Bulgarian Names: Structure, Common Names and Name Days
| Part | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Given name | Мария | Maria |
| Father’s name | Георгиева | daughter of Georgi |
| Family name | Петрова | of the Petrov family |
Bulgarian names have three parts: a given name, a father’s name (patronymic) and a family name, as in Мария Георгиева Петрова. Surnames change with gender: -ов or -ев for men, -ова or -ева for women. According to the NSI, the most common names are Георги (Georgi) and Мария (Maria).
How Bulgarian names are built
Bulgarian names have three parts: a given name, a father’s name and a family name. A woman called Мария Георгиева Петрова (Maria Georgieva Petrova) is Maria, daughter of Georgi, of the Petrov family. All three appear on her identity card, though in daily life she is simply Maria Petrova.
The middle name is a patronymic, made from the father’s given name plus a suffix. The family name is usually inherited from the father too, in the same form. Both change with gender, which is the first thing to understand about Bulgarian names.
| Part | Man | Woman |
|---|---|---|
| Given name | Иван (Ivan) | Елена (Elena) |
| Father’s name | Петров (Petrov) son of Petar | Петрова (Petrova) daughter of Petar |
| Family name | Димитров (Dimitrov) | Димитрова (Dimitrova) |
Bulgarian name endings: –ов, –ев and –ски
Most Bulgarian surnames and patronymics end in -ов or -ев for men, and -ова or -ева for women. The ending means roughly “of” or “belonging to,” so Иванов is “Ivan’s.” The choice between -ов and -ев depends on how the root ends: Петров from Петър, but Николаев from Николай.
A smaller group ends in -ски for men and -ска for women, as in Раковски (Rakovski) and Раковска (Rakovska). The UK government’s guidance on Bulgarian documents lists exactly these paired endings (-ов/-ова, -ев/-ева, -ски/-ска) and notes that a married woman may take her husband’s surname, keep her own or join both with a hyphen (GOV.UK Bulgaria knowledge base).
Gender agreement extends to families. Ivan Petrov’s wife, if she takes his name, becomes Петрова, and their daughter is also Петрова. In English contexts, couples sometimes simplify to one form, but Bulgarian documents always keep the gender ending.
The most common Bulgarian names
Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute (NSI) publishes name statistics every year. Its 2021 release gives the most common names across the whole population:
| Rank | Men | Say it | Women | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Георги | Georgi | Мария | Maria |
| 2 | Иван | Ivan | Иванка | Ivanka |
| 3 | Димитър | Dimitar | Елена | Elena |
| 4 | Николай | Nikolay | Йорданка | Yordanka |
The NSI release reports about 151,800 men named Георги and about 107,400 women named Мария, the clear leaders. Петър and Александър follow in the men’s list (NSI, Names 2021).
Fashions are changing. For babies born in 2021, the NSI’s preliminary data put Александър (Aleksandar), Георги (Georgi) and Мартин (Martin) at the top for boys, and Виктория (Viktoria), Мария (Maria) and Никол (Nikol) for girls. Older generations favored names such as Иванка and Йорданка, which are now rare for newborns.
Nicknames and diminutives
Bulgarians use short forms constantly, among friends and at work. Some are predictable, others are not.
| Full name | Short form | Say it | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Георги | Гошо | Gosho | |
| Петър | Пешо | Pesho | |
| Димитър | Митко | Mitko | |
| Александър | Сашо | Sasho | |
| Иван | Ваньо | Vanyo | |
| Мария | Мими | Mimi |
When calling someone, Bulgarian often uses a special address form, the vocative: Иване! (Ivane!) for Иван, Петре! (Petre!) for Петър. Many short forms ending in -о, such as Гошо, already work as forms of address.
Name days
A name day (имен ден (imen den)) is the feast of the saint a name is linked to, and in Bulgaria it can matter as much as a birthday. Friends call, colleagues bring treats, and the celebrant often hosts. Popular name days include:
- Йордановден (Yordanovden), 6 January: Йордан, Йорданка.
- Ивановден (Ivanovden), 7 January: Иван, Иванка.
- Гергьовден (Gergyovden), 6 May: Георги, Гергана and related names. It is also the Day of the Bulgarian Army.
- Димитровден (Dimitrovden), 26 October: Димитър, Димитрина.
- Никулден (Nikulden), 6 December: Никола, Николай, Николина.
The standard greeting is Честит имен ден! (Chestit imen den!), “Happy name day!”
Because Георги and Мария are so common, Gergyovden and the Feast of the Dormition of Mary on 15 August are among the busiest name days of the year.
Addressing people formally
In formal settings, Bulgarians use a title with the family name. Господин (Gospodin) means “Mr.” and госпожа (gospozha) means “Mrs.” or “Ms.” They are often abbreviated to г-н and г-жа in writing: г-н Петров, г-жа Петрова. The older госпожица (gospozhitsa), “Miss,” is still heard for young unmarried women but is becoming less common.
Switching to first names happens quickly in most workplaces. If you are unsure, start with the title and family name, and let the other person suggest first names.
Writing Bulgarian names in Latin letters
Bulgarian passports use the official Streamlined System from the 2009 Transliteration Act, which Bulgaria described to the UN in its romanization report. Two rules affect names most:
- ъ is written a: Петър becomes Petar, Димитър becomes Dimitar.
- Word-final -ия is written -ia, not -iya: Мария is Maria, Виктория is Viktoria.
Older documents may show other spellings, such as Petur or Georgiy, from before the Act. Try any name in our Bulgarian transliteration converter. To go the other way and spell an English name in Cyrillic, see your name in Bulgarian. Letter-by-letter equivalents are on the Bulgarian alphabet to English page.
Common mistakes
- Treating the middle name as a second given name. It is the father’s name, not a personal name.
- Using the male surname for a woman. Ivan Petrov’s sister is Петрова, not Петров.
- Writing Mariya or Bulgariya. Official spelling for final -ия is -ia.
- Reading Димитър as “Dimitur.” The ъ is [ɤ], written a officially. See the Bulgarian letter Ъ.
- Forgetting name days. In Bulgaria, missing a friend’s name day can be noticed as much as missing a birthday.
Frequently asked questions
How do Bulgarian names work?
A Bulgarian name has a given name, a patronymic from the father’s given name, and a family name. For example, Иван Петров Димитров is Ivan, son of Petar, of the Dimitrov family.
Why do Bulgarian women’s surnames end in -ova?
Bulgarian surnames agree with gender. The male -ов or -ев becomes -ова or -ева for women, so Petrov’s daughter is Petrova.
What is the most common name in Bulgaria?
According to the National Statistical Institute, Георги (Georgi) is the most common male name and Мария (Maria) the most common female name.
What is a name day in Bulgaria?
A name day (имен ден) is the feast of the saint linked to your name. People celebrate it like a birthday, and friends say Честит имен ден!
How are Bulgarian names written in English?
Passports use the official Streamlined System: ъ becomes a (Petar) and final -ия becomes -ia (Maria).
Sources
- National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria, Names 2021
- GOV.UK, Bulgaria knowledge base profile (naming conventions)
- Romanization System in Bulgaria (UN conference paper, Republic of Bulgaria)