Mandaean name
Mandaeans names
Mandaean names can include both birth names (i.e., secular names) and baptismal names (i.e., religious names; also called maṣbuta names or zodiacal names), called malwasha (ࡌࡀࡋࡅࡀࡔࡀ) in Mandaic.
Birth names
Mandaean birth names are secular names that are given at birth and are used by non-Mandaeans to refer to Mandaeans in everyday life.
Malwasha (baptismal names)
In Mandaeism, a baptismal (zodiacal) or masbuta name, also known as malwasha (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡋࡅࡀࡔࡀ, romanized: malwaša, which can also mean 'zodiac'), is a religious name given by a Mandaean priest to a person, as opposed to a birth name. The baptismal name of a priest reflects his spiritual lineage, with his "spiritual father" being the priest who had initiated him rather than his biological father. Since they are spiritual names that are typically used only within the Mandaean community, Mandaeans may often be reluctant to reveal their baptismal names to non-Mandaeans. As a result, baptismal names are never used as legal names. The malwasha is used to protect a Mandaean from their zodiac sign. This is due to the twelve zodiac constellations being seen as part of the evil spirit Ruha's entourage.
A lay Mandaean's malwasha is linked with the mother's name. For example, Mhattam Yohanna bar Simat (written as Mhatam Yuhana br Simat ࡌࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡍࡀ ࡁࡓ ࡎࡉࡌࡀࡕ) means "Mhattam Yohanna son of Simat," his mother.
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