/data/photo/2026/03/25/69c34cfe14695.jpg "69c34cfe14695.jpg"){kind=small}
DENPASAR, Bali – The Balinese government is taking steps to preserve traditional names as the number of children named Ketut and Nyoman continues to decline. Governor I Wayan Koster warned that the name Ketut is particularly at risk, currently representing only 4.9 percent of newborns, while Nyoman accounts for 18 percent.
“If this isn’t managed well going forward, Ketut will be the first name to disappear in Bali,” Koster said during a plenary session of the Bali Provincial DPRD on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. “We will lose our local wisdom, our ancestral heritage.”
The governor’s remarks came during the presentation of the Report on Accountability of the Regional Head of Bali Province for the 2025 Fiscal Year, and included a speech marking one year in office, from February 20, 2025, to February 20, 2026.
Read also: Governor Koster Dismisses Concerns About Bali’s Safety Following Ukrainian Citizen’s Mutilation
In response to the dwindling use of these names, the Bali Provincial Government is developing a gubernatorial regulation to provide incentives to families who name their children Nyoman or Ketut. The move underscores the government’s commitment to preserving Balinese cultural identity.
“As the next generation, we are responsible and must not be negligent,” Koster stated. “We must continue to protect this heritage. Nyoman and Ketut will receive special incentives starting this year.”
The governor explained that officials are already compiling data on pregnant mothers across Bali, particularly those from low-income families expecting their third or fourth child.
“We will take care of them, and we will take care of their education,” he said.
Children named Nyoman and Ketut will also be eligible for incentives through the One Family One Graduate program, supporting their education through college.
“To ensure this runs smoothly, a gubernatorial regulation will be created,” Koster added.
Koster previously discussed the planned incentives during a public discussion at Udayana University in Jimbaran, Badung Regency, on February 18, 2026, highlighting the increasing rarity of the names Nyoman and Ketut.
He expressed personal concern over the trend, noting its potential impact on the preservation of Balinese culture. The case highlights the challenges of balancing cultural preservation with changing demographic trends.
To prevent a projected population deficit in 2050, the government plans to implement policies aimed at maintaining population growth and ensuring the resilience of the Balinese people.
This includes ending the two-child family planning program and replacing it with a policy encouraging families to have four or more children in Bali.
“This is to preserve the Balinese people,” Koster said.
Read also: Koster Raises Funds from Bali Civil Servants to Repair Elementary School Damaged by Flash Floods
KOMPAS.com berkomitmen memberikan fakta jernih, tepercaya, dan berimbang. Dukung keberlanjutan jurnalisme jernih dan nikmati kenyamanan baca tanpa iklan melalui Membership. Gabung KOMPAS.com Plus sekarang
