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7 February 2011
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Page 3 of 3
Bengali today
The history of Bengali
Names and writing system

More about Bengali

The writing system
Bengali writing has developed from the Devanagari writing system used for Hindi. It runs from left to right and hangs down from rather than resting on the line. Like most Indian writing systems, Bengali letters represent syllables rather than individual sounds.

Bengali writing

Bengali names
FatherMuhammad Abdur Rahman
MotherShitara Begum
SonShamsur Islam
DaughterJakia Akhtar

Moslem men usually have two or three names, e.g. Muhammad Abdur Rahman, Ahmed Karim. Sometimes they also use a male title (e.g. Miah, Khan) either at the beginning or the end of their name.

Girls and women have two-part names - a personal name which always comes first and a second name which is either a female title (e.g. Begum, Bi, Bibi) or another personal name. Traditionally Muslims have not used a family name. However, when they move overseas they often choose an element of the father's name as the family name.

Hindu names
Hindu names consist of a personal name, e.g. Rabindra, an optional middle name, e.g. Nath, and a family name, e.g. Tagore. Sometimes the first and middle names are written together, e.g. Rabindranath. Children take their father's family name. Married women take their husband's family name.

Personal name(s)Family name
FatherAnil BaranSur
MotherDiptiSur
SonSunilSur
DaughterShyamali DeviSur

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