Balázs Hankó, head of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, emphasized the importance of forenames as carriers of historical, national, and family heritage. The committee aims to ensure that names “sound Hungarian” and reflect longstanding traditions.

The group will review and update the official list of approved first names for Hungarians and 13 indigenous minority groups. Their work includes standardizing spelling, addressing inconsistencies, and safeguarding cultural continuity. This comes amid findings that Hungary has one of the lowest rates in Europe of grandchildren inheriting their grandparents’ names.

Chairing the committee is Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa, who highlighted recent steps such as a new law and ministerial decree aimed at consolidating the official database of permissible first names. Previously, approved names were scattered across various unofficial sources, making regulation difficult.

The committee will also decide which names should remain or be removed based on current legislative guidelines. Additionally, there are plans to amend the law to allow minority self-governments to authorize traditional surnames within their communities.

Kósa described first names as “a shared treasure and a core part of our identity,” underlining the committee’s role in protecting this cultural heritage for current and future generations.

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