What you have written about names is extremely interesting. As I understood before Soviet times people always succeeded their surnames after grandfather’s first names. But know this tradition is not alive any more and you always succeed your name after your father. So, your surname is Nuriyeva not because your grandfather’s name was Nuri, but because your fathers surname was Nuriyev. Is it correct?

You asked about my travel to Turkmenistan. I was in Ahal, Mary and Balkan regions.

Anyway, I will send an email to you.

Best wishes,
maciula

i really respect your interests about my country..and will be happy to tell you about last names appirently Maya also told you about last names but i have to mention about traditional turkmen last names was given after their grandfathers and were usualy spelled as , ex: “if grandfather’s name is “Atamyrat” his grandson would get last name as “Atamyrat ogly” in translation of “son of Atamyrat” or a grandoughter “Atamyrat gyzy” translated as “doughter of Atamyrat” but later after Turkmenistan was for so many years under russian influence (Soviet times) we got changed(some what lost) out tradition in this case about last names ..i ment we still got to keep out fathers name but without adds as “olgy-son”or “gyzy-doughter” they added endings like for males”ov” for females”ova” which is still in our last names

so, i hope i made even if a lil bit clear and been a help for you , and i’m realy interested what do u think about my country..if u think i could a answer some more of your questions will be happy to help and explain …u can find me here o’ll b echeking back or e-mail me at yazjemaln@yahoo.com

friendly, Yazjemal Nuriyeva

maicula,by the way i respect that u gave a try to learn about my country… and you said u been to some regions …where did you mean exactly …becouse i think it would help you more to understand about given some part russian names.. Balkan one of the regions of Turkmenistan where i’m from we have more russian influens than other parts of my country.. becouse this region by the Caspian Sea as you might know Turkmenistan covered by 80% desert so russian had to came thru Caspi to capture it in 1881…Also this known in history as “times of Bolshaviki”
comign back to the topic part russian names.. in truth there is none half russian first name , possibilities are if one of the parents are non-turkmen usualy mom i know it sounds weired but this is the truth…
Another case that u might herd boy has russian name even if both parents are turkmen , ex: buy named “Durdy”-commen turkmen name .. with turkmen background(parents) but friends call him “Dima” -commen russian name came from “Dmitriy” guy can get this name when he hang around with russian speaking kidds and russian language made big insparation on his family..i’m saying that becouse there is traditional turkmen families who speaks russian as their fist language.And it’s not hard to understand , once again coused by the Soviet times.

John,

In Turkmenistan, females add OVA to end of their grandfather’s(from dad’s side) name and males add an OV. Sometimes they add the ending to their father’s name. For instance, my last name is Kerimova because my grandfather’s name was Kerim and since I am a female i added an OVA. My brother’s surname is Kerimov because he is a guy. I hope this is clear enough. If not you can email me at Zolotok@aol.com and i can explain further. Good luck with your book!