Bulgarian names

Bulgarian names follow a relatively simple name system and are very similar to other European name systems, particularly those of Slavic origin.
A patronymic name is one which is derived from the name of a father or male ancestor, often with the addition of a suffix or prefix indicating the line of descent.

In official Bulgarian documents, the patronymic is inserted before the family name.

If your ancestors originated from Bulgaria, your patronymic name can ether simplify or significantly complicate your genealogical research as family migration often leads to patronymic names having being switched to family names due to local customs.

Bulgarian first names

Traditional Bulgarian names are either of Slavic origin, for example Svetlana or Stanislav, and reflect appearance and character of the person, or they originate from pagan rituals which were designed to discourage evil spirits.

Svetlana means light, clean, and holy, and Stanislav means someone who achieves fame or glory. Other commonly used names reflect the Christian faith, for example, Petar, Maria, Teodora, and Gheorgi.

In view of these definitions, it is probably a really good idea to check the meaning of a particular name before you inflict on your innocent offspring.

Although, strangely enough, most names appear to have positive meanings along the lines of glory, great ruler, gentle and wise.

Bulgarian last names

It used to be common practice amongst traditional families to name a child after an older relative so that the name carried on through the generations.

These days, however, such archaic rules are often ignored and many modern parents choose names to reflect current trends.

Thankfully, unlike other European countries, names like Britney and Chantelle are still a rarity.

When a woman marries in Bulgaria, she can choose to take on her husband’s family name, keep her maiden name, or adopt a combination of the two using a hyphen.

This gives her plenty of choice and should either her own family name or her husbands be an embarrassment, she can at least end up with a name she is happy with—unlike some other poor unfortunate women.

Many of the more traditional Bulgarian names have lost their popularity over the years.

According to statistics, the most popular boy’s names in 2009 were Gheorgi, Aleksandar, and Martin, and the most popular girl’s names were Viktoria, Maria, and Gabriela.



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