Nepali Last Names

These Nepali last names come from Nepal's hill, mountain, Kathmandu Valley and Terai communities, listed A to Z with Devanagari script and meanings. In Nepal a surname often reflects community, region or an ancestral village, so the background of each name matters.

156 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Acharya आचार्य

Teacher; spiritual preceptor
Adhikari अधिकारी

Authority; official in charge
Ale आले

Magar clan name
Amatya अमात्य

Minister; Newar aristocratic surname
Aryal अर्याल

Bahun clan name
Awale अवाले

Newar bricklayer caste

B

Bajracharya बज्राचार्य

Master of the vajra; Newar Buddhist priest
Baniya बानियाँ

Trader; merchant
Bantawa बान्तवा

Rai subgroup of eastern Nepal
Baral बराल

Bahun clan name
Basnet बस्नेत

Chhetri clan name
Basnyat बस्न्यात

Variant of Basnet, Chhetri clan
Bhandari भण्डारी

Storekeeper; treasurer
Bhatt भट्ट

Learned scholar; Brahmin title
Bhattachan भट्टचन

Thakali clan name
Bhattarai भट्टराई

Bahun clan; learned scholar
Bhujel भुजेल

Indigenous ethnic group of central Nepal
Bhusal भुसाल

Bahun clan name
Bishwakarma विश्वकर्मा

Divine architect; blacksmith community
Bista बिष्ट

Chhetri and Thakuri clan; honored
Bogati बोगटी

Chhetri clan name
Bohara बोहरा

Chhetri clan of far western Nepal
Budha बुढा

Magar and Chhetri clan; elder
Budhathoki बुढाथोकी

Chhetri clan name

C

Chalise चालिसे

Bahun clan; possibly forty
Chamling चाम्लिङ

Rai subgroup of eastern Nepal
Chand चन्द

Moon; Thakuri dynasty name
Chaudhary चौधरी

Headman; common Tharu surname
Chepang चेपाङ

Indigenous ethnic group of central hills
Chitrakar चित्रकार

Painter; Newar artist caste

D

Dahal दाहाल

Bahun clan name
Dangol डंगोल

Newar farming clan name
Danuwar दनुवार

Indigenous ethnic group of the inner Terai
Devkota देवकोटा

Bahun clan; fort of the gods
Dewan देवान

Minister; title used by Rai and Limbu
Dhakal ढकाल

Bahun clan name
Dhami धामी

Shaman; Chhetri and Thakuri clan
Dhimal धिमाल

Indigenous ethnic group of eastern Terai
Dhital धिताल

Bahun clan name
Dhungana ढुङ्गाना

Bahun clan; possibly from dhunga, stone

G

Gandharba गन्धर्व

Celestial musician; minstrel community
Gauchan गौचन

Thakali clan name
Gautam गौतम

Descendant of sage Gautama
Ghale घले

Gurung clan; former local kings
Gharti घर्ती

Magar and Chhetri clan name
Ghimire घिमिरे

Bahun clan name
Ghising घिसिङ

Tamang clan name
Gurung गुरुङ

Ethnic group of the central hills
Gyawali ज्ञवाली

Bahun clan; possibly from gyan, knowledge

H

Humagain हुमागाईं

Bahun clan name

J

Jha झा

Maithil Brahmin surname; teacher
Joshi जोशी

Astrologer, from jyotishi

K

Kafle काफ्ले

Bahun clan name
Kandel कँडेल

Bahun clan name
Kansakar कंसाकार

Bronze worker; Newar artisan caste
Karki कार्की

Chhetri clan name
Karmacharya कर्माचार्य

Master of rituals; Newar priestly caste
Kathayat कठायत

Chhetri clan name
Katuwal कटुवाल

Chhetri clan; possibly village crier
KC केसी

Short form of Khatri Chhetri
Khadka खड्का

Chhetri clan; from khadga, sword
Khanal खनाल

Bahun clan name
Kharel खरेल

Bahun clan name
Khatri खत्री

Warrior; Chhetri clan name
Koirala कोइराला

Bahun clan, from Koiral village
Kumal कुमाल

Potter; indigenous ethnic group
