Intermarriage and the Friendship of Peoples by Adrienne Edgar

Author:Adrienne Edgar
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Cornell University Press

Names and Naming in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan

Naming in Soviet Central Asia was a mix of local and Russophone traditions. The diverse ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan had different repertoires of names and naming customs. The lines between Europeans and indigenous Central Asians were the most clearly defined; whether you were Vladimir or Jumabai, Oksana or Zamira instantly marked the broad group to which you belonged. Even among culturally and religiously close groups (Russians and Ukrainians, Kazakhs and Uzbeks), children might have different variants of the same name (Mikhail and Mykhailo, Temir and Timur), thereby signaling the child’s precise ethnic affiliation. Historically, many first or given names were closely linked to religious identity. Most European names, including those commonly used by Russians, were derived from the names of Christian saints and religious figures (Ivan, Piotr, Pavel, Maria, Tatiana, Olga). Among Central Asians, many popular names had a religious connotation deriving from the important historical figures of Islam (Muhammad, Hussein, Fatima) or from the attributes of God, such as Rashid (noble), Khalida (eternal), or Abdulkarim (servant of the Generous One).7 However, there were significant regional and ethnic differences in naming traditions.

Among ethnic Kazakhs, an infant’s name was traditionally bestowed by the grandfather or another esteemed elder. Kazakhs had a very large repertoire of names, which included Muslim names of Arabic origin as well as a number of names with specific meanings in the Kazakh language. Such names might refer to an aspect of the child’s appearance, a desired attribute of the child, or a historical or literary figure. A name might also be based on an event or place linked to the time of the child’s birth (Zhumabai—for a child born on Friday) or on an animal or natural phenomenon (Arystan—lion, Sholpan—morning star). Girls were often named after beautiful things such as silk (Zhibek), precious metals or gems (Altyn—gold, Marzhan—pearl), or flowers (Raushan—rose). Some names expressed a wish of the parents or grandparents; for example, if the family longed for a son after the birth of several daughters, the last daughter might be called Ulbolsyn—let it be a boy. Sometimes unappealing names were given so that evil spirits would not be attracted to the child—Eleusiz (unremarkable), Ultarak (loner), Itkul (dog’s slave).8 Kazakh-language names almost always had a literal meaning, unlike European names, which tend to be “arbitrary signifiers.”9

In Tajikistan, the father and (sometimes) his parents were responsible for naming the child. Muslim names of Arabic derivation were popular, as were names that were derived from Persian or Arabic ethno-linguistic roots without being specifically religious; Habiba (beloved), Farhod (happiness), Zarina (golden), Shuhrat (fame). While the literal meaning of a name seems not to have been a major factor in name choice among ethnic Tajiks, a name might in certain instances express a wish of the parents. After the deaths of several children in a family, for example, a child might be named Istad (let him stay).10

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Central Asians under Russian rule adopted certain elements of the Russian naming system.

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