Family name ปลาวาฬ (Whale 
, Plawan 
, ปลาวาฬ ) , worldwide, is quite a rare last name. The last name ปลาวาฬ is characteristic of New Zealand, where it is quite a rare surname, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Not in comparison with a country's population, this name is the most popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. Much less frequently, ปลาวาฬ is the forename as well as the last name.
| VARIANT | COUNTRY |
|---|---|
| Whale | United Kingdom, Australia, Taiwan, United States, Canada |
| Plawan | Thailand, India, United States, Philippines |
| ปลาวาฬ | Thailand |
| Whal | South Africa, Australia, United States, India, Canada |