Kunwar कुँवर

Prince; Chhetri clan name
Kushwaha कुशवाहा

Descendant of Kusha; farming community

L

Lama लामा

Teacher; Tibetan Buddhist monk
Lamichhane लामिछाने

Bahun clan name
Lamsal लम्साल

Bahun clan name
Limbu लिम्बू

Kirati ethnic group of far eastern Nepal
Lopchan लोप्चन

Tamang clan name
Luitel लुइटेल

Bahun clan name

M

Magar मगर

Largest indigenous ethnic group of Nepal
Mahara महरा

Chhetri clan of western Nepal
Maharjan महर्जन

Newar farming caste of Kathmandu
Mahat महत

Chhetri clan name
Mahato महतो

Headman; Madhesi community name
Mainali मैनाली

Bahun clan name
Majhi माझी

Boatman; indigenous fishing community
Malla मल्ल

Wrestler; name of the Malla dynasty
Manandhar मानन्धर

Newar caste of oil pressers
Maskey मास्के

Newar surname
Mijar मिजार

Headman title within Dalit communities
Mishra मिश्र

Mixed; honorable Brahmin title
Moktan मोक्तान

Tamang clan name

N

Nakarmi नकर्मी

Blacksmith; Newar artisan caste
Nepal नेपाल

Bahun clan named after the country
Nepali नेपाली

Of Nepal; surname used by many Dalit families
Neupane न्यौपाने

Bahun clan name

O

Ojha ओझा

Teacher; priest; healer

P

Pandey पाण्डे

Scholar; learned Brahmin
Pant पन्त

Brahmin clan of western Nepal
Parajuli पराजुली

Bahun clan name
Pariyar परियार

Tailor and musician community
Pathak पाठक

Reader; reciter of scriptures
Paudel पौडेल

Variant spelling of Poudel
Pokharel पोखरेल

Bahun clan, from pokhari, pond
Poudel पौडेल

Bahun clan name
Pradhan प्रधान

Chief; head; Newar surname
Pradhananga प्रधानाङ्ग

Chief officer; Newar surname
Prajapati प्रजापति

Lord of creatures; Newar potter caste
Pun पुन

Magar clan name

R

Rai राई

Kirati ethnic group of eastern Nepal; chief
Rajbanshi राजवंशी

Of royal lineage; community of eastern Terai
Rajbhandari राजभण्डारी

Royal storekeeper; Newar surname
Rana राणा

King; clan of hereditary prime ministers
Ranjitkar रञ्जितकार

Dyer; Newar artisan caste
Rawal रावल

Chief; Chhetri and Thakuri clan
Rawat रावत

Chief; Chhetri clan name
Rayamajhi रायमाझी

Chhetri clan name
Regmi रेग्मी

Bahun clan name
Rijal रिजाल

Bahun clan name
Rimal रिमाल

Bahun clan name
Roka रोका

Magar clan name
Rokaya रोकाया

Chhetri clan of Karnali

S

Sah साह

Merchant; trader
Sapkota सापकोटा

Bahun clan name
Sarki सार्की

Leatherworker community
Saud साउद

Chhetri clan of far western Nepal
Shah शाह

King; name of the former royal dynasty
Shahi शाही

Royal; Thakuri clan name
Shakya शाक्य

Clan of the Buddha; Newar caste
Sharma शर्मा

Joy; shelter; Brahmin title
Sherchan शेरचन

Thakali clan name
Sherpa शेर्पा

People from the east (Tibetan shar-pa)
Shilpakar शिल्पकार

Craftsman; Newar woodcarver caste
Shrestha श्रेष्ठ

Best; excellent; Newar caste name, traditionally traders and officials
Sigdel सिग्देल

Bahun clan name
Silwal सिलवाल

Chhetri clan name
Singh सिंह

Lion
Sthapit स्थापित

Established; Newar surname
Subba सुब्बा

Governor; title used by Limbu families
Subedi सुवेदी

Bahun clan name
Sunar सुनार

Goldsmith
Sunuwar सुनुवार

Kirati ethnic group of eastern Nepal
Suwal सुवाल

Newar farming clan name

T

Tamang तामाङ

Ethnic group; possibly from Tibetan for horse traders or horse warriors
Tamrakar ताम्राकार

