ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the naming practices of the Kyrgyz people, focusing on female names with gender-changing meanings—i.e. names that wish the next child to be a boy. In addition, it examines Kyrgyz beliefs in the sacred power of names and their effect on their holders’ destinies. Examples from oral stories and oral epic poems are discussed to investigate the historical and cultural roots and meanings of gendered naming practices in Kyrgyz culture. To study the influence of cultural traditional norms on the name-changing practices of Kyrgyz women, the authors conducted in-depth interviews with Kyrgyz women with gender-changing names, analyzing how such names affect women in a patriarchal society.
