mostly named after the wives or daughter of the Prophet, or after others of his family as Khadaja, Ayisha, Aminah, Fatima & c. Male names

The name of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (lit.highly praised) is by far the most popular name among the Moors as among most other Muslim peoples. More often than not it precedes the proper names of Moor males, usually in the form Mohamad. In the olden days, the name was pronounced variously as Mahamado, Mohamadu, Mohammadu etc., as seen in the Names of Ceylon Moors, Malays and other Muslims’ extracted from the Ceylon Directory and Handbook 1876 and published by the Moors Islamic Cultural Home in 1979 2. 1 Ceremonies relating to childbirth observed by the Moors of Ceylon. The Orientalist. Vol.III 1888

2 Such forms are evidently due to Tamil influence, having arisen from the Tamil propensity for glottal stops. This peculiarity is also evident in other names found in the same work such as Ahamado (for Ahmad) and Seyado (for Seyyid). One may still come across names like Ahmadu and Mohammadu among

It is also possible however that such forms like Mohamad are deliberately given instead of Muhammad to avoid infringing, so to say, on the sanctity of the Prophet’s name. This has also been the case among other Muslim peoples, among whom, the name of Muhammad when given to children is said to be often vocalized differently such as Mehmed in Turkey and Mūh in North Africa, in order, it is said, not to spoil the baraka or blessedness of the name of the Prophet 3.

Such a view however has no support in Islam for the Prophet himself is said to have expressly permitted using his name when naming children (Muslim) and the name in its pure form is often found among Arab peoples. “If you have a hundred sons, call them all Muhammad” is said to be a saying of the pious 4. Another name by which the Prophet is known in the Qur’ān Ahmad (Literally meaning ‘one who praises (God) more than others’) is also known as also Qāsim (Lit.Distributor) yet another name claimed by the Prophet on account of his distribution (of the spoils of war) and the dues of Zakāt among the believers and Amīn (Trustworthy) by which the Prophet was known in his youth.

Many Moor names we find are religious in character, be it the name of a prophet (Ismā‘īl or Ishmael, Yūsuf or Joseph and Yūnus or Jonah), or a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (Umar, the Prophet’s father-in-law and a well-known caliph, Khālid, a prominent companion known for his military exploits and Bilāl, a freed black slave who served as Islam’s first Muadhdhin) or his kith and kin (Hamza, the Prophet’s uncle, Ja‘far, the Prophet’s cousin and Hasan and Husayn, the Prophet’s grandsons).

One may also come across names like Muzammil ‘enwrapped’ the Prophet being referred to as such by the Qur’ānic sūrah of the same name, believed to be on account of his being wrapped up in a blanket in the night it was revealed and Fārūq ‘He who distinguishes (truth from falsehood)’, a name bestowed on the second caliph Umar. Hanīfa, a very common name among the Moors has little doubt originated from the name of that renowned Muslim Jurist Abu Hanīfah, while Shāfi no doubt has its origins in the name of another famous Jurist Ash-Shāfi. One also comes across names like Mansūr (the name of an eighth century Abbasid Caliph), Nassar (Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nassar), Arafat (Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat) and Iqbāl (Famous Urdu poet of Muslim India).

the Moors of the Eastern districts like Amparai.

3 See Enc.I.Vol.VII.1991

4 Hayawān, Jāhiz

Among the other names of Arabic origin in common use among the Moors may be included Aslam, Ashraf, Anwar, Irfān, Uwais, Imtiyāz, Fauz, Farīd, Hamīd, Hilmi, Husni, Jamīl, Jifri, Najīb, Salīm and Zuhayr. The meanings of these names are varied. For instance Aslam ‘safer’, Anwar ‘brighter’, Ashraf ‘nobler’, Insāf ‘justice’, Fauz ‘victory’, Farīd ‘jewel’, Fāhim ‘understanding’, Farhān ‘glad’, Faysal ‘judge’, Hakīm ‘wise’, Hasan ‘beautiful’, Husayn, a diminutive form of Hasan and meaning ‘little beauty’, Hisham ‘generosity’, Hilmi ‘calm’, Kamal ‘perfection’, Kāmil ‘perfect’, Karīm ‘generous’, Jamīl ‘handsome’, Latīf ‘kind’, Mubārak ‘blessed’, Najīb ‘noble’, Nawfal ‘bounty’, Junayd ‘small army’, Rashīd ‘well guided’, Salīm ‘safe’, Sābir ‘patient’, Suhayl ‘gentle’, Shamīl ‘virtue’, Wasīm ‘handsome’, Zuhayr ‘bright’and Zawāhir ‘ornament’. We also come across names of Arabic origin clothed in Hidustani garb such as Afzal and Zafar which have their origins in the Arabic afḍal ‘better’ ‘more excellent’ and ẓafar ‘victory’. Urdu turns the Arabic ḍ and ẓ to z so that the origins of such names are easily explicable. To this category also belong names like Rizwān (Ar.riḍwān ‘favour’) and Nizām (Ar.niẓām ‘order’). The same holds true of another fairly common name Zulfiqār which has its origins in the Arabic Dhūl’fiqār (Lit.The master of the vertebrae of the back’) the name of the celebrated sword of the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law Ali. The peculiar name Sikkandar still borne by some elderly folk is also of Hindustani origin, having arisen from the Urdu (and Persian) Sikkandar, which in turn is very likely a corruption of Al-Iskandar, the popular Arabic name for Alexander of Macedon.

The younger generation of Moors are also not unlikely to bear names of Persian origin such as those borne by their Indian co-religionists. These include Azād, Dilshād, Shahzād, Naushād, Firōz, Nawāz and Shirāz. The meanings of these names like the Arabic names are varied. For instance, Āzād ‘free’, Firōz ‘victorious’, Shahzād ‘prince’, Niyāz ‘respects’, ‘offerings’, Nawāz ‘cherishing’ and Shirāz ‘a celebrated Persian city’. One may also come across names ending with Khān (a Persian term of Turkish origin meaning ‘Lord’ or ‘Prince’ and much in use among the Muslims of India) such as Amīr Khān, Ashraf Khān and Zafarullāh Khān.It is nevertheless the Arabic element that still predominates by far.

