A Kazakhstani blogger has officially changed her name to Barcelona. This is not a pseudonym or a social media handle, but her actual name as listed on her birth certificate, El.kz reports.
Name change via the public service center
The blogger’s previous name was Aitolkyn. After applying to the Public Service Center (PSC), she completed the paperwork to change her name, reverting to the name she was given at birth. As a result, she is now officially registered as Barcelona.
The decision to change her name was made 36 years after she was born. On social media, she announced that she now wishes to be addressed by her new name.
"In fact, my grandfather named me to Barcelona. But later I was renamed, and for 36 years I was Aitolkyn. But now I’ve decided to completely change my life," the blogger said.
Family Tradition: Children Named After Cities
As it turns out, her grandfather named his grandchildren after Olympic host cities, following a chronological sequence.
The blogger’s older brother is named Seoul (the 1988 Olympics). Her younger brother is Sydney (the 2000 Games). Her niece is named Tokyo. Barcelona fits perfectly into this logic, as the Olympic Games were held there in 1992.
It appears that a single Kazakhstani family has become a living sports-geographical chronicle of the last few decades.
