Siam
/saɪˈæm/noun
The former English name for Thailand, used officially until 1939 and again briefly after World War II.
Did you know?The name’s Sanskrit association with darkness or deep color is also seen in Śyāma, an epithet of the Hindu deity Krishna, whose name means “dark” or “dark-blue.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śyāma
“Dark, dusky, or dark-colored; a commonly proposed source for the later name Siam”
Ancient and Medieval South Asia
Pali/Sanskrit
Sāma / Śyāma
“Forms associated with dark or dusky coloring and used in personal and religious names”
Medieval period
Thai/Khmer
Sayam
“The regional name used for the Thai kingdom; its exact transmission and original meaning remain debated”
16th Century
Portuguese
Siam / Sião
“European forms recorded by Portuguese travelers and mapmakers”
17th Century
English
Siam
“The established English name for the kingdom in mainland Southeast Asia”
1939
English
Thailand
“Officially replaced Siam as the country’s name, although Siam continued in historical and cultural usage”