We all have asked ourselves about how the Bulgarian names are made? or even yourself have been asked which is your “Father Name” or ” Презиме” when you need to do a document in a Bulgarian institution.
Bulgarian names officially consist of a given name (or first name), which comes first, a patronymic ( “Father Name” or ” Презиме” ), which is second, and a family name, which comes last.
What is a patronymic name and last name?
Patronymic is a name derived from the name of a father or ancestor
Before 1880 Bulgarian family names began to develop. Traditionally a Bulgarian’s last name was usually the paternal grandfather’s name.
Most Bulgarian last names are the adjective form of a masculine first name, formed by adding -ov or -ev for male and -ova or -eva for female. (Stoyanov is formed from the first name Stoyan, which indicates the son of Stoyan. Stoyanova indicates the daughter of Stoyan.)
Sometimes for reasons of better sound to the ear, the ending -chev is substituted for a Male, -cheva for a girl (Minchev is derived from the first name Mincho). All of these suffixes directly reveal the sex of the person merely by his or her name.
The suffixes -shki and -chki indicate places of origin or activity; and related Bulgarian last names sometimes end in -ski for men or -ska for women. (The last name Dobrudzhanski indicated that the family was from Dobrudja, Pernishki meant either from the city of Pernik.
Child Name Patterns Tradition
The naming patterns followed the Slavic tradition of naming children, especially boys, with their grandparents’ names.
The firstborn was named after the paternal grandparent of the same sex. (Grandfather Angel’s son was named Velizar. Velizar’s eldest son would have been named a form of the name Angel.) Thus the firstborn son’s first name might differ from his last name only in its ending (Angel Angelov). The second child was named after one of the grandparents on the mother’s side.
A baby born on a great holiday was usually an exception and may have been named for that holiday, for example, Veliko (a) for the boys/girls born in easter and Hristo (Hristina) the boys/girls born on Christmas day.
A very popular modification is the “first-letter-rule”.
According to it, Polina may have been named after her grandfather Petko, Dessislava may be named after her grandfather Daniel.
Origin of the Bulgarian names
Traditionally most Bulgarian names are from Slavic origin, and/or Greek or Latin and Christian in origin.
Bulgarian names meanings
| NAME | MEANING |
|---|---|
| Aleksandar | Bulgarian version of Alexander, meaning defender of mankind. |
| Daniela | God is powerful |
| Desislava | Glory or finding glory |
| Dimitar | A variant of Demetrius, which means Mother or Earth mother |
| Elena | Greek name Helen; bright one |
| Georgi | Bulgarian accent of George (farmer) |
| Gergana | The one who does plantation and harvesting. |
| Hristo | Old Greek – Bearing Christ; A variant form of Christopher |
| Ivan | Gift of God |
| Ivanka | God is gracious |
| Maria | Variation of Mary or Miriam which means Bitter or Wished-for child |
| Nikolay | The triumph of the public. |
| Penka | The one from an enclosed meadow |
| Petar | Old Greek – Rock; Stone; A variant of Pero; A form of Peter |
| Petia | From Petya, a female variant of Peter, which means Stone |
| Rositsa | Dew drops on a rose flower |
| Stefan | Crown |
| Vasil | Bulgarian form of Basil, meaning king. |
| Yordan | Descent, Flow down |
| Yordanka | Yordanka is Bulgarian form of Jordan and means to flow. |
| Albena | A name created by Bulgarian writer Yordan Yovkov for his drama ‘Albena’. |
| Anastasiy | Bulgarian form of Anastasius, meaning to resurrect. |
| Anastasiya | Bulgarian version of Anastasia, meaning to resurrect. |
| Andrey | A born warrior who is manly and brave |
| Anelia | A form of Angela, meaning angel. |
| Asen | Name of a Bulgarian king. |
| Atanas | A person who is immortal |
| Benesislav | Blessed soul, one who is blessed by the almighty. |
| Bilyana | Bulgarian version of Biljana, meaning herb. |
| Biser | Derived from the South Slavic word biser pearl. |
| Blagorodna | A noble woman |
| Blagoy | One who is sweet, pleasant, blessed. |
| Bojidar | Variant transcription of Bozhidar, meaning divine gift. |
| Borislava | Feminine form of Borislav, meaning famous battle. |
| Borislav | A variant of Borislav, meaning famous battle. |
| Borka | He is a good fighter |
| Boyan | a warrior or fighter |
| Boyana | Bulgarian form of Bojana, meaning battle. |
| Boyka | Feminine form of Boyko, meaning battle. |
| Boyko | To be afraid of or battle. |
| Bozhidara | Bulgarian feminine form of Bozidar, meaning divine gift. |
| Branimira | Feminine form of Branimir, meaning peaceful world. |
| Chavdar | Derived from a Persian word meaning leader, dignitary. |
| Damyan | Bulgarian form of Damian, one who tames. |
