Spring! and Kyrgyz Names

The spring has arrived! We’re getting lots of rain—meaning a few short showers every week—and things are starting to come back to life. The first to flower are the apricot trees, which grace just about every yard with their pink petals. The whole village is out planting their gardens. And those fruits and vegetables can’t grow fast enough! We’ve been eating stockpiled carrots and potatoes all winter. The apples ran out a few months ago and the cellars have been cleaned out of “winter salad” (canned tomato/pepper/pickle combos). It’s time for some fresh produce! Might be another month or so though…

In the meantime, give yourself a Kyrgyz name! Here are some common Kyrgyz name components that you can mix and match to suit your tastes. Depending on how creative you get, you can be guaranteed only a few thousand or so Kyrgyzstanis will share your name with you.

Kyrgyz, English meaning
Ai- (pronounced like the word eye) moon
Akilai- smart
Alma apple
Almaz diamond
Altin- gold
Bakyt, Talai- happiness
Bermet pearl
Bolot he is
Burul turn (given when the parents wish the sex of the baby would change)
El- people
Erken freedom
Esen, Aman safe (these synonyms are often used for twin boys)
Gul- (pronounced like the word ghoul) flower
Jan- soul
Jildiz star
Jirgal fun
Juma- Friday (some babies are named for the days of the week they’re born on)
Kanat wing (in hopes he’ll support his older brothers)
Kiyal dream
Kumush silver
Kushtar birds
Mahabat love
Meder hope
Meerim mercy
Nazik, Naz- feminine, graceful
Nur- ray, beam
Peri- angel, fairy
Tilek- wish
Timur- iron
Tinchtik- peaceful
Tokto- stop (when the parents hope this is the last baby)

Name Endings
-zat thing
-gul flower (feminine ending)
-bek lord (masculine ending)
-lan (masculine ending)
-bubu (traditional feminine ending)
-(n)ara (feminine ending)

examples: Altinbek, Jumagul, Aiperi, Gulnara