We also come across names borne by olden day folk which appear to have been corrupted from the Arabic, largely, if not solely, due to the influence of Tamil. For instance, it is said that the Moors of the Eastern Province bore the name Asan instead of the proper Arabic Hasan, a fact also said to be reflected

in a well known kuḍi name Asanpullai believed to have originated from the name of a clan leader named Asan. Similarly, the rare name Sarīp is evidently a corruption of the Arabic Sharīf ‘noble’ while Usup and Isubu appear to be corruptions of the Arabic Yūsuf ‘Joseph’. Uduma still borne by some elderly folk in forms like Udumalebbe likewise appears to be a corruption of the Arabic Uthman, the name of the third caliph of Islam.

Mīrā, also borne by some men in forms like Mīrālebbe similarly appears to have its origins in the Arabic mīr ‘commander’ ‘governor’, a synonym of the more common amīr. Sēgu, another common name still borne by some elderly folk of the Eastern districts is very probably a corruption of the Arabic shaykh ‘old man’ ‘chief’ ‘scholar’ through an intermediate form such as * śēku. Similarly, the name Saybo is probably a corruption of sahibu as there are still those who bear the patronymic suffix Mīra Sahibu. The term appears to have derived from the Arabic sahib ‘friend’ ‘companion’ or Hindustani sahab meaning ‘master’ or ‘important person’ and used as a title of courtesy equivalent to Mr or Sir. To this day we not uncommonly come across names such as Aliyār, Asanār and Usanār in the Eastern districts such as Amparai where the Tamil honorific termination –ār has been suffixed to the Arabic Ali, Asan (Hasan) and Usan (Husayn).

One also finds considerable Tamil phonetic influence in names like Paridoe Lebbe, Sariboe Lebbe and Magedoe Lebbe Amadoe Lebbe occurring in the Dutch registers known as the Tombos 5 where Paridoe has arisen from Farīd, Sariebo from Sharīf and Amadoe from Ahmad. We also find Mugamadoe Kassim Agamado Lebbe and Awoewekkar Lebbe occurring in some early nineteenth century Moor names recorded by Sameer (1982). Mugammadoe is evidently Muhammad, Agamado Ahmad and Awoewekkar Abu Bakr 6. There can be little doubt that the influence of Tamil on Moorish names was far more pronounced formerly than it is today. For instance, names like Arisy Marikar, Sinne Lebbe Marikar and Kaderpulle Meydin Bawa occurring in the Ceylon Directory 1876 Ed. A.M & J.Ferguson and Mamuna Pulle Marikar, Uppapulle Packeer Thamby, Ismail Lebbe Wappichan, Sinne Bappoo Assen Meera Lebbe, Ajji Marikar Pitchey Thamby, Cuppathamby Pir Candu, Thamby Kandu Lebbe

5 SLNA 1/3807 & 1/3758, both of the 1766-1771 tombo series

6 Tamil proper does not know the aspirate h as found in Arabic and so we find it being replaced by the voiced velar aspirate g in the intervocalic position as borne out by Agamado and Mugamado. Nor does it know the initial b which it replaces with v as seen in Awoewekkar. Similarly, Tamil cannot admit an intervocalic velar k and hence we find it being turned to g as in shaykh>Sēgu. Tamil has no aspirate h and thus we find Hasan becoming Asan. It also has no labio-dental fricative f and hence we find names like Yūsuf and Sharīf becoming Usup and Sarīp.

Katu Bawa and Kappu Odear Lebbe Cassim Lebbe Marikar figuring as members of the congregation of the Maradana Mosque in the mid-19th century given in the MICHS (1970).

Shuayb (1993) believes that the Muslims of both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka who had earlier borne Arabic names took Tamil names like Mutu Tambi, Tambi Pillai and Sīni Kani in the case of males and Mutacci, Petacci and Sīniumma in the case of females to hide their Muslim identity as a result of Portuguese persecution. However why such names should continue well after Portuguese rule is not so easily explicable. It may perhaps be that it became established as a tradition among some folk so that it continued to be given from generation to generation. It is also possible however that such names simply arose as a result of the Moors’ Tamil-speaking environment or intermarriage with Tamil women who gave their offspring such names. It was a very common practice in the olden days to give names to which a name or attribute of the Almighty was prefixed with Abdul- meaning ‘Slave (or Servant) of’. Thus Abdul Azīz ‘Servant of the Mighty’, Abdul Kādar (Properly Abdul Qādir) ‘Servant of the Powerful’, Abdul Rahmān ‘Servant of the Most Beneficient’ and Abdul Latīf ‘Servant of the Kind’ 7 and indeed one still comes across elderly folk bearing such names. This practice of forming names compounded of the word Abd ‘slave (or servant)’ and any of the ninety-nine names of the Almighty is common in many parts of the Muslim world and is apparently an extension of the names Abdullāh (Servant of God) and Abd Ar-Rahmān (Servant of the Most Beneficient) recommended in tradition as the names most loved by God (Muslim). This practice is however not as common today as it was in the past and one hardly comes across children being given such names nowadays.

Another method of giving names not long ago was to have names ending in dīn ‘religion’ such as Alahuddīn, Jamaldīn, Mohidīn, Najmudīn and Shamsudīn. These compound names are actually regarded as a single name, for instance Najmudīn ‘Star of the Faith’ and Shamsudīn ‘Sun of the Faith’. Such names are hardly if ever given to children nowadays though they are still very commonly borne by Moor folk 8. Compound names like Shāhul Hamīd (The

7 See for instance Personages of the Past. Moors, Malays and other Muslims. Mohamed Sameer (1982)

8 Such names evidently arose as titles and the first recorded instance of this usage is evidently Nasir Al-Din bestowed on one Badr b.Husnawaihi in the 4th century AH. They were still rare in the 5th century, being bestowed only on persons of highest eminence in the state such as Nizām Al-Din on Yamīn Al-Daulah, the Conqueror of India. In the 6th century however such titles became common, being bestowed not only upon governors of provinces like Salah-al-Din (Prosperity of the Religion) given to Yūsuf b.Ayyūb, but also persons of literary and theological eminence such as Shihab-al-Dīn (Flame of the Religion). They are

name of a famous South Indian Saint whose name is evidently a compound of the Persian Shāh ‘King’ and Arabic Al-Hamīd The Laudable’, hence Shāhul Hamīd ‘King of the Laudable’) are still to be found among Moor men but are not usually given to children nowadays 9. Among the other notable compound names may be included names like Zainul Ābdīn, Jainul Ābdīn and Sainul Ābdīn which may perhaps have an Indian origin.

