| Part of a series on |
| Sikhism |
|---|
 |
Sikh titles are positions or honorifics appended to the names of members of the Sikh community. Their form may be prefixes or suffixes to names, or the title may be used alone, in place of the name. They may denote social status or relationship, occupational field, or religious standing. When used as a form of address, they are often intended to convey respect or esteem.[1]
History
The first Sikh honourific which came into usage was the male bhai,[1] which originally was an egalitarian title but later narrowed in meaning to refer to select group of devout Sikhs.[2] Usage of the honourific bhai declined in the 18th century and was replaced with sardar.[2] After the formation of the Sikh Confederacy in 1748, the title Jathedar began to fall into disuse from that point onwards, as leaders of Sikh misls preferred the term Sardar to refer to themselves, due to Afghan influence.[3] Sardar was originally a Persian honourific introduced by the Mughals in India used to refer to men who were princes, noblemen, aristocrats, or the head, chiefs or leaders of a tribe or group.[1] In 19th century Punjab, the honourifics Bhai, Baba, Sant, and rarely Guru (usually used for descendants of the Sikh gurus or the Nirmalas), were appended to the names of revered Sikh holy-men.[4][5] In 1883, Richard Carnac Temple noted that descendants of the Sikh gurus prefixed the titles Bedi, Bawa, and Sodhi to their names to mark their lineage.[6] During the British Raj, the term sahib came to be used to refer to men with authority, the female equivalent was memsahib, with sahib still being used in India to refer to elders and authorative figures. The term Singh Sahib was derived in the 20th century to refer to heads of takhts.[1]
List of Sikh titles and honorifics
Unisex
Males
- Baba
- Bhagat 'devotee': Bhagat Puran Singh
- Bhai, literally 'brother'
- Bhai Sahib, a combination of the honourifics bhai and sahib to confer greater respect, usually for religious figures who are learnt or respected, used more loosely in recent times[1]
- Choudhary
- Das, a surname regularly encountered among Sikhs, which has also been applied as a title, signifying "devotee" or "votary" (in the context of religion); also, Dasa[7]
- Guru 'revered teacher (of a disciple)', 'enlightener': Sikh gurus
- Gyani or Giani 'philosopher': Giani Sant Singh Maskeen
- Jathedar, 'General', 'leader'
- Kunwar
- Maharaja
- Ragi
- Raja
- Rai
- Rana
- Rao
- Sahib, meaning "sir" or "master", can be used alone in place of a man's name to show respect or appended to the end of certain things, such as the Guru Granth Sahib and it can also be combined with other honourfics[1]
- Shaheed, 'martyr': Baba Deep Singh, Bhai Mani Singh
- Sant, 'enlightened' or 'holy': Sant Fateh Singh
- Sardar, male honorific attached to names as a prefix.[8] For Sikhs, its often direct toward turban-wearing Sikh men.[1]
- Satguru
- Singh
- Singh Sahib, used to refer to a jathedar of a takht, meaning "Your Honour" or "the Honourable"[1]
- Swargwasi, 'deceased [male]' ('late' in English)
- Thakur
- Ustad, 'Master' (teacher)
- Yuvraj
- Zamindar
Females
- Bibi, in English 'Miss'. This is an honourifical prefix appended to the name of Sikh women and girls in venerated positions to confer respect.[1]
- Bhehen ji
- Jathedarni, 'General', 'leader'
- Kaur
- Maharani
- Masterani, in English teacher
- Mata, honourifical prefix literally meaning "mother" appended to the names of Sikh women (especially historical figures, usually older women) to confer respect and reverence[1]
- Rani
- Saheba
- Sardarni, female equivalent of sardar.[8] Used as a prefix attached to the female's name.[8]
- Swargwasi 'deceased [female]'/'late' in English)
- Yuvrani
- Thakurani
- Zamindarni
See also
References
- Sandhu, Gian Singh (28 March 2023). "161. Are Sikhs given any honourific designations?". Who Are the Sikhs? An Exploration of the Beliefs, Practices, & Traditions of the Sikh People. Archway Publishing. ISBN 9781665739535.
- McLeod, William Hewat. "BHĀĪ". The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism (Online Conversion). Punjabi University, Patiala. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
- Singh, Harbans. The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol. 2: E-L. Punjabi University, Patiala. pp. 362–3.
- Reeves, Peter; Rai, Rajesh, eds. (25 July 2008). "Bhai Maharaj Singh as a Sikh Sant". The South Asian Diaspora: Transnational Networks and Changing Identities. Taylor & Francis. p. 181. ISBN 9781134105946.
- Oberoi, Harjot Singh (15 December 1994). The Construction of Religious Boundaries: Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition. University of Chicago Press. pp. 116–123. ISBN 9780226615929.
- Temple, Richard Carnac (1883). A Dissertation on the Proper Names of Panjâbîs: With Special Reference to the Proper Names of Villagers in the Eastern Panjâb. Education Society. p. 68.
In a similar manner, in the Panjab, the descendants of the Sikh Gurus have special names. These are–– Bawa: Descendant of the 2nd Guru Angad, Bedi: Descended from Guru Nanak's caste, Bhai: Descendant of the Sikh Saints, Guru: Descendant of Guru Nanak, Sodhi: Descendant of the 4th Guru Ram Das. They are prefixed to the name, as Bhai Pheru, Bawa Gharib Singh, Sodhi Man Singh. Bhai is also a common title of Sikh saints or holy men. So is Bawa of wandering village faqirs, as Bawa Ram Das from the Census tables. Bawa, too, by an odd change in calling and occupation often now means a 'woodseller.'
- Talbot, Cynthia (2001). Precolonial India in practice: Society, region, and identity in medieval Andhra. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 81. ISBN 0-19-513661-6.
- Singh, Jagraj (2009). "2: Practical Sikhism: Sikh Names". A Complete Guide to Sikhism. Unistar Books. pp. 73–74. ISBN 9788171427543.