Bulgarian Name Generator
Authentic Bulgarian first names and surnames
Generate real Bulgarian names in the correct form: male names like Georgi Ivanov and Stoyan Petkov, female names like Desislava Petrova and Ralitsa Dimitrova, with Slavic, Orthodox and Turkish-derived surnames that match gender the way Bulgarian grammar requires.
About Bulgarian names
Bulgarian names follow a simple but strict rule: the surname changes with gender. A man is Ivanov, Petkov or Karadzhov; his sister or wife is Ivanova, Petkova or Karadzhova. The dominant endings are -ov/-ev (-ova/-eva), originally patronymics (Georgiev means "of Georgi"); a smaller group ends in -ski/-ska (Stamboliyski, Rilska) from place names. Many surnames preserve a trade borrowed from Ottoman Turkish: Terziev (tailor), Kazandzhiev (cauldron-maker), Bakardzhiev (coppersmith), Boyadzhiev (dyer), Kasabov (butcher), Chobanov (shepherd). One of these instantly marks a name as Bulgarian rather than Russian or Serbian.
Given names come from three layers. Orthodox saints supply Georgi, Ivan, Dimitar, Nikolay, Petar, Maria, Elena and Ekaterina. Old Slavic compounds built from roots like bor (fight), mir (peace), slav (glory) and svet (light) give Borislav, Lyubomir, Svetoslav, Desislava, Radoslava and Stanislava. A third group is uniquely Bulgarian: names taken from nature and folk words such as Kalina (viburnum), Zornitsa (morning star), Iskra (spark), Bistra (clear), Tsvetan and Tsvetanka (flower), Yavor (sycamore) and Ognyan (fiery), plus the medieval royal names Asen, Kaloyan, Krum, Boris and Simeon.
Match the name to the era: Penka, Ginka, Todor and Stoyan feel like village grandparents, Plamen, Krasimir, Rositsa and Snezhana sit in the 1960s to 80s, and Viktoria, Nikoleta, Martin and Kristian are common among today's young adults in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.
How to choose Bulgarian names
- Always match the surname ending to gender: Georgi Petrov but Elena Petrova, Stoyan Kolev but Desislava Koleva. A female character with an -ov surname reads as a mistake to any Bulgarian.
- Use a trade surname from Turkish (Terziev, Kazandzhiev, Bakardzhiev, Kasabov, Uzunov) to make a name feel distinctly Bulgarian rather than generically Slavic.
- Nature and light names (Kalina, Zornitsa, Iskra, Bistra, Yavor, Ognyan, Vihren) are real and common; they suit a character you want to feel rooted and poetic without sounding invented.
- Bulgarians are formally named with a patronymic in the middle (Ivan Georgiev Petrov), so for official documents or a bureaucratic scene add the father's name plus -ov/-ova between first and last name.
- Diminutives such as Gosho (Georgi), Vanya (Ivan or Ivanka), Mitko (Dimitar), Pepa (Penka) and Sashko (Aleksandar) are how friends and family actually speak; use them in dialogue.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common Bulgarian surnames?
Ivanov, Georgiev, Dimitrov, Petrov, Nikolov, Hristov, Todorov, Stoyanov, Iliev and Angelov top the list, each with a female form in -ova (Ivanova, Georgieva). Together they cover a large share of the population, which is why the generator also mixes in rarer trade and place surnames.
Why do Bulgarian women's last names end in -a?
Bulgarian surnames are grammatically adjectives, so they agree with the gender of the bearer. Petrov is the masculine form and Petrova the feminine; the same applies to -ev/-eva and -ski/-ska. Children take the father's surname in the form that matches their own gender.
How are Bulgarian names different from Russian names?
Both use -ov/-ev surnames, but Bulgarian has no -ovich patronymic, uses many Turkish-origin trade surnames (Terziev, Kazandzhiev), and favors given names like Georgi, Stoyan, Desislava, Ralitsa and Tsvetanka that are rare or absent in Russia. Spelling also differs: Bulgarian uses Nikolay and Dimitar where Russian uses Nikolai and Dmitry.
Can I use these names for a book, game or screenplay?
Yes. These are ordinary combinations of common Bulgarian first names and surnames and are free to use for fictional characters. A few surnames (Botev, Vazov, Levski-era names like Karavelov) belong to 19th-century national heroes, so avoid pairing them with their historical first names if you want a character to feel original.
