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How Kazakh Names Evolved and How to Use Them Correctly Today
How Kazakh Names Evolved and How to Use Them Correctly Today
The first edition of the book Situational Kazakh was published in 2012. Kanat Tasibekov developed it based on his own experience when he encountered a lack of effective methods for learning the Kazakh language. His goal is to help Russian-speaking Kazakhs overcome the language barrier and make the state language accessible. In the book, the author collected examples and socio-cultural insights from Kazakh history, folklore, and everyday life, making the language-learning process more engaging and understandable. In March of this year, Kanat Tasibekov's book was published in English. Kazakh Language in Context: Unveiling the Essence of Kazakhs was edited by Alex Warburton, a doctoral student from Harvard studying linguistic anthropology.
One of the volumes describes Kazakh child-naming customs, as well as the influence of historical, cultural, and linguistic factors on the choice of names.
The Voice Media explores how the restoration of names unfolded in independent Kazakhstan and invites readers to take a closer look at Kanat Tasibekov's book.
One of the volumes describes Kazakh child-naming customs, as well as the influence of historical, cultural, and linguistic factors on the choice of names.
The Voice Media explores how the restoration of names unfolded in independent Kazakhstan and invites readers to take a closer look at Kanat Tasibekov's book.
Kazakh names are like stars in the sky.
The origin of Kazakh names demonstrates how global processes, religious movements, and social transformations influenced naming practices. From names inspired by Islamic culture to borrowings from other languages, every name tells its own unique story.
The roots of Kazakh names reach back into the depth of centuries—to the Saka, Scythians, Huns, and ancient Turks. Ancient Saka-Scythian names have survived to this day, such as Tomiris. Legend has preserved the name of the first Scythian, Targitai, which closely resembles modern Turkic and Kazakh names. Systematic research into theoretical issues of Kazakh anthroponymy began as early as the second half of the 19th century. As Berdaly Ospan, author of the book Names: From Sakas to Kazakhs, notes, Kazakh names are as numerous as stars in the sky. Yet to this day, attempts to compile a comprehensive collection of Kazakh names—including those forgotten today—remain unfinished.
Kazakhs believed that a person's name largely determined their fate, making the choice of a name an exceptionally serious matter. Ethnographer Mashkhur-Jusup Kopeyuly wrote in his book Kazakh Genealogy (Qazaq shejiresi): Khan Uyz gave his children these names: Kun (sun), Ai (moon), Zhuldyz (star), Kok (flora), Tau (mountain), Tengiz (sea).
The roots of Kazakh names reach back into the depth of centuries—to the Saka, Scythians, Huns, and ancient Turks. Ancient Saka-Scythian names have survived to this day, such as Tomiris. Legend has preserved the name of the first Scythian, Targitai, which closely resembles modern Turkic and Kazakh names. Systematic research into theoretical issues of Kazakh anthroponymy began as early as the second half of the 19th century. As Berdaly Ospan, author of the book Names: From Sakas to Kazakhs, notes, Kazakh names are as numerous as stars in the sky. Yet to this day, attempts to compile a comprehensive collection of Kazakh names—including those forgotten today—remain unfinished.
Kazakhs believed that a person's name largely determined their fate, making the choice of a name an exceptionally serious matter. Ethnographer Mashkhur-Jusup Kopeyuly wrote in his book Kazakh Genealogy (Qazaq shejiresi): Khan Uyz gave his children these names: Kun (sun), Ai (moon), Zhuldyz (star), Kok (flora), Tau (mountain), Tengiz (sea).
A year ago, IT specialists from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU) developed a Kazakh-language mobile app titled Qyzyqty Onomastika ("Fascinating Onomastics"). The new digital product brings together over 800 proper names, categorized across more than 100 semantic features—the platform's defining advantage. App users can easily select a name for a newborn or look up the origin and meaning of their own name.
During the Soviet period, rigid instructions governed the transcription of names and surnames into Russian, fundamentally distorting many Kazakh-language names. Distinct Kazakh letters were replaced with phonetically similar Russian characters, leading to severe corruption of original names: Өмірбай became Umerbay, while Қамар was converted into Komar.
