Indonesian names and naming customs reflect the multicultural and multilingual nature of the over 17,000 islands in the Indonesian archipelago. The world's fourth most populous nation, Indonesia is home to more than 1300 ethnic groups, each with their own culture, custom, and language. The Javanese are the largest single group, comprising around 40 percent of Indonesia's total population.
Honorifics
General
In Indonesia, ranks and professional titles are used. It is also customary to use Pak, Bapak, or Saudara to address men and Bu, Ibu, or Saudari to address women. Pak and Bapak are literally translated as "father". Bapak is more formal and is used much like the English word, "sir". Saudara (for men) or Saudari (for women) is another term of greater respect and formality. It translates to "kinsman", "lady", or "gentleman". Ibu is literally translated as "mother". It is used as "ma'am" or "lady" would be in English. If addressing a man whose name is unknown, one uses Bapak and if addressing a woman whose name is unknown, one uses Ibu.
A very formal way to address an older person or a person of higher status is Tuan or Nyonya, which mean "sir" or "madam".
An informal way to address a significantly older person is to use Om, Paman, Bibi, or Tante, which mean "uncle" and "aunt". The terms are Dutch-influenced and quite commonly used in the big cities.
Local honorifics continue to be employed throughout Indonesia. In a casual situation, Kakak or Kak is used to address a person as an "older sibling".
In Javanese, Mbak is used for "older sister" and Mas is used for "older brother". Mbak and Mas are also used, for example, to address junior staff in cafes and restaurants in Jakarta.
In Sundanese, Teteh or Teh is used for "older sister" and Akang, Kang, or Aa is used for "older brother". Mamang, Amang, or Mang is used for "uncle" and Ceuceu or Ceu is used for "aunt".
In Balinese, Mbok is used for "older sister" and Bli is used for "older brother". Geg is used for "younger sister" and Gus is used for "younger brother".
In Batak, Ito is used by a woman to a man or vice versa to call "older sibling", Eda is used by a woman to call "older sister", and Lae is used by man to call "older brother".
In Minangkabau, Uni is used for "older sister" and Uda is used for "older brother".
In Manado, Ambon, and Kupang, Nona is used for "younger sister" and Nyong is used for "younger brother". Noni is also used for "younger sister" in Manado.
In Papua, Tete is used for elderly men and Nene is used for elderly women. Bapa is used for older men and Mama is used for older women. Pace is used for familiar older men and Mace is used for familiar older women. Kaka is used for "older sibling". Ade is used for "younger sibling". Nona is used for familiar women of your age or young women.
In Malay cultural spheres, an "older sister" is addressed as Kakak or Kak and an "older brother" is addressed as Abang or Bang. However, Abang is also commonly used in other areas to address a becak driver, angkot driver, butcher, vegetable vendor, fishmonger, or hawker.
Gus (from bagus) is used exclusively to address an honorable Eastern Javanese person with a strong traditional and religious identity. For example, the Indonesian former president, Abdurrahman Wahid, was often addressed as Gus Dur; Dur being the short form of his first name, Abdurrahman.
Royalty
For Indonesian royalty, the titles "Sri" and "Prabhu" are used to address kings and monarchs, usually in Indianized kingdoms located in the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Borneo, and other places which had Hindu/Buddhist influence. "Sri Baginda" or "Sri Paduka Baginda" is the formal title used to address a king, for example the sultan of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. "Prabhu" is also the title used for kings who ruled in the Hindu/Buddhist era, such as Prabu Siliwangi and Prabu Bratasena.
Naming forms
Legally, Indonesian personal names are not divided into first and family names. A single name is recognized as a full personal name, and the addition of further components–such as additional given names, regional, or ethnic family/clan names or patronymics or matronymics–is a matter of parents' choice when registering the child's name. Even then, family names or patronymics are just considered part of the full personal name and have no official relevance (for instance, alphabetic ordering of names is always done by the first letter of the full personal name).