Mongolia Naming Customs

Asia Mongolia

The use of surnames was prohibited along with many other aspects of Mongolian culture by the Soviet-backed Communist government that came to power in 1924. The suppression of names was intended to crush allegiances that might supersede loyalty to the state. Along with destroying temples and banning Mongolian script, the Communists confiscated the centuries-old family genealogies that central Asian nomads had sewn into silk or written on parchment. Throughout the period of communist rule the entire population of Mongolia used only given names. The father’s given name or its initial was placed before the given name on official documents or in other circumstances where more than just a given name was needed. After sixty years of suppression, few Mongolians knew their ancestral family names. In addition to destroying family ties, the suppression of surnames led to an increased incidence of genetic diseases due to inadvertent incest.

In the years since the Soviet empire collapsed and free elections took place in 1990, Mongolians have been steadily reclaiming their national identity and culture, including the use of surnames denoting affiliation to one of the country's ancient families. All of Mongolia’s 2.5 million citizens have been ordered to search for their roots to determine their family surname. But, as of July of 1998, so few people were ready for the change to surnames that the government opted for a phased introduction of the naming rule. Most Mongolians still do not know their surname, let alone use it. It has now been decided that all Mongolians must select a surname at the end of the year 2000. Because of lack of information, many families are simply selecting a surname from a list or manufacturing a new one.