Immediately following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, independent states actively moved to strip away colonial legacy and restore historical justice regarding the usage and official spelling of their native names. Today, personal details in official documents are registered in accordance with Kazakh linguistic standards. The restoration of Kazakh names to their original forms serves not merely to fix a linguistic aspect, but to foster a deeper understanding and reclamation of national identity.
Immediately following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, independent states actively moved to strip away colonial legacy and restore historical justice regarding the usage and official spelling of their native names. Today, personal details in official documents are registered in accordance with Kazakh linguistic standards. The restoration of Kazakh names to their original forms serves not merely to fix a linguistic aspect, but to foster a deeper understanding and reclamation of national identity.
That is not how we say it
Is your friend Meruert or Mika? And your new colleague—Murat or Make? Does Zarina consider herself an author (author) or a female author (authoress/avtorka)? How should you describe your neighbor Talgat: as blind or visually impaired? In many situations, we are faced with a choice. What is better to rely on: the opinion of the person being addressed, or our own convenience? We still occasionally make mistakes using familiar terms, calling someone by a name without thinking about how it might be received by those it concerns.
In 2019, the publication Takie Dela released a dictionary of correct vocabulary. As the authors note, the degree of "incorrectness" varies in each case, and to demonstrate this, they established three levels of tags: "incorrect" (contains a factual error or contradicts reality), "inappropriate" (offensive, disrespectful, outdated, or pathologizing word), and "could be said differently" (generally acceptable, but a more polite and respectful alternative exists). The authors had no intention of dictating how one should or shouldn't speak—everyone chooses how they speak and write. They understood well that vocabulary depends heavily on context, and that the way we speak in private differs from how we express ourselves in public speeches or on social media. "We are not imposing anything on anyone—we are simply inviting people to reflect on how we speak, why we do it, and how others perceive it," they addressed their readers.
In 2019, the publication Takie Dela released a dictionary of correct vocabulary. As the authors note, the degree of "incorrectness" varies in each case, and to demonstrate this, they established three levels of tags: "incorrect" (contains a factual error or contradicts reality), "inappropriate" (offensive, disrespectful, outdated, or pathologizing word), and "could be said differently" (generally acceptable, but a more polite and respectful alternative exists). The authors had no intention of dictating how one should or shouldn't speak—everyone chooses how they speak and write. They understood well that vocabulary depends heavily on context, and that the way we speak in private differs from how we express ourselves in public speeches or on social media. "We are not imposing anything on anyone—we are simply inviting people to reflect on how we speak, why we do it, and how others perceive it," they addressed their readers.
The right to one's name as a sociolinguistic trend emerged relatively recently. Previously, the idea that an individual could personally choose how they wished to be addressed did not exist. Today, we have the official legal right to change our names in identity documents and request to be called whatever name we deem appropriate. In these interactions, the most ethical and respectful course of action is to honor the speaker's personal preference. A parallel can be seen with feminitives, where a woman exercises her right to representation by requesting that feminine job titles and descriptors be applied to her across all contexts.
It is widely accepted that you should only use the name a person introduced themselves with. If you have known each other for a long time and are transitioning to a more informal level of address, it is best to ask whether using an alternative form is comfortable for them. Using the exact name a person provided is a matter of basic courtesy. Altering someone's name without consent crosses their personal boundaries.
"A acquaintance of mine has four people in their family, and every single one of them has a different surname. The father was Djanbulatov, but now he is Zhanbulat, while his wife remained Djanbulatova. The older son is Zhanbulatov, and the younger son is recorded as Zhanbolat. Many of us can point to similar examples," writes Radio Azattyq. Such onomastic challenges emerged long ago, and experts remain divided on strategic approaches to solving this issue on a national scale. Leaders of the creative intelligentsia and some influential politicians also contribute to the confusion by changing the spelling of their names and surnames based on personal considerations regarding image or other factors.
