What a name

[Craig]

Sri Lankan cricketer Amunugama Rajapakse Rajakaruna Abeykoon Panditha Wasalamudiyanse Ralahamilage Rajitha Krishantha Bandara Amunugama must surely have the longest name in cricket (including minor cricket).

What a name!

Can anybody of Sri Lankan background tell us why some Sri Lankans have such long names?

 

[Sehwag309]

Its mostly with south indians as well, they add the father gandfather village name. I have no idea what relatives are included in the above name.

 

[Craig]

So it isn't a religious thing?

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I think I read about him. He was mentioned in the 1994 Wisden almanack, and he only had three names there...and by 2004, he'd gone up to ten

 

[lord_of_darkness]

i think he would be able to remember his own name?

 

[Craig]

i think he would be able to remember his own name?

Well with so many names anything is possible.

Would have a lengthy drivers licenise!

 

[age_master]

Well with so many names anything is possible.

Would have a lengthy drivers licenise!

imagine having to sign your full name

 

[Richard]

I think I read about him. He was mentioned in the 1994 Wisden almanack, and he only had three names there...and by 2004, he'd gone up to ten

Yes, and I thought Matthew Engel had a very valid point in his Notes when he said "might this all be some elaborate joke?"

 

[Langeveldt]

WPUJC Vaas is pretty extreme... But according to that craig, his first and last names would be Amunugama Amunugama? A new Richie Richardson?

 

[Craig]

Well Rangana Herath's name has a 'Herath' in one of his middle names.

 

[Tapioca]

There are two Sri Lankan first class cricketers with 8 names : Siththa Brahakmana Herath Mudiyanselage Walawwe Buddika Thaminda Bandara Ellepola & Arya Kastriya Takurartiya Dawaditya Gadyawasam Lidamullage Asitha Suraj de Silva. Sri Narayana Ratnayake Herath Mudiyanselage Senadi Bandara Malmeewala is a seven.

Among SL fc ckters, you will also find such wonderful names like

Yapa Mudiyanselage Gannile Aluthwalauwe Manjula Bandara Gannile,
Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanka Welegedara,
Nanayakkorawasani Rudahettige Bindural Dinuka Dulshan Chandrasekera
Bulathwatte Walawwe Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Manjula Dissanayake

The full name of the test cricketer Ranji Madurasinghe -
Madurasinghe Arachchige Wijayasiri Ranjith Madurasinghe - has the same property as that of Amunugama.

There is also a cricketer named Rajapakse Rajakaruna Wasala Mudiyanselage Sanjaya Bandra Ranaweera which is suspiciouly similar to that of Amunugama, and a Herath Mudiyanselage Waruna Asiri Priyadharshana Herath who reminds one of Rangana Herath.

For an article on silly things about the names of test cricketers, see this link : http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Articles/0/592.html

 

[dude]

Sri Lankan cricketer Amunugama Rajapakse Rajakaruna Abeykoon Panditha Wasalamudiyanse Ralahamilage Rajitha Krishantha Bandara Amunugama must surely have the longest name in cricket (including minor cricket).

What a name!

Can anybody of Sri Lankan background tell us why some Sri Lankans have such long names?

the first part of the name is the family name, alahamilage = the last 4 letters "lage" means he belongs to that family, so basically all name prior to the "lage" is the family name which includes grandfathers name fathers name and so on and the last bit is his actual name.
this is an old singhalese tradition, which comes down from the times of the great singhalese kings. it helped identify the person back in the day. people's reputations and classs were recognized by the respect and reputation there forefathers had.

 

[Langeveldt]

interesting...

 

[NikhilN]

imagine having to sign your full name

ROFL

 

[Craig]

the first part of the name is the family name, alahamilage = the last 4 letters "lage" means he belongs to that family, so basically all name prior to the "lage" is the family name which includes grandfathers name fathers name and so on and the last bit is his actual name.
this is an old singhalese tradition, which comes down from the times of the great singhalese kings. it helped identify the person back in the day. people's reputations and classs were recognized by the respect and reputation there forefathers had.

Cheers.

 

[Nate]

Well Rangana Herath's name has a 'Herath' in one of his middle names.

haha yea the only reason i know that is from ICC, cause his name in that is Herath Herath. Even Pathans name is pretty funny.
Irfan Khan Pathan (Ban, Can, Dan, etc...)