Tajikistan Tightens Baby Naming Regulations to Preserve National Identity

The government of Tajikistan has intensified the enforcement of regulations on naming newborns, requiring civil registry offices to register only those names listed in the official catalogue of Tajik names. According to this law, Tajik parents are prohibited from choosing names outside the designated framework for their children.

Tajik officials say this measure is aimed at safeguarding the language and national identity, and preventing the spread of foreign names. They describe the policy as part of broader efforts to strengthen national identity following the country’s independence.

However, some families have told Deutsche Welle Persian Afghanistan that these restrictions have made the process of registering newborn names more difficult. They report having to change their chosen names in some cases to comply with the established criteria.

These restrictions apply only to ethnic Tajik citizens, while ethnic minorities residing in Tajikistan are allowed to name their children according to their own cultural and linguistic traditions. Nevertheless, the naming regulation policy has sparked ongoing debates over balancing the preservation of cultural identity with families’ freedom to choose names in recent years.