With nearly half the names on Tajikistan's official baby-name registry set to be removed, parents are facing increasing restrictions on what they can call their child. (file photo)

What's In A Name? Tajikistan Tightens Rules On What Children Can Be Called

21 Jun 2026, 07:59 by RFE/RL · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · Join

When Sadbarg and her husband tried to name their newborn Tayeeba, they thought they simply were naming their daughter after her grandmother.

Instead, they were entering the latest round of a Tajik name game that in recent years has seen the promotion of Persian-rooted and patriotic names, part of a campaign by Tajik authorities trying to purge divisive and overtly Islamic traditions.

Sadbarg and her husband went to their local civil registry office to register their newborn, the clerk refused to issue a birth certificate, saying the name did not appear on a government-approved list of roughly 4,000 names just as authorities announced that the List Of Tajik National Names is being revised, with nearly half of the names -- most of which are Arabic -- set to be removed.

"We were told we have to choose another name from the book if we want to get the birth certificate immediately," Sadbarg said. "The registrar explained that if we insist on naming our daughter Tayeeba, we must apply to the [state] Language Committee for approval."

Sadbarg, a resident of the northern region of Sughd who gave only her first name, said the family chose another name, Anisa, from the list because they could not wait several weeks for a decision from authorities in Dushanbe. The family is preparing to move to Russia, where her husband works as a migrant laborer.

The official baby-name registry was first introduced nearly a decade ago and has been revised several times.

Dilovar Karimov, a senior official at the State Language and Terminology Committee, said the revised list was approved by the government in February and sent for publication. He did not specify when it would be released.

Karimov said the committee removed 1,745 names from the previous registry of 4,056 and added 965 new names, described by officials as "beautiful Arian names," referring to names rooted in Tajik and an ancient Persian cultural heritage.

The government says the campaign promotes Tajik culture and traditions while combating what it calls "alien" influences.

Many Tajiks, however, say the measures target Islamic traditions and practices, which have grown more popular in the predominantly Muslim country of more than 10 million.

Human Rights Watch and other analysts say Tajikistan's move against visible Islamic practices -- such as banning hijabs and niqabs (Muslim head scarves and face veils), restricting mosque attendance, and regulating beards -- is primarily driven by the authoritarian government's fear of political opposition, concerns over extremism, and a desire to enforce a secular, state-sanctioned Tajik cultural identity.

Foreign Names 'Caused Divisions'

In 2016, Tajikistan's parliament officially banned what it called Arabic-sounding "foreign" names.

Reading proposed amendments to the country's Family and Civil Registration laws, the justice minister told lawmakers at the time that such names had "caused divisions in society."

The amendments also outlawed adding Islamic and Arabic titles or suffixes -- such as mullah, khalifa, shaikh, amir, and sufi -- to men's names.

Later that year, Tajikistan also banned giving newborns surnames with Russian-style endings such as "-ov" and "-ev."

The government has never explicitly banned Islamic names. But it has repeatedly urged citizens to choose "purely" Tajik-Persian ones.

The measures came as names linked to prominent Islamic figures -- such as Sumayah, Khadija, Muhammad, and Abubakr -- were becoming increasingly common, reflecting the growing influence of Islam in society.

The approved name registry emerged alongside broader campaigns against Islamic dress. In 2024, Tajikistan formally outlawed "clothes alien to Tajik culture," a phrase officials commonly use to describe the hijab. An unofficial hijab ban has existed for many years.

Law enforcement officers also regularly enforce what many Tajiks describe as an unofficial ban on bushy beards, detaining men and shaving them forcibly.

Speaking anonymously, a Dushanbe resident told RFE/RL that earlier this year he was stopped at Dushanbe International Airport after arriving from Turkey because officers said his beard was "too big."

"They ordered me to shave before letting me through passport control," said the man in his 30s. "I was afraid of being arrested if I protested, so I complied."

Authorities have also closed dozens of madrasahs (Islamic religious schools) and mosques, recalled students from foreign religious schools, and directly appointed mosque imams.

Arian Names

"People should be free to choose their babies' names, their clothes, or the length of their beard -- these are not political issues," said a Dushanbe-based historian, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals.

"The government already banned the Islamic Renaissance Party because it was seen as a political threat," he said. "But names, clothing, and facial hair are not symbols of resistance. Treating them as such is paranoia."

At Khujand Airport in the country's north, a 35-year-old Tajik migrant worker traveling to Russia said he is "not against beautiful names," but would prefer to keep Russian-style surname endings.

"I work in Russia. One million Tajiks work in Russia," he told RFE/RL. "Our children will likely work there too. Russian-style surnames simply make our lives easier."

What's In A Name? Tajikistan Tightens Rules On What Children Can Be Called

What's In A Name? Tajikistan Tightens Rules On What Children Can Be Called

Foreign Names 'Caused Divisions'

Arian Names

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