May 24, 2016 — Mongolia, we never tire of saying, is a fascinating country with an incredible history, a culture and traditions of great richness. Mongolian first names are no exception to the rule, and one can feel quite overwhelmed when choosing a name for a newborn! Why is this the case, what is the fascinating story behind Mongolian names, and what are the popular or even the most amusing names of the moment?

The Challenging Task of Choosing a Name in Mongolia

In ancient times, parents themselves or even an important or religious figure could bestow a name upon a newborn. It is said that the name reflects the child's personality and is also a factor of good fortune for the one who bears it. It is therefore absolutely essential to choose it with the greatest care!

The oldest Mongolian names were naturally virile names for boys and names signifying beauty and femininity for little girls. During the communist period, and in connection with the Soviet Union, names of Russian origin were favored by the population. Today, these ancient names have made a strong comeback and are notably composed of two evocative adjectives that are typically Mongolian. And if you want choices, there are plenty, with around 40,000 possible combinations! Enough to make parents pale!

So, first you give birth to a lovely, adorable little cherub full of life, whether a boy or a girl or even both if you're lucky, and once the euphoria of the moment passes, it's time to roll up your sleeves to choose him or her a name. Everything unfolds at this moment in a ceremony called "нэр өгөх ёс" – pronounced "Nèr Ogokh (aspirated 'H') oyeuss". This essential event begins in the child's first days with a gathering of all close relatives and family members to prepare typical dishes, desserts and other refreshments (alcohol is allowed in moderation). The date is just as important as the event itself, as it is chosen by a lama, and tradition dictates that the ceremony be held until dusk. At that moment, the child's father, out of respect for the elder people present, gives the Khadag (a blue silk scarf) and asks them to confer in order to find an appropriate name that meets several criteria such as the day of birth, the month, the alignment of planets, and the zodiac symbol associated with the exact moment of birth.

It is therefore quite possible to be born and not have a name for a few days. More recently, a form of lottery may be organized to find a name: several people write a different name on a small piece of paper and place it in a bowl. Someone trusted will draw the right "number". What follows is very interesting: the father will whisper the newly drawn name in the right ear of the boy or left ear of the girl. If the child has a pleasant reaction, the name will be immediately adopted! Or not, and in that case, the lottery continues. An old Mongolian adage states that "our ancestors teach us not to refuse a name, but a name can certainly refuse a person!"

The Popular Names of Today...

Today, Mongolia is integrating a more modern approach to names, and of course, like in our own countries, some are more fashionable than others. Here is a brief selection – or top 10 if you prefer – of the names that are currently popular in Mongolia:

"Bat-erdene" – Hard jewel in English, is a masculine name. Bat-erdene has become very popular thanks to the sporting performances of one of Mongolia's greatest wrestlers. Badmaanyambuugiin Bat-Erdene won 11 national tournaments during the Naadam celebrations, during the years 1988–1999. Retired since 2006, his solid reputation propelled him to the highest positions in the Mongolian State, with a career in politics. He is also the founder of the University of Mongolian Wrestling Champions.

"Otgonbayr" – The young jewel. Since the 1990s, this name has enjoyed great success thanks to the talent of a Mongolian musician – Dambyn Otgonbayar – who is both a singer and guitarist. Well known for his powerful melodies and lyrics that are still relevant today, he remains one of Mongolia's most listened-to singers with around 50 popular songs to his name.

"Altantsetseg" – The golden flower. A poetic name that was borne by one of Mongolia's most beautiful voices, one who became one of the 5 divas of the country. Naming one's daughter Altantsetseg is quite appropriate for a young woman who would like to launch a beautiful career!

"Oyunchimeg" – Ornament of wisdom. A rather elaborate name that is well-suited to a political personality in the country. Oyunchimeg is a jurist and member of the national commission for human rights in Mongolia.

"Batbayr" – Great joy. Some of Mongolia's most well-known men are called Batbayr. This is the case of one of the most respected Mongolian sumo wrestlers. Highly followed in Mongolia, sumo competitions have become even more interesting to Mongols in recent years, and there is a simple reason for this: the 5 greatest champions come from Mongolia! Batbayr is the first Mongolian to have reached the rank of "Makuuchi", one of the highest distinctions in the Japanese competition. Currently retired from competition, he has become a political figure in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital.

"Bolormaa" – Crystal. Living up to her name, Bolormaa remains one of Mongolia's icons in the fashion world. Both a model and president of the fashion agencies "New model" and "Mongolian model", her successful career came from advice from her mother when she started in 1990.