The right to one's name
Anthroponymy is a branch of onomastics that studies human proper names. Scholars distinguish several groups of anthroponyms: first names, surnames, patronymics, cryptonyms (hidden or secret names), and pseudonyms.
Onomastics is a broader concept than anthroponymy—it is the comprehensive science of all proper names. Derived from Greek, the term translates to "the art of naming." In the traditions of various cultures, it is customary to select a specific individual to bestow a name upon a child. This tradition was widely practiced among the Kazakhs as well.
In Kazakhstan, a person's name is legally governed by a series of regulatory acts that safeguard citizens' rights regarding personal identification. There is no official requirement stipulating that a name must be written strictly in the Kazakh, Russian, or Latin alphabets. That choice rests entirely with the parents.
Onomastics is a broader concept than anthroponymy—it is the comprehensive science of all proper names. Derived from Greek, the term translates to "the art of naming." In the traditions of various cultures, it is customary to select a specific individual to bestow a name upon a child. This tradition was widely practiced among the Kazakhs as well.
In Kazakhstan, a person's name is legally governed by a series of regulatory acts that safeguard citizens' rights regarding personal identification. There is no official requirement stipulating that a name must be written strictly in the Kazakh, Russian, or Latin alphabets. That choice rests entirely with the parents.
Last year in Almaty, approximately 3,500 people filed applications to change their surname, first name, or patronymic. The most frequent reasons included returning to a maiden name after divorce, wanting to adopt a name used in daily life that differs from official documentation, taking a surname based on the father's or grandfather's name according to national traditions, or adopting a surname or patronymic honoring the individual who actually raised the applicant.
Any citizen of Kazakhstan who has reached 16 years of age has the legal right to change their surname, first name, or patronymic. An application can be submitted through a Public Service Center (CSC / ЦОН) or directly at a Civil Registration Office (RAGS / РАГС) with a valid national ID card or passport.
Furthermore, applications can be submitted online via the eGov portal using an electronic digital signature (EDS).
Any citizen of Kazakhstan who has reached 16 years of age has the legal right to change their surname, first name, or patronymic. An application can be submitted through a Public Service Center (CSC / ЦОН) or directly at a Civil Registration Office (RAGS / РАГС) with a valid national ID card or passport.
Furthermore, applications can be submitted online via the eGov portal using an electronic digital signature (EDS).
We are publishing an excerpt from the book Situational Kazakh, in which author Kanat Tasibekov explores the meanings and variations of Kazakh names.
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"Examples of the diversity and originality of Kazakh names are frequently encountered in our daily lives. Each of us has an acquaintance—or an acquaintance of an acquaintance—whose name could easily be told as an anecdote. Where did such names come from? When naming children, Kazakhs took into account anything and everything: the weather, events accompanying the child's birth, the season, and primarily yrymdaū [superstitious ritual]—not euphony or beauty; in fact, quite the opposite, an unharmonious name was believed to guarantee protection against the evil eye.
Particular ingenuity was exercised when choosing names for another newborn girl if a son had not yet been born: Ūlbosyn [may it be a boy], Ūltūghan [a boy is born], Ūlzhalghas [a boy next], Ūlbike [boy-maiden], Ūlmeken [maybe a boy], Tojdyq [we've had enough], En'diqoi [enough already], Zhanyl [mistake/error], and so forth.
Additionally, the inability of the Russian alphabet to convey specific Kazakh sounds in official spellings has often served as a source of humor. Thus, the life-affirming Kazakh names Ömırbai and Ömırtai appeared in official documents as Umerbay and Umertay [phonetically resembling 'died'], while the sparkling Qamar became the buzzing Komar['mosquito'].
For us, however, the fact that a portion of Kazakh names is drawn from everyday vocabulary allows us, by knowing the meanings of these names, to enrich our vocabulary and easily memorize these words essential for daily language practice. Möldır can appear as Moldir, Moldyr, Muldyr, Maldir, Maldir, Maldyr, or Moldir."