Съвременни аспекти на именуването в Северозападна България
Present-Day Aspects of Naming in North-West Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the specific features of naming practices in present-day North-West Bulgaria. The region is characterised by traditional poverty, backwardness and conservatism, determined by the widespread dissemination of the communist ideas in this part of the country. The rejection of religion characteristically imposed during the totalitarian period notwithstanding, almost 100% of those surveyed secretly baptised their children, despite the real danger of punishment on the part of the local authorities. Their basic motivation was rather their desire to secure good health and a good life for their child, and not so much the strength of their religious faith Particularly characteristic has been the great importance that elderly people still attach to their name being "renovated" by a grandchild. The "perpetuation" has been the result of a sui generis interchange between the generations in the family: the parents name the child after the grandfather and in return they receive an important and selfless assistance in the bringing up of their offspring. Quite often there is a repetion only of the first letter or syllable of the name of the old man, which docs not in any way interfere with his belief that the child has been named after him. A number of features of this exchange have been analysed along with its reflection on present-day relations of kinship in Bulgaria.

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