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All 500 Bulgarian names
A: 20 names
- Albena Genova
- Albena Petrova
- Aleksandar Kirilov
- Aleksandar Nikov
- Andrey Gatev
- Andrey Mladenov
- Anelia Hristova
- Anelia Pesheva
- Angel Botev
- Angel Naydenov
- Antoaneta Marcheva
- Antoaneta Stoyanova
- Anton Enchev
- Anton Grozev
- Asen Kolchev
- Asen Peshev
- Atanas Yordanov
- Atanas Yotov
- Atanaska Angelova
- Atanaska Mihova
B: 28 names
- Bilyana Nikolaeva
- Bilyana Spasova
- Biser Petrunov
- Biser Rusev
- Bistra Slaveykova
- Bistra Vachkova
- Blaga Marinova
- Blaga Stancheva
- Blagovest Ganchev
- Blagovest Stoilov
- Blagoy Ralchev
- Blagoy Tsvetkov
- Bogdana Boneva
- Bogdana Vasileva
- Borika Petkova
- Borika Vutova
- Boris Borisov
- Boris Zarev
- Borislav Kasabov
- Borislav Peev
- Borislava Stambolova
- Borislava Vladimirova
- Boryana Kolarova
- Boryana Slavova
- Boyan Mihov
- Boyan Rilski
- Bozhidar Dzhambazov
- Bozhidar Radkov
C: 2 names
- Chavdar Nenov
- Chavdar Tsonev
D: 36 names
- Dafina Mihaylova
- Dafina Ruskova
- Damyan Genchev
- Damyan Vitoshki
- Dancho Kuzmanov
- Dancho Vasov
- Daniel Nikolaev
- Daniel Tonev
- Daniela Pavlova
- Daniela Yovcheva
- Darina Chakarova
- Darina Encheva
- Delyan Ivanov
- Delyan Nedelchev
- Denis Andonov
- Denis Damyanov
- Denitsa Parvanova
- Denitsa Stefanova
- Desislava Kancheva
- Desislava Vasileva
- Deyan Pirinski
- Deyan Tomov
- Diana Gateva
- Diana Kovacheva
- Dimitar Mihov
- Dimitar Nikolov
- Dimitrina Bakardzhieva
- Dimitrina Karagyozova
- Dobrinka Markova
- Dobrinka Uzunova
- Dobromir Demirev
- Dobromir Toshev
- Donka Karadzhova
- Donka Laleva
- Dragomir Apostolov
- Dragomir Vulkov
E: 16 names
- Ekaterina Taneva
- Ekaterina Zheleva
- Elena Georgieva
- Elena Kehayova
- Elisaveta Miteva
- Elisaveta Yotova
- Elitsa Mutafchieva
- Elitsa Sarafova
- Emil Velkov
- Emil Yosifov
- Emiliya Kazandzhieva
- Emiliya Neykova
- Evgeni Velkov
- Evgeni Zhekov
- Evgeniya Karaivanova
- Evgeniya Pashova
F: 2 names
- Filip Lalev
- Filip Vachkov
G: 18 names
- Gabriela Nacheva
- Gabriela Yankova
- Galina Doganova
- Galina Racheva
- Gancho Donchev
- Gancho Ivanchev
- Genadi Karaivanov
- Genadi Zhivkov
- Georgi Ivanov
- Georgi Peshev
- Gergana Boncheva
- Gergana Petkova
- Gergin Delchev
- Gergin Draganov
- Ginka Kehayova
- Ginka Stoycheva
- Greta Pavlova
- Greta Zareva
H: 6 names
- Hristina Tomova
- Hristina Tsacheva
- Hristiyan Dinev
- Hristiyan Lazarov
- Hristo Kolev
- Hristo Vutov
I: 19 names
- Ilia Karakashev
- Ilia Vanev
- Iliana Gencheva
- Iliana Vidinova
- Ilko Gerov
- Ilko Naydenov
- Irina Kamenova
- Irina Simeonova
- Iskra Nedelcheva
- Iskra Yakimova
- Ivan Dimitrov
- Ivan Marchev
- Ivanka Tomova
- Ivaylo Chobanov
- Ivaylo Vitanov
- Ivelina Mincheva
- Ivelina Zhivkova
- Ivo Nachev
- Ivo Stanev
K: 30 names
- Kalina Gospodinova
- Kalina Kalcheva
- Kalinka Lyubenova
- Kalinka Zlateva
- Kaloyan Danailov
- Kaloyan Yanev
- Kamen Karavelov
- Kamen Stoev
- Kapka Boncheva
