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Slovak names consist of agiven name andsurname.Slovakia uses theWestern name order with the given name being listed before surname. However, there is a historical tradition to reverse this order, especially in official contexts including administrative papers and legal documents, as well as on gravestones and memorials.

MostSlovaks do not have a middle name. The family name forms for males and females are distinct in Slovakia, making it possible to identifygender from the name alone. As of 2003 there were 185,288 different family names in use among 5.4 million Slovaks, or one family name for every 29 citizens. There is an estimated 90,000 lineages in Slovakia.^[1] With marriage, the bride typically adopts the bridegroom's surname. Slovak names are very similar toCzech names.

Given names inSlovakia are calledbaptismal names (Slovak:krstné mená) despite being completely different from the Christianbaptismal names. Proper baptismal names given duringinfant baptism are still common in the countryside, yet they are only seldom used within the official name (if they are, they form the person's middle name). Generally, names in Slovakia can be of several distinct origins:

• Slavic names of pre-Christian origin (e.g.Dobromil)
• Christian names often inspired bysaints (e.g.Vojtech)
• Names of past kings and rulers (e.g.Ladislav)
• Modern names (e.g.Lukas)
• Names of ethnic minorities living in Slovakia (e.g.Béla)

Surnames differ according to gender. Normally, the feminine form is created by adding suffix "ová" to the masculine form (e.g. Bača would be Bačová). If the surname is derived from adjectives, theý suffix is replaced withá. Because Slovakia also has people with Hungarian, German, and other ancestors, some surnames in Slovakia will follow the convention of those languages and not conform to these norms.^[3]

Some popular surnames include:^[4]

• Derived from profession:
  • Kováč – Smith
  • Mlynár – Miller
  • Bača – shepherd
  • Rybár – fisher
  • Kráľ – king
  • Pekár – baker
  • Kuchár – cook
  • Mäsiar – butcher
  • Holič – barber
  • Maliar – painter
  • Kľúčiar – key maker
  • Mečiar – sword maker
  • Sklenár – glassmaker.
• Derived from adjectives:
  • Čierny – black
  • Biely – white
  • Suchý – dry
  • Mokrý – wet
  • Slaný – salty
  • Smutný – sad
  • Šťastný – happy/lucky
  • Malý – small
  • Široký – wide
  • Tichý – quiet
  • Surový – raw
• Others:
  • Koreň – root
  • Chren – horseradish
  • Repa – beet
  • Slanina – bacon
  • Polievka – soup
  • Cibuľka – little onion
  • Malina – raspberry
  • Dobrovodský – good water
  • Holub – pigeon
  • Chrobák – beetle
  • Komár – mosquito
  • Medvedík – little bear
  • Koleno – knee
  • Mráz – frost
  • Okienka – little window
  • Otčenáš – our father
  • Bezdeda – without a grandpa
  • Dolina – valley
  • Kocur – tomcat

• Slavic surnames
• Name days in Slovakia
• Czech name
• Slovak identity card

• Czech and Slovak given names

• Names by country
• Slavic-language names
• Culture of Slovakia

• CS1 Slovak-language sources (sk)
• Articles with short description
• Short description with empty Wikidata description
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