"Enhtuya" – Ray of peace. Enhtuya is a name borne by many women in Mongolia, after a famous poet. The success of this name is notably explained by one of Mongolia's most well-known and touching poems: "Охин үрээ хайрла" (Oxin uree xairla) translated as "Love Your Daughter".

"Lhagvasuren" – A combination of "Suren" and "Sakhiul". This name is intimately connected to Tibetan Buddhism and means "guardian of charms". It is a very powerful and meaningful name that is meant to protect its bearer.

"Gantulga" – Heart of iron. Hard as iron, Gantulga is both a meaningful name and made famous by one person in particular, a singer and guitarist with songs and melodies that are always sensitive and melancholic. He is, among others, one of the singers who has made the Nation weep!

"Erdenechimeg" – Ornament of jewels. Another strong woman of the country, and who lives up to her name, Erdenechimeg is a member of the Mongolian State and a parliamentarian. A member of the Grand Khural, she actively participates in decisions concerning the country's direction.

And Those That Are Less Common...

(or rather more original!) Mongolian names, as we can see, are very creative and sometimes require great qualities to be pronounced.

A truly "striking" example with one of Mongolia's most complicated names (and arguably the longest): "Агваанлувсанчойжиннямданзанванчигбалсамбуу", pronounced "Agvaanluvsanchoijinnyamdanzanvanchigbalsambuu"! This is actually the name of one of the country's last leaders, the 8th Bogdo Jebtsundamba, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia. A highly respected figure linked to Mongolian history, during the times of the revolution against the Manchurian power of the Qing dynasty, he became the Bogd Khan, the religious leader of a theocracy. He was the third most important person in the hierarchy of Tibetan Buddhism, just after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama.

After these pronunciation difficulties, I can reassure you, there are also much shorter and easier names for us foreigners! Here are 3 typical examples that will be easier to remember:

Од – "Od": The star Оч – "Och": The spark Аз – "Az": Luck

That's better, isn't it? :) Complicated for some, Mongolian first names must reflect the personalities of children, and it is quite natural that their parents work hard to find those that will ensure the best future. But there are cases where this can be quite different... Transitional names may seem a bit odd and can be used in certain situations. They may be given to children of women who have had multiple miscarriages, or if there have been other premature deaths, in order to ward off bad luck. Some parents will even go so far as to give the name "without name" to their child ("Nergui", or Нэргүй in Cyrillic characters). These names will be kept for a certain time with the possibility, of course, of changing them later. In Mongolia, it is permitted to change one's first name once in one's lifetime.

We have compiled a small selection of the most bizarre names:

Хэнбилээ – Henbilee: Who is it? Хэн мэдэхэв – Hen medhev: Who knows Эрдмийнтүлхүүр – Erdmiintulhuur: Key to education Нэргүй – Nergui: Without name Хүнбиш – Hunbish: Non-human Энэбиш – Enebish: Not that Оргодол – Orgodol: Fugitive

Lastly, and if you're still following along (I see some of you pulling your hair out!), Mongolia adds one final complication to its administrative system: family names themselves are not the same as in our countries! Let me explain: when a child is born, a first name is given to him. His family name, on the other hand, follows his father's first name, unlike in most other countries. Thus, it is not uncommon to meet people whose "family" name is completely different from generation to generation! Are you a bit lost? That's normal! To illustrate my point, imagine that your father is called "John Smith". So, instead of following the usual family name, once born, your family name would be "John". And if you are a man and give birth to another child, the next generation will take your first name as a family name... So John Smith gives birth to Valentine "John", and the next son could be called Louis "Valentine"... I continue to ask myself the following question: but how do you establish a family tree in Mongolia!

Mongolaian names, quite the undertaking! Sometimes simple, sometimes a real puzzle, we could write a book on the subject, it is so fascinating. Who knows, perhaps one day we would call our children "pretty coral" or other evocative first names! For all couples reading this article, here is the time to get out your best dictionaries, books and your lunar calendar in order to find the best possible name for your future little one. After reading this article, you'll have no excuses!

Charlène Nomadays — SEO writer from the very beginning at Nomadays, now content manager and head of the communications team, Charlène has accompanied the adventure from its inception with passion and loyalty. After living seven years in Asia – from China to Thailand, passing through Mongolia and South Korea – she has made travel a way of being in the world. A lover of words, nature and human connection, she endeavors to convey in her texts a sensitive, committed and responsible vision of tourism. Each article is for her a bridge between curiosity, respect and wonder.