Coppersmith; Newar artisan caste
Thakali थकाली

Ethnic group of the Thak Khola valley
Thakuri ठकुरी

Lordly; aristocratic caste of Nepal
Thami थामी

Indigenous ethnic group of Dolakha
Thapa थापा

Chhetri and Magar clan name
Thapaliya थपलिया

Bahun clan name
Tharu थारु

Indigenous ethnic group of the Terai
Timilsina तिमिल्सिना

Bahun clan name
Tiwari तिवारी

Knower of three Vedas
Tulachan तुलाचन

Thakali clan name
Tuladhar तुलाधर

Holder of scales; Newar merchant

U

Upadhyaya उपाध्याय

Teacher; instructor

W

Wagle वाग्ले

Bahun clan name
Waiba वाइबा

Tamang clan name

Y

Yadav यादव

Descendant of Yadu; Madhesi community
Yakkha याक्खा

Kirati ethnic group of eastern Nepal
Yonjan योन्जन

Tamang clan name

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Results (6)

Pun

पुन

Magar clan name

Indian
Rana

राणा

King; clan of hereditary prime ministers

Indian
Pradhan

प्रधान

Chief; head; Newar surname

Indian
Basnyat

बस्न्यात

Variant of Basnet, Chhetri clan

Indian
Mishra

मिश्र

Mixed; honorable Brahmin title

Indian
Bhattachan

भट्टचन

Thakali clan name

Indian

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Nepali last names and community identity

In Nepal, a surname is often linked to caste or ethnic community, a pattern that shapes how names are read. Many Bahun, or Brahmin, families carry names such as Sharma, Acharya, Adhikari, Bhattarai, Koirala, Poudel, Pokharel, Dahal, Ghimire, Khanal, Aryal and Subedi. Several of these are said to come from ancestral villages. Chhetri families include Thapa, Karki, Khadka, Basnet, Bista, Bhandari and Kunwar, and Thakuri families include Shah, Malla, Chand and Hamal.

Among Janajati peoples, the name of the community itself is often used as a surname. Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Thakali and Sunuwar are all common last names. Some groups also have clan names within them, and Limbu families are sometimes known by the title Subba. In recent decades some Nepalis, especially from Dalit communities, have chosen neutral surnames such as Nepali, or shortened forms such as BK for Bishwakarma.

Newar trade names and Kathmandu Valley roots

The Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley have a distinct set of surnames, many of them linked to traditional roles. Shrestha, from a Sanskrit word meaning best or excellent, is one of the most widespread. Tamrakar means coppersmith, Chitrakar painter, Manandhar oil presser and Rajbhandari keeper of the royal store. Shakya and Bajracharya are associated with Buddhist priestly and monastic lineages, and Joshi, Pradhan and Amatya with administrative and astrological roles.

Maharjan is one of the largest Newar names and is traditionally associated with farming families in the valley. Because Newar names are tied to specific towns such as Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, a name can hint at a family's neighbourhood as well as its trade. Many Newars today work in fields far from their name's original meaning, and the name is simply a proud marker of heritage.

Himalayan and Terai naming patterns

Sherpa naming has a charming feature. Given names often come from the day of the week a child was born: Nima is Sunday, Dawa Monday, Mingma Tuesday, Lhakpa Wednesday, Phurba Thursday, Pasang Friday and Pemba Saturday. Because the surname is usually Sherpa, many people share nearly identical names, so nicknames and village names help tell them apart. The list includes Sherpa and other Himalayan names with Tibetan roots.

In the Terai plains along the Indian border, surnames overlap with those of neighbouring Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Yadav, Jha, Mishra, Mahato, Chaudhary and Shah are all common there. Among the Tharu, Chaudhary is widely used. When you pick a name from the list, check its region: a Newar name suits a Kathmandu setting, while a Terai name fits a story set in Janakpur or Birgunj.

Frequently asked questions

What can Nepali last names tell you about a family?

Often they hint at community, region or an ancestral village. Names like Gurung and Tamang name an ethnic group, while Newar names like Tamrakar recall a trade. Surnames are not a reliable guide to anyone's beliefs or status today, and many families have changed names over time.

What does Shrestha mean?

Shrestha comes from a Sanskrit word meaning best, chief or excellent. It is one of the most common Newar surnames in Nepal and is found throughout the Kathmandu Valley and in towns across the country where Newar families settled as merchants.

Why do some Nepalis use Nepali as a surname?

Some people, especially from Dalit communities, adopted Nepali as a surname that does not signal caste. Others use it for convenience on official documents. It reflects a wider trend of people choosing names that express national identity rather than a caste or community label.

Is Sherpa a surname or an ethnic group?

Both. The Sherpa are an ethnic group of the high Himalaya, and most Sherpa people use Sherpa as their surname. In mountaineering, the word is also used for high altitude guides and porters, although many of them come from other communities.