The initiative was introduced by MPs Dastan Bekeshev, Seid Atambayev, Bolot Borbiev, and Yrysbek Atazhanov.

Under current legislation, a child may receive the surname of either parent by mutual agreement, while double surnames are prohibited. The new bill proposes allowing children to receive a hyphenated surname combining the surnames of both parents, in either order. At the same time, triple surnames would remain prohibited.

According to the explanatory note, the proposed amendments were prompted by appeals from citizens who were unable to register double surnames for their children under the existing law.

In particular, citizen Elena Khan and the Titov family approached MP Dastan Bekeshev after being denied permission to register the surname Titov-Khan for their children. Registration authorities cited the current legal ban as the reason for refusal.

The authors of the bill argue that the change would better reflect the interests of both parents, preserve family continuity, and eliminate contradictions between family law and the law on civil status registration.

Issues related to children’s names and surnames have previously sparked public debate in Kyrgyzstan. In 2023, the country saw heated discussions after the Constitutional Court allowed, in exceptional cases, the use of a matronymic instead of a patronymic for adult citizens. Following criticism from authorities and parts of the public, the court later reversed its decision and revoked that right.