AZE.US
A debate over personal names has resurfaced in Azerbaijan after Member of Parliament Fazil Mustafa publicly called on families to avoid giving children foreign names.
Writing on Facebook, Mustafa said the issue of national names and surnames has been discussed for years but remains unresolved. While acknowledging that parents have the right to choose names freely, he argued that society should more actively promote national naming practices.
According to the MP, public figures play an important role in setting examples. He said he ensured that his own children and grandchild were given national names and has encouraged relatives and those around him to do the same.
Mustafa specifically urged families to refrain from choosing names of Arabic, Persian, Russian, English, Greek, Latin and other foreign origins.
He described the long-standing practice of passing such names from generation to generation as something that should gradually be reduced through broader public awareness.
He also addressed the issue of surnames, noting that changes in this area are more complicated. Even removing Slavic endings such as “-ov” or “-yev,” he said, does not necessarily result in a fully “national” form.
For that reason, Mustafa argued that at the very least, future generations should preserve what he described as the “purity” of national names.
AZE.US