Zainulabdīn figures in the Ain-I-Akbari of Abul Fazl (16th century) as the name of a powerful Muslim Sultan of Kashmir renowned for his wisdom and humanity. He is said to have built a magnificent palace called Zinlunk in the middle of a lake and was bestowed with the title of wali (saint) by his subjects. Besides these, we come across compound names like Shamsul Zamān ‘Sun of the Time’, Zaynul Ahsan ‘Ornament of the Most Handsome’ and Amīrul Ansār ‘Leader of the Helpers’ 10.

The Moors of yore also bore some peculiar name suffixes like –Marikkar and –Lebbe, names which still figure among some elderly folk and which evidently had a titular origin. This is evident in the names of Moors found occurring in Sameer’s 1982 work where we often find names ending in Marikar (E.g.Sekadi Marikar, Wapchi Marikar, Naina Marikar) and Lebbe (E.g.Ahmed Lebbe, Cassie Lebbe, Hassen Lebbe). These names were especially common among the more influential and wealthier sections of society.

The name Marikkar it appears was especially applied to headmen. Chitty (1834) gives Markair as the chief of a Moor village while Codrington (1924) gives Marikar as an ‘Honorary affix to Muhammadan names; also used as a synonym for Mudalali, and applied to wealthy Moors’. The term appears to have originated from the appellation Marakkāyar widely used to denote certain

thereafter regularly bestowed on those who distinguished themselves and figure prominently in the lists of theologians and judges of the Mamluk period in Egypt (See D.S.Margoliouth’s contribution on Arabic names to the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics,Ed.James Hastings.1917). Such names, though of Arabic origin have however not been that popular among the Arabs but have figured prominently among non-Arabs, Salah- ud-din or Saladin, the 12th century Kurdish conqueror of Jerusalem and the vanquisher of the crusaders, being a notable example.

9 Such pompous names needless to say are strictly prohibited in Islam. Abu Hurayrah has narrated that the Prophet said “The most perfidious name with Allah on the day of resurrection will be (that of) a man calling himself King of the Kings (Malik Al-Amlāk) (Bukhāri). A name like Shāhul Hamīd is not only pompous but also conveys the idea of being above the Divinity, Al-Hamīd ‘The Laudable’ being among the names of God.

10 Such compound names do not appear to have been known amongst the Arabs of the days of the Prophet, but were introduced several centuries later, probably as a resuly of Persian influence. In the Alf Layla wa Layla for instance we come across names such as Qamar-Al-Zamān ‘Moon of the Age’ but here also rarely.

Tamil-speaking Muslims of South Indian origin predominating in the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and itself derived from the Tamil term marakkalam ‘boat’ (lit.wooden vessel). It would therefore appear that the term Maraikkar originally meant a skipper or owner of a trading vessel, subsequently assuming the meaning of a man of wealth and later a chief among men. It is possible that some of the folk bearing the name Maraikkar or Marikkar could have originated from among the Marakkāyars of Tamil Nadu who claim to be descendants of Arab sea traders11. This however cannot be said of all those who bore this name. As noted by Chitty, the term Markair was applied to the chief of a Moor village while Codrington has stated that it applied to wealthy Moors and constituted an honorary affix to Muslim names. The tradition is fairly old, for The Ceylon Littoral 1593 by Paul E. Pieris (1949) which is a summary of a Portuguese Tombo prepared in 1618 and preserved at the Bibliotheca Nacional in Lisbon, makes mention of a Nania Marca who was the head of the Moors of the port of Chillao (Chilaw) and gives some Moor names of Negombo such as Naina Marca, Coya Marca and Xeda Marca 12.

As for the name Lebbe, this too appears to have denoted an ethnic group, namely, the Labbais, a Tamil-speaking Muslim group resident in the inland districts of Tamil Nadu said to be descendants of Qur’anic scholars 13. The name itself is believed to have derived from Arabic labbai ‘to become intelligent or wise’. However whether those folk bearing the name Lebbe are descended from this community is a moot point. Chitty (1834) for instance pointed out that the appellation ‘Lubbes’ among local Moors was confined to ‘the priests who officiate in their temples’ and as ‘an honorary affix to the proper names of some of their chief men’ while Codrington (1924) gives Lebbe as an honorary affix of Moor names. To this day, the appellation lebbe is usually applied to an Arabic teacher. Further, we find the name Lebbe (in such forms as Nayna Lebbe, Ahmed Lebbe and Mohamed Lebbe) occurring in a genealogical record of a group of Alutgama Moors who traced their descent to the first caliph, an Arab named Abu Bakr. We also find that of the eleven male ascendants in the direct male line of a 19th century Alutgama khatib named Mohamed Ismail, as many as eight bore the suffix –lebbe. This is despite the

11 See Enc.I.Vol.V.1982

12 Indeed, one still comes across names like Nayna Marikar, the peculiar term Nayna probably deriving from the Malayalam nayanar ‘chief’ indicating perhaps some remote Kerala influence. Joao De Barros in his first Decada (1552) refers to one Nine Mercar ‘a Moor of Calecut’ who owned a ship coming from Ceylam (Sri Lanka) and this no doubt is his rendition of our Nayna Marikar.

13 See Enc.I.Vol.V.1982

fact that the family traced its descent in the direct male line to one Badrudeen Bagdadi, who as his name implies would have hailed from Baghdad in Iraq 14.

The usage is fairly old, for in the Dutch Tombos of 1766-1771 we find names such as Marekelage Aydroos Lebbe (Head of the Moors of Alutgama), and Karte Agemadoe Lebbe (Priest of the Four Gravets). More ordinary folk also bore this suffix such as Segoe Paridoe Lebbe and Kasien Lebbe Sarieboe Lebbe15. One still comes across names like Mīralebbe, Udumalebbe and Sulaimalebbe among the older folk. A variant form –Levvai was also known amongst the Moors of the Eastern and Western maritime districts. For instance in the Ceylon Government Gazzette of June 4, 1870, we come across such eastern (more particularly Batticaloa District) names such as Espulevvai Assenar, Alliar Meeralevvai and Udumalevvai Mohamadulevvai. Some Moor folk of Kalpitiya in the Puttalam District also formerly bore this suffix, E.g. Mira Levvai, Uduma Levvai and Mukamatu Levvai 16.

