Balinese Names and Their Meanings: Why We Named Our Swimwear After Them

If you've ever ordered from SunDaze and wondered why your bikini is called Putu, or your surf suit is called Ketut, this is the story behind it.

When we started SunDaze in Bali, we knew we wanted to do more than just make swimwear. Bali had given us so much: the waves, the community, the whole reason this brand exists. We wanted to honour that in a way that felt meaningful, not just decorative.

So we turned to one of the most beautiful traditions in Balinese culture: their naming system.

How Balinese names work

In Bali, every child is given a name based on their birth order. It doesn't matter which family you come from, which village you're in, or what your background is. The same four names are shared across the entire island.

The firstborn is named Wayan, Putu, or Gede. The second child is named Made, Kadek, or Nengah. The third child is named Nyoman or Komang. The fourth child is named Ketut.

After four children, the cycle starts again, so a fifth child would again be called Wayan or Putu.

What makes this tradition so special is the sense of connection it creates. When you meet someone in Bali named Wayan, you immediately know something about them. It's a naming system built on community and shared identity rather than individuality, and that resonated deeply with what SunDaze stands for.

Why we built our collection around these names

Surfing is our girl therapy. It's always been about more than just the waves. It's about the women you share them with, the community you find, the feeling of belonging to something bigger than yourself.

The Balinese naming tradition felt like the perfect reflection of that. A system rooted in togetherness, where your name connects you to everyone around you. We loved the idea of building a product range that carried that same sense of belonging.

So we started naming our products after each birth order, in the order they were born into our collection.

The SunDaze collection, and the names behind it

When we launched in 2022, we built our first collection around the Balinese birth order, starting from the beginning.

Wayan is the firstborn. Our sleeveless surf suit, the style that started it all.

Made is the second child. A full coverage surf suit, built for serious time in the water.

Nyoman is the third child. A scoop neck top with crossover bikini bottoms, bringing a different kind of femininity to the range.

Ketut is the fourth child. An open back, sleeveless surf suit that rounds out the original family.

From there the collection kept growing. Putu, also a name for the firstborn, came next as our bikini line: triangle tops, surf bikini tops, rashies and bottoms. Then Kadek, another second-born name, arrived as our onesie style.

And there's more on the way. Gede, Komang and Nengah are all alternative names within the birth order tradition, arriving in summer 2026 with new styles: a bandeau bikini set, boardshorts, and a new surf set.

From there the family kept growing. Putu, also a firstborn name, came next with our bikini line: triangle tops, surf bikini tops, rashies and bottoms. Then Kadek, another second-born name, arrived as our onesie style.

And there's more on the way. Gede, Komang and Nengah are all alternative names within the birth order tradition, arriving in summer 2026 with new styles: a bandeau bikini set, boardshorts, and a new surf set.

Dewi and Danu: the goddesses

Two names in our range sit slightly outside the birth order tradition, but are just as rooted in Balinese culture.

Dewi means goddess in Balinese and Sanskrit. It felt like the only name worthy of our crochet top, a piece that's a little more special, a little more elevated.

Danu is the Balinese goddess of water and lakes. She watches over rivers, springs and the sea, so naturally she became the name for our tankini top, designed to be worn in the ocean.

A small nod to a big island

Every product name in our collection is a quiet thank you to Bali. To the island that started everything, to the culture that inspired us, and to the community, both Balinese and global, that continues to shape who we are.

We hope when you wear your Putu or pull on your Ketut, you feel a tiny piece of that connection too 🧡

SunDaze Surf makes sustainable surf bikinis, surf suits and swimwear for women. Born in Bali. Worn in the ocean.