Sonam is a given name. It is a Tibetan name meaning "merit" (). Separately, it is also a name in various Indo-Aryan languages (Devanagari script: ). People with this name include: Buddhism Sönam Choklang, 2nd Panchen Lama (1438–1505) Sonam Gyatso, 3rd Dalai Lama (1543–1588), first officially recognized Dalai Lama Sonam Lhundrup (1456–1531), great abbot of Mustang Sonam Rapten (1595–1658), senior official of the Gelugpa School Sonam Rinchen (1933–2013), Buddhist Geshe from Kham Jinpa Sonam (born 1955), Indian Buddhist teacher from Ladakh, director of the Indiana Buddhist center Entertainers Sonam (actress) (born Bakhtavar Khan, 1972), Indian actress Sonam Bajwa (born 1989), Indian actress of Punjabi descent Sonam Bisht (), Indian actress from Uttarakhand Sonam Kapoor (born 1985), Indian film actress and fashion icon Sonam Kinga (), Bhutanese actor Sonam Lamba (born 1995), Indian actress from Chandigarh Sonam Lhamo (born 1988), Bhutanese actress Sonam Mukherjee (, Indian actress from Mumbai Sonam Tshering Lepcha (1928–2020), Indian folk musician from Sikkim Soname Yangchen (born 1973), Tibetan singer and songwriter Tenzing Sonam (born 1959), Tibetan film director Politics and government Sonom (died 1776), king of the rGyalrong people in China Sonam Drakpa (1359–1408), regent of Central Tibet Sonam Gyatso Lepcha (), Indian politician from Sikkim Sonam Lama (born ), Indian politician from Sikkim Sonam Pelzom (born ), Bhutanese politician Sonam Topgay Dorji (1896–1953), Bhutanese politician Sonam Topgyal (1940–2012), Kalön Tripa of the Central Tibetan Administration Sonam Tobgye (born 1949), Bhutanese judge Sonam Venchungpa (), Indian politician from Sikkim Sonam Wangchuk (born 1964), Indian Army veteran from Ladakh Jalley Sonam (), Indian politician and trade unionist from Arunachal Pradesh Sport Sonam Bhutia (born 1994), Indian footballer from Sikkim Sonam Chuki (born 1963), Bhutanese archer Sonam Gyatso (mountaineer) (1923–1968), Sikkimese mountaineer Sonam Tenzin (born 1986), Bhutanese footballer Sonam Tobgay (born 1990), Bhutanese cricketer and footballer Sonam Wangyal (born 1942), Indian mountaineer from Sikkim known for scaling Mount Everest Sonam Yoezer (born 1994), Bhutanese footballer Other Sonam Dechen Wangchuck (born 1981), princess of Bhutan Sonam Dolma Brauen, (born 1953), Tibetan-Swiss painter Sonam Lotus, Indian meteorologist from Ladakh Sonam Wangchuk (engineer) (born 1966), Indian engineer from Ladakh References Tibetan names