The Moor folk of the Eastern districts also bore and to some extent still bear names suffixed with –Piccai (Lit.’something obtained after begging’ fr.T.piccai ‘alms’ ‘Begging of God’) such as Allah Piccai, Nāhur Piccai and Mohidīn Piccai and -Kanḍu ( A diminutive meaning ‘little one’ fr. T.kanḍru ‘calf’) such as Ādam Kanḍu, Udumān Kanḍu and Nāhur Kanḍu.

Another not uncommon name suffix borne by some eastern folk was Bāvā (A corruption of the Urdu bābā ‘father’, ‘sir’ and often used for a holy man) E.g. Ādam Bāvā, Mohidīn Bāvā and Kalandar Bāvā. Another fairly common name suffix formerly borne by Moor folk of Batticaloa, but no longer, was –podi, for instance Ismailpodi Adamcandu, Assenapillai Agemadumeerapodi and Mamanalevvaipodi Meeralevvaipodi 17.

Female names

14 See Sameer (1982)

15 SLNA 1/ 3764, 1/ 3758 & 1/3807

16 See CGG June 18, 1870

17 See CGG. June 4, 1870. This practice of suffixing –podi to one’s name seems to have been borrowed from the neighbouring Mukkuvars who are also known to have borne such name suffixes E.g. Palahppodi Alvappodi, Sinnavappodi Kumarappodi and Nahandappodi Usumundappodi (See The Mukkuvar Law. C.Brito. 1876)

The names of Moor females like those of Moor males are largely of Arab origin. Popular names for girls include Fātima (the name of the Prophet’s beloved daughter), Āyisha, Hafsa, Khadija and Zaynab (the names of the Prophet’s wives or Ummul Mūminīn ‘Mothers of the Believers’ as they are usually known by the faithful) Asma (The first Caliph Abu Bakr’s daughter and the Prophet’s sister-in-law), Salma (The Prophet’s aunt, wife of his uncle Hamza), Maryam (Mary, the mother of Jesus), Hanna (Anne, the mother of Mary) and Hājara (Hagar, the wife of Abraham and mother of Ishmael). We also not uncommonly come across names like Balqis (The Queen of Sheba), Zulaykha (The wife of the Egyptian courtier who attempted to seduce Joseph), Sumayya (a lady companion of the Prophet and the first martyr in Islam) and Zubayda (The consort of Caliph Hārūn Ar-Rashīd).

The name of the Prophet’s youngest daughter Fātima (Lit.The Weaner) is immensely popular among the Moors as it is among other Muslim peoples and very commonly precedes the proper names of girls just as Muhammad or Mohamad precedes those of boys. Yet another popular name among Moor women, Kulsum ( in the eastern areas Kuldum) has evidently derived from Umm Kulthūm, another daughter of the Prophet. Zaynab which figures as the name of yet another daughter of the Prophet and two of his wives, namely, Zaynab bint Jahsh and Zaynab bint Khuzaima was apparently much loved by the Prophet as he himself renamed a woman previously known as Barrah by it (Bukhāri). Zaynab was evidently the name of a famous third century Queen of the Palmyrenes known as Zenobia who extended her little kingdom northeast of Damascus to include Egypt and was very popular among the Arab women of the Prophet’s time.

One also commonly comes across Arabic names like Asma ‘precious’, Āshiqā ‘sweetheart’, Bushra ‘good news’, Husna ‘beautiful’, Jamīla ‘pretty’, Fahīma ‘intelligent’, Fawziya ‘victorious’, Farhāna ‘cheerful’, Nabīla ‘noble’, Nafīsa ‘valuable’, Muhsina ‘chaste’, Razāna ‘modesty’, Rihāna ‘aromatic plant’, Safīna ‘cleanser’, Safiyya ‘pure’, Silmiya ‘peaceful’, Shamīla ‘virtue’, Zahra ‘flower’, Zulfa ‘dignity’ and Zīnat ‘ornament’.

Besides these we find names of Persian origin similar to those borne by Indian Muslim women such as Firozā ‘torquoise’, Farzānah ‘wise’, Roshanā ‘light’, Sharmilā ‘shy’, Shahnāz ‘a musical note’ and Yasmin ‘jasmine’. One may also come across more classical names like Shahrazad, the story-teller of the Arabian Nights, which is also of Persian origin. Other common names that suggest Hindustani influence include Fazmina, Rozāna, Rinōza, Sabrīna,

Shabīna, Sharmila and Shazmina. In the olden days and even now among the older women one may come across names like Patima or Patuma instead of the Arabic Fātima and Pahima instead of Fahima. There was also Assena, very likely a corruption of the Arabic Hasina.

Moor women are also still known to bear compound names like Aynul Shamīla, Nūrul Zulfa and Zīnatul Qabīla. These names are replete with meaning and are rather grandiose, for instance, Aynul Shamīla literally means ‘eye of virtue’, Nūrul Zulfa ‘Light of Dignity’ and Zīnatul Qabīla ‘ornament of the tribe’. Names suffixed with Nisā (An Arabic term meaning ‘woman’) are also not uncommon and one still comes across Moor women with names like Kairun-Nisā, Safrun-Nisā and Maharun-Nisā. The usage is evidently an old one. For instance, the Moghul Emperor Aurangzēb’s daughter was known as Zēb-un-Nisā or ‘Ornament of Women’. Such names are hardly if ever given to children nowadays. Moor women also not uncommonly bore names like Fathumutu, probably a compound formed of Fātima and the Tamil muttu ‘pearl’.

One often finds today that the name of the Prophet’s daughter Fatima often precedes the personal names of girls, but until fairly recent times it was Sitti that was commonly prefixed to the names of girls. Indeed, one still comes across plenty of Moor women, both young and old, bearing this name. The name is evidently of Arab origin and derives from the Arabic sitt ‘lady’ though we often find this term being used in Arabic for a married woman, the term for an unmarried young woman being ānisa. Nevertheless we also come across in Arabic the term sitti (probably derived from the aforementioned sitt) being used indiscriminately in the sense of ‘Madam’. That the term may have even figured in Arab personal names is suggested by the name of a woman named Sitt-al-Husn ‘Lady of Beauty’ occurring in the Alf Layla Wa Layla. Another common practice in the olden days was to precede names with Nūr ‘light’ such as Nūr Jezima, Nūr Huzaima and Nūr Zanūba.