- Kapka Pirinska
- Katya Kancheva
- Katya Kurteva
- Kiril Kamenov
- Kiril Penev
- Kosta Dimitrov
- Kosta Minchev
- Kostadin Gospodinov
- Kostadin Nikolov
- Krasimir Nenov
- Krasimir Trifonov
- Krastyo Blagoev
- Krastyo Manolov
- Kremena Nikova
- Kremena Yankova
- Kristian Bozhilov
- Kristian Stambolov
- Kristina Miteva
- Kristina Todeva
- Krum Genov
- Krum Zografov
L: 24 names
- Lachezar Balkanski
- Lachezar Stanchev
- Lazar Kanchev
- Lazar Todorov
- Lidia Radoslavova
- Lidia Veleva
- Liliya Lazarova
- Liliya Sabeva
- Lilyana Panayotova
- Lilyana Vitoshka
- Lora Dencheva
- Lora Paskaleva
- Lyubcho Kirilov
- Lyubcho Obretenov
- Lyuben Balabanov
- Lyuben Nestorov
- Lyubo Dimov
- Lyubo Savov
- Lyubomir Apostolov
- Lyubomir Velichkov
- Lyudmil Doganov
- Lyudmil Kalchev
- Lyudmila Ivanova
- Lyudmila Raykova
M: 36 names
- Magdalena Dimitrova
- Magdalena Shopova
- Malina Andonova
- Malina Trifonova
- Manol Filipov
- Manol Tsankov
- Margarita Nikolova
- Margarita Todeva
- Maria Doganova
- Maria Petrova
- Mariana Todorova
- Mariana Yovcheva
- Marin Markov
- Marin Vladimirov
- Marina Ilieva
- Marina Kaloyanova
- Martin Lyubenov
- Martin Stanev
- Metodi Gergov
- Metodi Valchev
- Mihail Kolarov
- Mihail Radev
- Milen Dimov
- Milen Tsankov
- Milena Toneva
- Milena Tsoneva
- Mincho Kunchev
- Mincho Zahariev
- Mira Koleva
- Mira Konstantinova
- Mirela Atanasova
- Mirela Nacheva
- Mladen Mutafchiev
- Mladen Slavov
- Momchil Bonev
- Momchil Georgiev
N: 32 names
- Nadezhda Angelova
- Nadezhda Mincheva
- Nadya Obretenova
- Nadya Popova
- Naum Chakarov
- Naum Neykov
- Nayden Bonchev
- Nayden Iliev
- Nedelcho Petrov
- Nedelcho Vutov
- Nedyalka Toneva
- Nedyalka Valkova
- Neli Kostova
- Neli Petrunova
- Nencho Krastev
- Nencho Lyutov
- Neno Kolev
- Neno Panayotov
- Nevena Ralcheva
- Nevena Yordanova
- Nikifor Boyadzhiev
- Nikifor Matev
- Nikola Dobrev
- Nikola Ivanchev
- Nikolay Stanchev
- Nikolay Todorov
- Nikoleta Kaloyanova
- Nikoleta Simeonova
- Nikolina Doycheva
- Nikolina Velichkova
- Nina Borisova
- Nina Stoilova
O: 6 names
- Ognyan Matev
- Ognyan Terziev
- Ognyana Bozhilova
- Ognyana Yosifova
- Orlin Kovachev
- Orlin Pashov
P: 28 names
- Panayot Terziev
- Parashkeva Dobreva
- Parashkeva Radeva
- Parvan Atanasov
- Parvan Raykov
- Pavel Karagyozov
- Pavel Spasov
- Pavlina Peneva
- Pavlina Tsoneva
- Pencho Bakardzhiev
- Pencho Rachev
- Penka Gencheva
- Pepa Dineva
- Pepa Grozeva
- Petar Bonev
- Petar Iliev
- Petko Hristov
- Petko Parvanov
- Petrana Mladenova
- Petrana Nikolaeva
- Petya Nedelcheva
- Petya Stoyanova
- Plamen Radoslavov
- Plamen Tsvetkov
- Plamena Staneva
- Plamena Vasova
- Polina Kirilova
- Polina Vulkova
R: 30 names
- Rada Doncheva
- Rada Tsvetkova
- Radka Ruseva
- Radka Zhekova
- Radko Kehayov
- Radko Kurtev
- Radoslav Filipov
- Radoslav Valchev
- Radoslava Slaveykova
- Radoslava Spasova
- Radostina Petrunova
- Radostina Veleva
- Ralitsa Dencheva
- Ralitsa Obretenova
- Rangel Popov
- Rangel Shopov
