# Why Do So Many Sherpas Share the Same Names?

_Published 7 June 2026_

On an Everest trek you'll meet many people called Lhakpa, Pemba or Dawa, and almost everyone with the surname Sherpa. There's a simple reason.

**Quick answer:** many Sherpas are named after the **day of the week** they were born, each linked to a celestial body: **Nima** (Sunday, Sun), **Dawa** (Monday, Moon), **Mingma** (Tuesday, Mars), **Lhakpa** (Wednesday, Mercury), **Phurba** (Thursday, Jupiter), **Pasang** (Friday, Venus) and **Pemba** (Saturday, Saturn). "Sherpa" itself is the name of the ethnic group.

## The day names

DayNameLinked toSundayNimaSunMondayDawaMoonTuesdayMingmaMarsWednesdayLhakpaMercuryThursdayPhurbaJupiterFridayPasangVenusSaturdayPembaSaturn## Other names

Names may also refer to birth order or be given by a lama, and many people combine two names, such as Ang (young) or Tenzing. Famous examples include Tenzing Norgay, Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa.

## "Sherpa" as a surname

Sherpa means "people from the east" and refers to the ethnic group of the Everest region. It is not a job title, although many Sherpas work as climbers and guides.

See our [Sherpa culture guide](/blog/sherpa-culture-guide).

## Frequently asked questions
### Why are so many Sherpas named Lhakpa?
Lhakpa means Wednesday, the day they were born.

### What does Dawa mean?
Monday, linked to the Moon.

### Is Sherpa a job?
No, it is an ethnic group, though many work in mountaineering.

### What does Sherpa mean?
"People from the east".


Web page: https://himalayanhiking.com/blog/sherpa-names-meaning