The personal names of some women may also be suffixed with Bēgam, a Hindustani term of Turkish origin meaning ‘lady’, such as for instance Rizna Bēgam, Sahida Bēgam and Sajida Bēgam. Bībī, another Hindustani term of Turkish origin meaning ‘lady or ‘wife’ was not uncommonly suffixed to the names of women of the older generation.

In the Eastern areas , it commonly takes the form bīvi and one may still come across women with names like Laila Bīvi, Nazila Bīvi and Mariyam Bīvi 18. Umma, an Arabic term for ‘mother’ commonly followed the names of women in the not too distant past as is evident in the names of 19th century Muslim women given in Sameer’s work where we find names such as Hafsa Umma, Haniffa Umma and Umma Hany Umma. Indeed, names suffixed with –Umma such as Amīna Umma, Salīma Umma and Rushniya Umma are still borne by Moor women. We were also told that in Jaffna, the Moor women bore such Tamilicised names like Muttummā (Lit.Pearl-mother) and Tangammā (Gold-mother) though some had their origins in Arabic proper names such as Selayammā, from the Arabic Zulayha. These are said to have been pet names and not proper names. We were however told that in the Eastern Province, names suffixed with –ummā were given to girls when they were named in infancy. It is possible that such names have been influenced by the Arab tradition of calling women by their agnomen (kunya), that is to say, the mother of so-and-so by prefixing umm ‘mother’ to the proper names of their offspring such as for instance Umm Darda (The mother of Darda). Although it follows that such names could only be given to women who have had children, Margoliouth (1917) has shown that the practice of giving persons names after their children became so regular in Arabia that names of this kind (e.g.father of Zaid, mother of Amr) were even given to infants. Such a practice was even found in the early days of Islam, though very rarely, for in the Adab Al-Mufrad we are told that Alqamah was given the agnomen Abu Shibal even though he had no children. It is also possible however that the Moorish custom of suffixing names with umma may have been influenced by the Tamil custom of following the names of women with amma prevailing in certain areas. Such names appear to have been widespread among the Mukkuvar women of Batticaloa who bore names such as Muththamma, Kannammai and Valliyammai 19. Another feminine name suffix formerly used by the Moor women of upcountry areas like Akurana, Nācciyā, is evidently from the rare Tamil honorific nāycci or nācciyār ‘lady’ ‘mistress’ (Winslow 1862). Such names were fairly common in the olden days. These included names like Zainambu Nāciyā, Fatumutu Nāciyā and Ummu Hani Nāciyā. Indeed, we were told that

18 The usage though rare was not unknown even in Dutch times where we find a solitary Asa Biwie in Alutgama (SLNA 1/3764)

19 See Brito (1876)

even in Jaffna, the Moor women commonly bore names such as Seynambu Nācciyā, Sultān Nācciya and Mīrā Nācciyā. In the Eastern areas however this usually took the form Nācci. Thus Hawwa Nācci, Kadīja Nācci and Zaynambu Nācci.

This usage was far more common in the olden days, not only in the upcountry, or in the north or east, but also in the Western littoral as attested in the Dutch period records where we find female names like Aysa Nacha, Zille Nacha and Jeyneboe Nacha in Alutgama 20.

Patronymics

The traditional manner of bestowing surnames on one’s offspring among the Moors is to precede the children’s proper names with those of their fathers. This practice may go back to several centuries and has been the case since at least the 19th century, for among the Moor names occurring in Sameer (1982) we find Abdul Jawad Mohamad Warid figuring as the son of Abdul Caffoor Abdul Jawad who was the son of Abdul Latiff Abdul Caffoor who was the son of Ismail Lebbe Abdul Latiff who was the son of Katheeb Hussain Lebbe Muhallam Sheikh Ismail Lebbe, an early 19th century Muslim cleric.

It is still the practice especially in the conservative rural areas for the personal names of Moor males and females to be preceded by their fathers’ names. For instance, Muhammad Salahudīn’s son would be known as Mohamad Salahudīn Mohamad Ashraf while his daughter would be known as Mohamad Salahudīn Fātima Hamziya.

However, there are also cases where daughters are given their father’s name as a surname following their personal name while in the case of sons, the traditional mode of naming them by preceding their names with that of their fathers is followed. For instance, Mohamad Kansul’s son would be known as Mohamad Kansul Muzammil while his daughter would be known as Samīna Mohamad Kansul.

The practice of preceding the father’s name with that of their children is also found among the Tamils of Sri Lanka such as those of Jaffna and it is likely that the practice is due to Tamil influence. The proper Arab system of surnaming children known as nasab is to follow the children’s personal name with that of their father by adding ibn or bin (son of) in the case of a male or

20 SLNA 1/3764

bint (daughter of) in the case of a female, a practice going back as far as the days of the Prophet (Cf. Kaldah Ibn Hanbal and Asma bint Yazīd Al-Ansāriyah occurring in the Adab Al-Mufrad) and perhaps much earlier.

This system of surnaming is still found among a few Moor families, though it is uncertain whether it has been followed consistently throughout the generations or was adopted later in imitation of Arab practice. We are aware of a few Moors who still carry such names, among them Ash Shaikh Khalib Alavi Hadjiar bin Ash Sheikh Mohamed Abdulla Alim Hadjiar, the incumbent of Ketchimalai Mosque, Beruwala. We also find in the Genealogical Table of Sri Lankan Muslims by Fazli and Firoze Sameer (1996) a few instances of bin and bint being passed down the generations, for instance the family of “Araby” Ibrahim from Zabeedi, Yemen among whose descendants we find names such as Hasan bin Ibrahim, Muhammad bin Hasan and Zulfick bin Muhammad. Similarly, we find Adham bin Salih’s son being named Muhammad Zubair bin Adham and his daughter Fathima Zabeedia binthi Adham and Ismail bin Ibrahim’s son being named Hassan bin Ismail and his daughter Sithy Fahriya binthi Ismail. Such names however seem to be largely confined to those families of relatively recent Arab descent. It is not unlikely that others bearing such names such as those holding important positions in mosques and shrines have adopted it to give prestige to their pedigree.

