12. Kazakh names: background

When a child is born - we give him or her a name - in Kazakhstan they believe that a person’s name foretells and determines their future. I have learned that many of the children are named after famous ancestors (Shanibek, Abylai, Abai, Ybrai or Shoken).

There are also what they call “wishing names” - like Mynzhasar which means they wish you to live long and to be wealthy- along with Zhuzbai and Toksanbai.

They also spoke about a time in the Nomad years when babies died - due to medical conditions along with tough life conditions. Since their belief was that evil forces and spirits were the cause of this - some chose a funny or “strange” name to distract the spirit and have them think of the name versus the child. Sometimes even the meaning of the name “wished” the child to live Tursyn (may he live) and Toktasyn (may he stay). Some girl’s names were even given to wish their next child to be a boy - Ultuar and Ulbolsyn (translates in to may she be followed by a boy). And do you know the tradition to place a new one safely into their cradle? You should find the oldest woman in the village who has many children. This symbolizes your wish for your child to grow up healthy, live a long life and have many children and grandchildren. In years past - she cited sacred words and whispered the name of the baby 3 times in their ear. They even have a ceremony for when the child starts walking! It is called Tusau kesu - cutting the thread ceremony. A black and white thread is tied around the baby’s legs - you face the child towards their mother and let them do their first steps. You then wish the family good luck! The white symbolizes a hope for success for the baby’s future activities. And the black and white together brings honesty into your child’s life.

Hope you enjoyed a little history behind some of the traditions for our children and their birth country.

What's in a Name?

A name is one life’s most valuable possessions. Our names are the foundation of our professional and personal reputations, and are an important part of our personal and professional identities. You might be Mr. Smith at work, but John with your friends, and your behavior subtly changes to fit the alias. Furthermore, names are often an important part of one’s cultural heritage, and thus Kazak names are very different from American ones in regards to the structure and the names themselves.

First, when introducing yourself in Kazakhstan, you give your last name first rather than the American custom of giving your first name first. Also, while in America people have at least two to three given names, in Kazakhstan there is only one- the first name. The “middle name” is just a patronymic. For example, had I been born in Kazakhstan, my name would not be McKenzie Lawrence Mullally Clark, rather it would be Clark McKenzie Daviduli, as “uli” means “son of’. Thus, it is probably much easier for parents to name their children here in Kazakhstan since two of the three are just “fill-in-the- blank.” The structure is not the only thing that is different about Kazak names, however. American names like John, Sara, or Kimberly do not usually mean anything, even if they do have a long cultural or family history, but Kazak names can actually be translated.

Some common names are Aigarum which means “splendid moon”, Temirzhon or “iron soul, Karakoz which means “black eyes” Tolganai or full moon, and Bakhyt, which means happiness. In class, when I am not struggling to say the name in the first place, I often like to think about what it means, and if they have actually live up to their name. Still, even if there are not “iron souls” in my class, I count myself lucky that none of my students deserve the name Akhmak, which means stupid.