Tajikistan approves new list of national names, drops nearly 1,700 entries
Tajikistan has approved a new edition of its official List of National Tajik Names, removing nearly 1,700 names and adding almost 1,000 new ones, according to the Committee on Language and Terminology.
Dilovar Karimov, chief specialist of the committee’s Department of Naming and Terminology Regulation, told Asia-Plus that the updated list has already entered into force and will be used for registering newborns across the country.
Under Tajik law, parents are required to choose names from the official list when registering a child. If a desired name is not included, parents must demonstrate that it is not alien to Tajik culture before it can be approved. The restrictions do not apply to representatives of other nationalities or foreign citizens whose children are born in Tajikistan.
According to Karimov, the previous edition of the list, published in 2023, contained 4,056 names. Following a review, 1,745 names were removed, leaving 2,311 entries. An additional 965 names were then added from the publication Dictionary of Beautiful Aryan Names, bringing the total number of approved names to 3,461.
Why were names removed?
Karimov said names were excluded for several reasons, including a lack of historical roots and insufficient connection to Tajik culture. He also noted that current legislation prohibits the use of names derived from objects or household items.
Some names were removed following public appeals or because they were considered inconsistent with accepted linguistic norms.
For example, the female forms of the names Amir and Ali — Amira and Aliya — were not included in the approved list. Likewise, Jasmine, a name that has gained popularity in recent years, was excluded in favor of its Tajik equivalents, Yosuman and Yosamin.
New names added
According to Karimov, all newly added names are of Tajik origin and carry positive meanings.
Among the additions are Anush («eternal» or «immortal»), Argavon (the name of a flowering tree), Armin («calming» or «uplifting»), and Arnavoz («good name»).
Other newly approved names include Bahornoz («slender and beautiful»), Behvash («wonderful» or «beautiful»), Behdiz, and Behina («the best»).
The updated list also features traditional Tajik names such as Vis, a hero from historical legends, as well as Gavharon, Geti, Gulbakhsh, Gulbom, Gulbu, and Guldukht.
Karimov said the new edition of the book has been sent for publication, although the release date has not yet been announced. The list was officially approved by the government under a decree signed on February 26, 2026.
Naming rules remain in effect
Since the decree took effect, civil registry offices have been registering names according to the updated list. An electronic version has already been distributed to relevant government agencies, including offices under the Ministry of Justice.
Tajikistan introduced restrictions on naming practices in 2016 through amendments to the Law on State Registration of Civil Status Acts. The legislation prohibits names considered foreign to Tajik culture and bans the use of honorific titles and prefixes in names and surnames, including Mullo, Tura, Khoja, Amir, Sheikh, Sufi, and Khalifa.
The law also prohibits naming children after birds, objects, or tools, including names such as Sang («stone»), Tabar («axe»), Tesha («pickaxe»), Maina («myna bird»), and Zogh («crow»).
Dilovar Karimov, chief specialist of the committee’s Department of Naming and Terminology Regulation, told Asia-Plus that the updated list has already entered into force and will be used for registering newborns across the country.
Under Tajik law, parents are required to choose names from the official list when registering a child. If a desired name is not included, parents must demonstrate that it is not alien to Tajik culture before it can be approved. The restrictions do not apply to representatives of other nationalities or foreign citizens whose children are born in Tajikistan.
According to Karimov, the previous edition of the list, published in 2023, contained 4,056 names. Following a review, 1,745 names were removed, leaving 2,311 entries. An additional 965 names were then added from the publication Dictionary of Beautiful Aryan Names, bringing the total number of approved names to 3,461.
Why were names removed?
Karimov said names were excluded for several reasons, including a lack of historical roots and insufficient connection to Tajik culture. He also noted that current legislation prohibits the use of names derived from objects or household items.
Some names were removed following public appeals or because they were considered inconsistent with accepted linguistic norms.
For example, the female forms of the names Amir and Ali — Amira and Aliya — were not included in the approved list. Likewise, Jasmine, a name that has gained popularity in recent years, was excluded in favor of its Tajik equivalents, Yosuman and Yosamin.
New names added
According to Karimov, all newly added names are of Tajik origin and carry positive meanings.
Among the additions are Anush («eternal» or «immortal»), Argavon (the name of a flowering tree), Armin («calming» or «uplifting»), and Arnavoz («good name»).
Other newly approved names include Bahornoz («slender and beautiful»), Behvash («wonderful» or «beautiful»), Behdiz, and Behina («the best»).
The updated list also features traditional Tajik names such as Vis, a hero from historical legends, as well as Gavharon, Geti, Gulbakhsh, Gulbom, Gulbu, and Guldukht.
Karimov said the new edition of the book has been sent for publication, although the release date has not yet been announced. The list was officially approved by the government under a decree signed on February 26, 2026.
Naming rules remain in effect
Since the decree took effect, civil registry offices have been registering names according to the updated list. An electronic version has already been distributed to relevant government agencies, including offices under the Ministry of Justice.
Tajikistan introduced restrictions on naming practices in 2016 through amendments to the Law on State Registration of Civil Status Acts. The legislation prohibits names considered foreign to Tajik culture and bans the use of honorific titles and prefixes in names and surnames, including Mullo, Tura, Khoja, Amir, Sheikh, Sufi, and Khalifa.
The law also prohibits naming children after birds, objects, or tools, including names such as Sang («stone»), Tabar («axe»), Tesha («pickaxe»), Maina («myna bird»), and Zogh («crow»).
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