Among certain sections of Moors, especially in the urban areas, there exist patronymics or surnames of the European type, which are passed on from generation to generation. These include surnames like Amin, Anwar, Ismail, Fāruk, Faizal, Ghaus, Hasan, Husayn, Hanīfa, Kādar, Kāsim, Muhsin, Marikkār, Nawāz, Riza, Rizwi, Rashīd, Salih, Jifri, Uwais, Wāhid, Zubayr and Zawāhir. These however appear to have been mere personal names which were adopted as patronymics by later generations beginning from about the early part of the 20th century due to European influence.

The Macan Markars of Galle were probably among the first to adopt surnames of the European type, for we learn that Oduma Lebbe Marikar Macan Markar of Galle, a leading nineteenth century Moor entrepreneur who passed away in 1901 had four sons, namely, Mohamed Macan Markar, Samsudeen Macan Markar, Abdul Vadood Macan Markar and Mohamed Saleh Macan Markar, all surnamed Macan Markar after the European manner, a tradition continued by the subsequent generations 21. The Magdon-Ismails also seem to

21 See Markar (1977)

have adopted their family name quite early on considering the several generations that have carried this surname 22.

There are also names like Kariapper, a well known family name of the Eastern Moors which seem to have originated from titles 23. In the Ceylon Almanac (1835) we find a reference to one Nina Markar, Kariappa or Head Moorman over the Madigey of Wellasse. This is also supported by a British proclamation of 4th June 1804 where we find among those Ceylon Moors of Batticaloa District proclaimed as enemies of the British, one Meera Oessen Auwaker of Kaymone whose former office is given as ‘Kariapeer’ 24. Finally, we have the evidence of the Ceylon Moor, an English-Tamil weekly 25 which alludes to one Naina Marikkar holding the office of Kariapper or Head Moorman in the early British period, an office abolished at his retirement. His son, Ahmadu Lavvai Kariapper, it says, settled down in the Eastern Province (Batticaloa) and “made the official title “Kariapper” a surname. His descendants in the metropolis and elsewhere have ever since used it as such”.

Another instance of a title or honorific becoming a surname is that of Maulānā applied to those supposed to be descended from the Prophet through his daughter Fātima. The usage is fairly old, for in the list of jurors for Tangalle District who can read and write the Tamil language 26 we come across such names as Sayadu Ali Ibuna Seyadu Abdu Rahaman Maulana, Seyadu Mohamat Ibuna Seyadu Sahid Maulana, Seyiyadu Ibrahim Ibuna Seyiyadu Muhamat Maulana and Seyiyadu Ali Ibuna Seyiyadu Sarip Maulana, all of whom are given as traders residing in Hambantota. This shows that not only did these Maulānā families employ the Arab patronymic marker ibn (in the form ibuna) in their names but also attached to these the term Maulānā as a sort of clan name as if to emphasize their supposed noble ancestry.

This is however not the case with the Moors of the Kandyan districts who have had definite hereditary patronymics of the vāsagam type found among the Sinhalese. This is the ge- or gedara-nama, a Sinhala term meaning ‘house name’. For instance, one could still find among the Kandyan Moors 22 See Sameer & Sameer (1996)

23 The appellation Kariapper has very probably originated from the T. kāriyapākam ‘good management, ‘judicious or prudent direction’.

24 See Supplement to the Ceylon Government Gazette.Thursday,7th June,1804

25 Friday, 22nd March 1935,Vol.1.No.5

26 Supplement to the CGG. Oct.3 1879

patronymics like Āraccige, Lēkamge, Galgedara, Lindēgedara, Kandegedara, Vedarālalāge-gedara, Gurunehelage-gedara, Muhandiramlā-gedara, Kāli Mudiyanselāge-gedara, Yahakugamhalā-gedara, Kotmalē Adappalā-gedara, Māliyaddē Vidānalā-gedara and Nāgahadeniya-gedara.

This type of surname precedes one’s Arabic personal name to which may be prefixed the father’s personal name in keeping with the usual practice. Thus we find names like Alakoladeniya Gedara Yusuf Lebbe, Kurugoda Vidānalāge Gedara Abdul Hamīd Wahabdīn and Kandēgedara Abdul Gafūr Sitti Nafiya. Such ge-names seem to have been in existence for a considerable period of time, for among the names of 17th, 18th and 19th century Kandyan Moor physicians given by Sameer, we come across names like Meegahayate gedere gurunanalage Uduma Lebbe, Liyamagaha Kotuwe Wederale Sulaiman Lebbe, Rajakaruna Behethge Mudiyanse Abdul Qadir and Palkumbure Vaidyatileke Rajakaruna Gopalana Mudiyanselage Mohamed Udayar 27. These ge-names could have come into existence among the Kandyan Moors due to two reasons. It is possible that such patronymics were borne by the Sinhalese ancestresses of these Moors and that it was passed down to their offspring.

In the alternative, it would indicate the readiness of the Moors to adopt the salient features of the host culture so as identify themselves more closely with their Sinhalese neighbours with whom they maintained friendly relations. Parallel situations are not lacking elsewhere such as for instance, the Turkic-speaking Muslim peoples of Central Asia who following Russian practice follow their personal names with the names of their fathers suffixed with –ov e.g. Karimov, Sultanov and Rakhmanov. There is reason to believe that at least a few ge-names such as Muhandiramlāge borne by a number of Moor families were acquired as a result of their ancestors being appointed to the high office of Muhandiram etc by the Kandyan kings. The same may hold true of names like Vidānalāge ‘House of the Village Head-man’. Vedarālalāge ‘House of the Physician’ indicates that the folk bearing this name are descended from medical men.

What is however interesting is that the Moors of the maritime districts like Alutgama, Beruwala and Maggona also formerly bore ge-names which is widely attested in the Dutch Tombos covering the period 1766-1771 where we find such names like Ibrahim Tandellage Ahamadoe Nainde, Daroebesie Lienege Oemoer Lebbe, Iratnewalli Aratjege Oedoema Lebbe, Ismail

27 A.M.Najmudeen (Muslimkalin Ciṅkala Vamcavalip Peyarkal 1998) basing his work on court and other official documents has compiled an exhaustive list of Sinhala ge-names prevailing among the upcountry Moors

Mokedonge Oemoer Lebbe, Pawelekodige Sleman Lebbe, Kopeaediaerlage Ibrahim Lebbe, Mamina Marekelage Ahamadoe and Assena Lebbelage Potoema Natja 28.

