[1] Burmese names were originally one syllable, as in the cases of U Nu and U Thant ("U" being an honorific).
In the mid-20th century, many Burmese started using two syllables, albeit without any formal structure.
In the late 1890s, British scholars observed that Arakanese commonly adopted three-syllable names whereas Burmans were still using one or two at most.
[2] As they become more familiar with Western culture, Burmese people are gradually increasing the number of syllables in their children's names, by use of various structures.
For instance, Aung San's parents are commonly referred to as U Pha and Daw Suu.
[4] Many Burmese Buddhists also use astrology (which is determined by the child's day of birth in the traditional eight-day calendar) to name their children.