| Desislav | Finding glory or searching for glory. |
| Devora | Bulgarian form of Deborah, meaning bee. |
| Doncho | Bulgarian form of Andon, meaning priceless. |
| Donka | Feminine form of Andon, meaning priceless. |
| Ekatarina | They are famous people and happy beings |
| Elitsa | A trusted individual; a Fir tree |
| Emiliya | it means to work hard. |
| Evangeliya | Bulgarian feminine form of Evangelos, meaning messenger |
| Evdokiya | Good glory |
| Fidanka | Bulgarian word for sapling. |
| Gavrail | Bulgarian form of Gabriel. It means God is my strength. |
| Grozdan | A strong man who will shine, admired and and example for others. A shiny star. |
| Haralambi | Bulgarian form of Charalampos. It means to shine with happiness. |
| Hristofor | Bulgarian variant of Christopher, meaning carrier of Christ. |
| Iakobina | Iakobina is the Bulgarian version of Jaclyn and means God will add. |
| Iassen | Ash tree |
| Iavor | Sycamore |
| Iglika | Bulgarian word for primrose. |
| Ilarion | Bulgarian form of Hilarion, meaning happy. |
| Iliya | A feminine form of Elijah. Means the Lord is my God. |
| Iordan | Descendant |
| Iordanka | Bulgarian word meaning descendant. |
| Iskra | Iskra is derived from a South Slavic word meaning spark |
| Ivailo | Variant transcription of Ivaylo, meaning wolf. |
| Ivet | Bulgarian form of Yvette, meaning archer. |
| Kaloyan | “From Greek name kalos Ioannes meaning “”handsome John.” |
| Kamen | Kamen means Stone |
| Kostadin | Bulgarian variant of Constantine, meaning constant. |
| Krasimir | Krasimir means The Beautiful Peace |
| Krasimira | Feminine form of Krasimir. It means beautiful peace. |
| Krastio | Variant transcription of Krastyo. It means cross. |
| Liliya | Russian cognate og Lily, folwer lily |
| Lyuben | Love |
| Lyubomir | Bulgarian form of Lubomir, meaning loving and world. |
| Lyubov | To love others |
| Malyna | A woman sweet as a raspberry |
| Meglena | Bulgarian form of Madeline. It means from Magdala. |
| Mihaila | Bulgarian form of Michaela, meaning Who is like God. |
| Milenka | Black |
| Momchil | Derived from Bulgarian word momche, meaning boy. |
| Natanail | Bulgarian form of Nathanael, meaning God has given. |
| Nayden | Something found. Name of a Saint |
| Nedelcho | Sunday in Bulgarian language. |
| Nedelya | Sunday in Bulgarian language. |
| Neofit | Bulgarian form of Neophytos, meaning newly planted. |
| Nevena | Showy yellow or orange flowers. |
| Nikifor | Bulgarian form of Nicephorus, meaning bringer of victory. |
| Ognyan | Derived from Bulgarian word ognen, meaning fiery. |
| Ognyana | Feminine form of Ognyan, meaning fiery. |
| Penko | Bulgarian diminutive of Peter, meaning rock. |
| Prodan | Sold or pledged to a monastery |
| Rada | Rose or joy |
| Radimir | Joyful and peace. |
| Radoslav | Glorious work or eager glory |
| Radoslava | Feminine form of Radoslav, meaning eager glory. |
| Rayko | Bulgarian variant of Radko. It means happy or willing. |
| Rosica | One who is like a little dewdrop |
| Rumen | A Boy whose cheeks are rudy, red |
| Rumjana | A rudy cheeked girl |
| Spas | Derived from Bulgarian word spasen, meaning saved. |
| Stanko | Diminutive of Stanislav, meaning to stand with glory. |
| Stoyan | He who stands firmly |
| Stoyanka | Feminine form of Stoyan. It means to stand or to stay. |
| Temenuzhka | Bulgarian word meaning violet flower. |
| Teodor | A gift of God |
| Tihomir | Derived from the Slavic elements tih, which means quiet and mir, which peace. |
| Todor | A beautiful and pleasant gift from God |
| Todorka | Bulgarian feminine form of Theodora, meaning the gift of God. |
| Tsveta | Feminine form of Tsvetan, meaning flower or blossom. |
| Tsvetan | Refers to color or floret. |
| Tsvetanka | Feminine diminutive of Tsvetan, meaning flower or blossom. |
| Valko | Derived from Bulgarian valk, meaning wolf. |
| Varvara | Bulgarian form of Barbara, meaning foreign. |
| Vasilka | Bulgarian feminine form of Basil, meaning king. |
| Vassil | Kingly or princely. |
| Veselin | A cheerful and happy soul. |
| Vessela | Happy |
| Viktoriya | Bulgarian form of Victoria, meaning victory. |
| Vladislav | Glorious rule or a glorious ruler. |
| Yani | Bulgarian form of Ioanne, meaning Jehovah has been gracious. |
| Yasen | Ash tree in Bulgarian language. |
| Yavor | Bulgarian form of Javor, meaning maple tree. |
| Yordana | Bulgarian form of Jordan, meaning to flow down. |
| Yosif | Bulgarian form of Yousuf, meaning Allah increases in piety, power, and influence. |
| Zahari | God has remembered. |
| Zaharina | Bulgarian feminine form of Zechariah, meaning the lord has remembered. |
| Zdravko | Derived from Slavic zdrav meaning healthy. |
| Zhelyazko | Derived from Bulgarian zhelyazo, meaning iron. |
| Zhenya | Bulgarian diminutive of Evgeniya, meaning noble. |
| Zhivka | Feminine form of Zhivko, meaning life or alive. |
| Zornitsa | Morning star |