Until fairly recent times, the Moors of Jaffna are known to have borne patronymics suffixed with the T.pillai ‘son (of)’ such as for instance Mīrāpillai, Naynāpillai and Ainiyāpillai. These usually preceded the Arabic proper names of individuals, as for instance Ainiyāpillai Shaykh Abdul Kādar. Some Moors of the Eastern districts such as Batticaloa also had their surnames suffixed with –pillai E.g. Adampillai Alliar, Assenapillai Agemadumeerapodi and Umergattapillai Udumalevvai 29. Similar names suffixed with –pulle (also son) were known in other districts such as Kandy where we come across the name Galagama Naidelage Ahmadupulle 30 and in the Western littoral such as Kalutara District where there formerly used to be some men bearing names like Magoedoenpulle, Oemorpoellege Mirapoelle, Mamoenapoelle Meestrige Sekadielebbe and Daudoe Pulle son of Seudepoellelage Kasiepoelle 31. This usage is however not very common. This practice of suffixing –pillai or –pulle appears to have been influenced by the sea-faring Tamil castes such as the Karaiyar who still bear names like Veluppillai.

The practice followed in the vast majority of cases still appears to be to precede one’s name with that of his father’s. This of course leads to a situation where one’s full name appears to be a rather lengthy one. This was obviously more so in the past than today where one hardly finds compounded proper names. For instance, among the names of Moor headmen given in the Ceylon Almanac of 1844, we come across names such as Mahamadoo Lebbe Seyadoo Mira Lebbe (Head Moorman of Caltura), Oedooma Lebbe Markkar Sekady Markan (Head Moorman of Colombo and Salpitty Corle), Mahamado Naina Markair Pakier Malimiar (head Moorman of Galle), Sinne Ahamado Nayna Yosboo Lebbe Markan (Head Moorman of Hambantota), Secady Markair Sadako Lebbe Markar (Head Moorman of Matura and Beligam), Neyna Marcair Meerasayboo Marcair (Head Moorman of Trincomalie) and Sekadie Markair Casiem Lebbe Markair (chief Modliar of the Eastern Province). Says An Officer, Late of the Ceylon Rifles 32: “The Moors have such long and

28 SLNA 1/3807 & 1/ 3764

29 See CGG.June 4 1870

30 See Lawrie (1896)

31 SLNA 1/3764

32 Ceylon. A General Description of the Island (1876)

unpronounceable names that their establishments are known to the Europeans who patronize them by the number of the house; No.42 was well known. These long names are in reality a species of pedigree”.

John Capper 33 likewise says of the Moorman traders of the Pettah: “Your regular Moorman shopkeepers, or bazaar-men, possess such terribly unpronounceable names that, by common consent, their English customers designate them by the numbers of their shops. In this way a little, thin-faced shriveled-up Moorman, a small portion of whose name consists of Meera Lebbe Slema Lebbe Tamby Ahamadoe Lebbe Marcair, is cut down to Number Forty Eight; which is the title he is known by”.

The past few decades have seen a trend where many Moor women, especially of the urban areas, have begun taking their husbands’ surnames as their own, a practice which is strictly speaking not permissible in Islam as offspring whether male or female are required to bear surnames only of their fathers. Not only is the taking of the surname of one’s husband a western practice, but it also amounts to a falsification of one’s descent and according to a saying of the Prophet recorded in the Adab Al-Mufrad: “One who knowingly ascribes his/her lineage to other than his/her father has committed an act of disbelief; and one who ascribes his/her lineage to a tribe other than his/her own had better prepare to sit in the fire”. This hadith clearly indicates that taking the surname of one’s husband in preference to that of one’s father is not permissible in Islam and is in fact a very serious sin. Increased awareness of this injunction especially among those influenced by Salafi ideas has led to a good many women eschewing the practice, though there are many who still continue with it.

Nicknames, Family names and Titular names

The Moors of yore unlike those of today commonly bore nicknames. M.M. Thawfeeq 34 refers to the practice of calling individuals and later their families by nick-names in the Theruv area in the early part of the last century. Some nick-names, he says, may appear derogatory, some flattering, but none, he is certain, were given with malice. “It just happened that there were scores of Hamids, Yoosoofs, Haniffas, Mohideens etc in that concentration of Ceylon

33 Old Ceylon. Sketches of Ceylon life in the olden time (1877)

34 Muslim Mosaics (1972)

Moors”. The easiest way out, he says, was nick-names emphasizing their attributes, penchant, and failings – even physical defects. He gives as patta-perus as such nick-names were called, Baba (Baby), Colenda (Infant), Echchi (Miserly), Pushana (Indolent), Shoththian (Feeble-handed), Shemata (Brown or Tan), Dada-bada (Noise made when walking), Munda kan (Big-eyed), Poona kan (Cat’s eye), Madayan (Fool), Jemmi (Jewel) and Poo (Sweet).

There were others like Karupati (Jaggery), Kochchika (Chillie), Pila kotta (Jak seed) and Porichcha koli (Roast Chicken) though it is not certain whether they were appellations characterizing their tastes for certain items of food. There were yet others like Bembi, Kulla, Gongan, Pangathu, Jadipana, Vengallam, Kappadiar, Kosthapal and Vyra-Ooshi, the meanings of which were dubious.

