Re: Origins of a few surnames
by Jim Young (guest)
8/28/2009, 5:55 AM
Yes, Ramachandran is the same as Ramachandra, etc. This particular spelling is doubtless South Indian. The North Indian form would usually be Ramchand, though there are variants. A forename and a surname, as you indicate. Apparently the meaning is "moonlike (God) Rama", and a male given name, so presumably a patronymic.
Yasir, Yaser, Yasser are the same. The name is said to mean "easy". In the case of the Palestinian leader, Yasir Arafat, it was a nickname.