Anti-Caste Naming Movements
जाति-विरोधी नामकरण आंदोलन
Social and political efforts in India to reject caste-identifying surnames in favor of caste-neutral names, pioneered by leaders like B.R. Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule.
Throughout Indian history, surnames have functioned as visible markers of caste identity, enabling discrimination. Anti-caste naming movements emerged as a deliberate strategy to disrupt this system. B.R. Ambedkar encouraged millions of Dalits to adopt Buddhism, which involved taking new, non-Hindu names free of caste associations.
Key Movements and Strategies
The Self-Respect Movement, founded by Periyar in 1925, explicitly urged followers to drop caste titles and Brahminical surnames. In Maharashtra, followers of Ambedkar adopted surnames like 'Baudh' (Buddhist) or entirely new names during mass conversion ceremonies. In Punjab, the Ad Dharm movement encouraged Dalits to adopt distinct non-caste identities.
Contemporary Landscape
In modern India, anti-caste naming takes multiple forms. Some families adopt caste-neutral surnames like 'Kumar' (prince), 'Raj' (king), or 'Indian'. Others choose nature-based names unrelated to their ancestral occupation. Indian law permits any citizen to change their name through a gazette notification. Studies have shown that caste-identifiable surnames significantly affect callback rates in job applications, lending empirical support to the practice of adopting neutral names.