Javanese Personal Names in Traditional and Global Contexts

The purpose of this study is to explain the different references that the Javanese use in determining personal names in both traditional and new global context. The study is based on the theory of meaning originating in Ogden and Richards (1952) and the process of semiosis in Pierce (The philosophy of peirce: Selected writings, Harcourt, 1940). Data is obtained from (1) written sources in the form of birth data of Javanese individuals from Sukorejo, Ngasem, and Kediri, (2) interviews, and (3) a questionnaire. The informants were asked about the meaning of their names and the way they were selected. Information from the interviews supports the other qualitative data. This study shows that reference of personal names in traditional and global contexts does indeed differ. In particular, names in global context do not represent traditional Javanese culture. An important finding that should be studied further is that the ability to produce and use signs in naming as a coherent marker of identity is the result of deep thought processes.