BAKU, July 14, 2025 — The issue of changing surnames with Russian-style endings like “-ov” and “-ev” — a legacy of the Soviet era — remains a widely debated topic in Azerbaijan. And now, officials are reminding the public that all the legal tools needed to make the switch are already in place.
According to the Ministry of Justice, Azerbaijani citizens are free to replace their surnames with traditional local suffixes such as “-lı/-li/-lu/-lü” (depending on vowel harmony), “-zadə,” “-oğlu,” or “-qızı,” or even drop the ending entirely. The changes are based on a law passed in 1993 that encouraged bringing names into line with the Azerbaijani language.
A Cabinet resolution adopted in 2011 further solidified this right, allowing any citizen over the age of 18 to apply for a surname change. The application can be submitted to local civil registry offices or to an Azerbaijani consulate abroad. Once approved, the change is reflected in all official records, including birth, marriage, and children’s documents. Previously issued IDs and certificates are canceled and replaced — free of charge, with no government fee involved.
Parents of newborns can also freely choose a surname ending for their child, regardless of their own surname format. The law places no restrictions on this choice.
However, there’s a key detail: while citizens may change their surname once after turning 18, they will not be allowed to make a second change later in life.
As Azerbaijan continues to assert its cultural identity, officials say the move is less about bureaucracy and more about personal choice — and correcting a relic of the past.