M.M.B.Ansari 35 also gives a selection of interesting nicknames that prevailed among the Moors of yore, among them Aana Bulingi ‘Swallower or Elephants’ (M.L.M.Fauz), Baang Koli ‘Turkey’ (P.L.M.Abdul Majeed), Koli Kunji ‘Chick’ (Sesma Lebbe of Grandpass), Porichakoli ‘Fried Chicken’ (Abdur Rahim of New Moor Street), , Kumbala Mashi ‘Maldive Fish’ (Marikar, father of Mohamed Jamaldeen), Karapothan ‘Coackroach’ (Abdul Aziz of Grandpass), Kochchika ‘Chillie’ (Oduma Lebbe Marikar), Katchcha Karupatti ‘Bitter Jaggery’ (Oduma Lebbe Marikar), Shappatayan ‘Flat Nose’ (Abdul Hassen Hajiar), Velli Baba ‘Silver Baby’ (M.M.M.Ghouse) , Vengalam ‘Loud-mouthed’ (Vangalam Noordeen), Poskoapa ‘Large Bowl’ (The father of M.L.H.A.Mohideen of Wellawatte), Bavulthavaly ‘Stomach ache’ (S.M.Hassim Nana’s maternal grandfather) and Anjishazathu Mapulle ‘Five Cents Bridegroom’ “who traveled as such in a decorated tramcar with his entourage” (Father of Falil, at one time assistant at A.M.A.Marzuk’s textile shop). There was also Batcha (Said to have originated from the Turkish title Pasha) given to Abdur Rahman of ‘Pasha Villa’ of Dematagoda Road, Colombo 9 and Baas Ootar (fr.Dutch Baas ‘Chief Workman’ or ‘Work Supervisor’) given to the progeny of A.M.Wapche Marikar, the famous Bas or builder reputed to have built many of Colombo’s landmarks.

Indeed, individuals so nicknamed have given their names to entire families such as Pullekutti Sherifdīn (Sherifdīn of the children’s family, so called after the many children he had), Vellibabā Ghaus (Fair baby Ghaus) and Kōli Amīn (Poultry Amin). These names are however not borne by these families, but ascribed to them by others. Prominent Moor families, especially in the 35 Some nicknames of Sri Lanka Moors in Geneological Tables of Sri Lanka. Moors, Malays and other Muslims by A.I.L.Marikar, A.H.Macan Markar and A.L.M.Lafir (1981)

Colombo area are still said to be known by nicknames such as Śottiyan (People of Property), Pōskōpa (Waterbowl), Bās (Builder) and Vengalam. In Macan Markar’s Short Biographical Sketches (1977) we come across references to personalities such as Saheed Mohamed of the Goodaku family, Mohamed Ismail of the Shooriyan family and Mohamed Haniffa of the Kushi family.

It is also possible that the Arabs and Moors of yore who had made Sri Lanka their home adopted what are known as nisba names where the clan, tribe or country of one’s origin or domicile follows one’s personal name and surname 36. This would have been especially so when they visited Arab countries. At least two such instances are known, those of Abdur Rahman bin Abi Hatim Musa As-Sailani, a scholar of no mean repute who was seen in Baghdad in 264 A.H. and Ismail bin Mustafa Al-Kalambawi who is renowned for his marginal notes on the interpretation of the Qur’ān by Taftāzāni (15th c.) and other metaphysical works 37. The name suffix As-Sailāni means ‘the one from Saylān (Sri Lanka)’ while Al-Kalambawi evidently means ‘the one from Kalambaw (Colombo)’. We also come across olden-day Moor names like Slema Lebbe Comoster 38 , Mira Lebbe Maestriar Sekadi Marikar, Ossen Lebbe Kapitan Agamadoe Lebbe 39, Sinne Lebbe Konstappal Aydroos Lebbe Markair and Siddi Lebbe Tolke Sesma Lebbe 40 . Forms like Comoster, Maestriar, Kapitan, Konstappal and Tolke found in these names appear to be titular in origin. The rather unusual name Comoster is perhaps connected to Kumistar borne by an elderly informant of ours, Abdul Hamid Kumistar Mohamad of Gintota who originally hailed from Weligama and who was aged 92 years when we met him in early July 2004. The name appears to be a titular one and evidently connected to the Hindustani gumāśtā (fr.Pers.gumāshta), a deputed agent, representative or accountant of a business which in Anglo-Indian usage denoted a native agent or factor, sometimes being used in the sense of clerk or even secretary.

36 For instance, a man born to the Arabian tribe of Kinda would be known as Al-Kindi. E.g.Yaqūb ibn Ishāq Al- Kindi or Yaqūb, son of Ishāq, of the tribe of Kinda

37 See Ceylon-Arab Relations. Dr.S.A.Imam in MICHS 1965

38 See Short Biographical Sketches of Macan Markar and Related Families. A.H.Macan Markar (1977)

39 See Sameer (1982)

40 See Supplement to the CGG, 15th July 1871

Similarly, the term Maestriar could be traced to the Portuguese mestre or Dutch meister ‘master’ and Kapitan to the Dutch kapitein ‘captain’. Konstappal likewise has its origins in the Dutch konstabel ‘gunner’, ‘Head of the Artillery’, ‘a non-commissioned officer in the merchant and war service, occupying himself with the guns on board’ and Tolke in the Dutch tolk ‘interpreter’. Such titles indicate that their bearers, proud of their service in the colonial state beginning from the latter part of Dutch rule in the maritime provinces affixed these to their proper names as a mark of prestige and to gain the respect of their peers. State service after all was regarded as a prestigious occupation in those days, more so formerly than at present.

Men who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca may sometimes prefix their names with Al-Hāj while women may do so likewise with Hājiani. The term has nevertheless assumed a sort of status symbol 41. However, with more and more persons making the pilgrimage to Mecca, often more than once, the usage is gradually dying out. Some elderly folk to whom it is still a source of prestige nevertheless still continue to employ it. Others, particularly men of fame or wealth are bestowed it by friends, associates or subordinates and in this case it usually takes the colloquial form of Hājiar, an Arabic-Tamil hybrid term suffixed to the proper name.

Finally we have the posthumous titles Marhūm and Marhūma applied respectively to deceased men and women in formal speech or literature. The title which literally means ‘received into (God’s) mercy’ occurs in an Arabic gravestone discovered at Nicholson’s Cove and dated 729 or 929 AH where the deceased, the daughter of one Amir Badruddin is called marhūma.

41 Even in the Malay world, one finds the title Haji being used to denote one who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca and it is said that even in the Maldives, a Hāji is accorded considerable authority locally (Maloney 1980). Indeed, even in Egypt which is part of the Arab world, a man who has performed the pilgrimage is said to have been generally called hagg and a woman haggeh (Lane.1836). Local records also confirm a similar usage among the Moors of old. For instance in the Supplement to the CGG, May 14, 1870 we find Hajji Marikkan Samsi Lebbe of Mawanella while in the Supplement to the CGG Sep.2 1971 we come across Hadjee Markan Mahamado Lebbe of Walgama in Sina Korale.