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Kalmyk name

1. The names of folk Kalmyk heroes - Sanal, Mergen, Tzayatr, Khontr, Mingian, Savr;
2. Derived from place names - Elistina, Ytsl, Altzkhuta, Kolor;
3. Words that describe colour or number - Tzatan (white), Notan (green), Ulan (red), Zurtan (six), Tavn (five);
4. Words that describe positive personal traits: Söökhlö (beautiful - female), Duya (gracious - female), Bata (tough);
5. Words that describe worldly goods - Bayn (wealth), Dzhirgan (happiness, life), Bayr (joy), Altn (gold).

Tibetan and Sanskrit individual names from a semantic point of view:^[1]

1. Astronomical objects - Angarak (Mars), Bembö (Saturn), Adyan (Sun);
2. Buddhist terms - Sants (enlightened), Buinta (goodness);
3. Positive personal traits and properties - Dzhav (protection), Tzeren (long life).

Throughout history, Kalmyks were known for using amulet-names:^[1]

1. Words denoting animal names - Chon (wolf), Elya (eagle), Nokha (dog), Ayuka (bear cub);
2. Different plant names - Tzetzgö (flower);
3. Among the names given to protect someone from "bad spirits", non-Kalmyk names with distinctive transcription were also used - Vazki (from Vasiliy), Mikula (from Nicolay), Yagur (from Yegor). Some contemporary Kalmyk surnames are derived from amulet-names: Nokhaev, Chonov, Chonaev.

Double names were also quite well spread among the Kalmyks (in the Yandyko-Mochazhny, Khosheytsky and Erketenevsky uluses) - Sanzh-Garya (in the Khosheutsky Kalmyk ulus Sants-Ara), Erdny-Khal, Tzeren-Dorts. Today, double names are reserved for patronymics. Another Kalmyk custom was that of the khadm (name taboo), required by a new wife. When entering her husband's family, she would create a new name, by distorting his parents' names, instead of Badm -Yadm, instead of Dorts - Yerts.^[1]

After the introduction of the Russian administration (in the 16th century), Kalmyks received family names, derived from that of the father, like - Erdnyev (from Erdny), Badmaev (from Badma), Kichikov (from Kichik). If a Kalmyk was called Nema, his surname would be Dordzhyev, from his father's name Dorts but Nema's children's surnames would be Nemaev. Gradually, the family name became hereditary and a patronymic was added, derived from the father's name.^[1]

• Mongolian name

• The Old Buddhists of Europe
• Online Keyboard for Tibetan Archived 2011-11-02 at the Wayback Machine