- Rayko Ruskov
- Rayko Stoyanov
- Rayna Delcheva
- Rayna Gancheva
- Reneta Boteva
- Reneta Nenova
- Rosen Gergov
- Rosen Zahariev
- Rositsa Gospodinova
- Rositsa Marinova
- Rumen Kuzmanov
- Rumen Valkov
- Rumyana Gerova
- Rumyana Kuzmanova
S: 52 names
- Sashko Kostov
- Sashko Todev
- Sava Balabanov
- Silvia Apostolova
- Silvia Karavelova
- Silviya Andonova
- Silviya Stoilova
- Simeon Marchev
- Simeon Stamboliyski
- Simona Blagoeva
- Simona Velkova
- Siyana Stambolova
- Siyana Vachkova
- Slavena Kolarova
- Slavena Vladimirova
- Slaveyko Hadzhiev
- Slavi Angelov
- Slavi Tanev
- Slavka Dimova
- Slavka Ivancheva
- Snezhana Mihaylova
- Snezhana Raykova
- Spas Marinov
- Spas Yotov
- Stamen Kasabov
- Stanimir Vasilev
- Stanimir Zarev
- Stanislav Kamenov
- Stanislav Petkov
- Stanislava Draganova
- Stanislava Filipova
- Stefan Popov
- Stefan Ruskov
- Stefka Doycheva
- Stefka Vasova
- Stela Encheva
- Stela Slavova
- Stoil Dzhambazov
- Stoyan Paskalev
- Stoyan Rusev
- Stoyanka Gergova
- Stoyanka Naydenova
- Stoycho Yordanov
- Stoycho Yovchev
- Strahil Karadzhov
- Strahil Stoychev
- Svetla Kuncheva
- Svetla Stoeva
- Svetlana Lyutova
- Svetlana Manolova
- Svetoslav Krastev
- Svetoslav Kunchev
T: 29 names
- Tanya Mateva
- Tanya Savova
- Tanyo Demirev
- Teodor Lyubenov
- Teodor Stefanov
- Teodora Nestorova
- Teodora Tsankova
- Tihomir Hadzhiev
- Tihomir Nikiforov
- Todor Atanasov
- Todor Parvanov
- Todorka Nikiforova
- Todorka Valcheva
- Tosho Karakashev
- Trifon Tsachev
- Trifon Uzunov
- Tsveta Chakarova
- Tsveta Gateva
- Tsvetan Karavelov
- Tsvetan Manolov
- Tsvetana Peeva
- Tsvetana Zaharieva
- Tsvetanka Panayotova
- Tsvetanka Stefanova
- Tsvetelina Lazarova
- Tsvetelina Ralcheva
- Tsvetomir Mihaylov
- Tsvetomir Nikov
- Tsvetomira Karaivanova
V: 46 names
- Valentin Ganchev
- Valentin Sabev
- Valentina Krasteva
- Valentina Radkova
- Valeri Paskalev
- Valeri Zhelev
- Valya Karagyozova
- Valya Kovacheva
- Vanya Boyadzhieva
- Vanya Tosheva
- Vasil Kostov
- Vasil Tanev
- Vasilka Bakardzhieva
- Vasilka Laleva
- Vasko Borisov
- Vasko Kaloyanov
- Velichka Terzieva
- Velichka Vaneva
- Velizar Konstantinov
- Velizar Penev
- Velko Chobanov
- Ventsislav Mitev
- Ventsislav Radoslavov
- Vera Balabanova
- Vera Vitanova
- Vesela Hadzhieva
- Vesela Yaneva
- Veselin Boyadzhiev
- Veselin Lyutov
- Veselina Bozhilova
- Veselina Vulkova
- Vihra Karadzhova
- Vihra Markova
- Vihren Danailov
- Viktor Doychev
- Viktor Slaveykov
- Viktoria Konstantinova
- Viktoria Zlateva
- Violeta Shopova
- Violeta Zheleva
- Vladimir Gerov
- Vladimir Stoev
- Vladislav Kazandzhiev
- Vladislav Yakimov
- Vyara Kasabova
- Vyara Zografova
Y: 18 names
- Yana Radeva
- Yana Zhekova
- Yanka Dzhambazova
- Yanka Kolcheva
- Yanko Simeonov
- Yanko Trifonov
- Yasen Sarafov
- Yasen Vidinov
- Yavor Pavlov
- Yavor Sabev
- Yoana Demireva
- Yoana Stamboliyska
- Yordan Dinev
- Yordan Draganov
- Yordanka Hristova
- Yuliya Mutafchieva
- Yuliya Uzunova
- Yuliyan Genov