Editing List of Bulgarian monarchs (section)

== Names and regnal numbers ==
{{See also|Regnal number}}
[[File:Alexander I of Bulgaria by Dimitar Karastoyanov.jpg|thumb|[[Alexander of Battenberg|Alexander I]] (1879–1886) was the first Bulgarian monarch to officially use a [[regnal number]]|upright=0.7]]
Regnal numbers for monarchs have only been officially used in Bulgaria in modern times, beginning with [[Alexander of Battenberg|Alexander I]] in 1879.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Modern [[historiography]] retroactively also assigns sequential regnal numbers to medieval Bulgarian rulers, even if they ruled different Bulgarian states and used different titles; Boris I (852–889) ruled the First Bulgarian Empire as a prince (''knyaz''), his great-grandson [[Boris II of Bulgaria|Boris II]] (967–977) ruled the same state as emperor, and [[Boris III of Bulgaria|Boris III]] (1918–1943) ruled the modern [[Kingdom of Bulgaria]] as ''tsar'' (king).<ref name="Mladjov-2015" />

There were three different types of names used by medieval Bulgarian monarchs after Bulgaria converted to Christianity; names drawn from Bulgar or Slavic tradition (i.e. Boris, Boril, Vladimir, Presian), names drawn from Christian tradition (i.e. Michael, Simeon, Peter, Ivan, Samuel), or double names combining both (i.e. Ivan Vladislav, Gavril Radomir, Ivan Sratsimir, Theodore Svetoslav). When using a double name, the Christian name always preceded the name drawn from local tradition. Very rarely, Bulgarian rulers used double names combining two Christian names (i.e. Ivan Stephen, Ivan Alexander).<ref name="Mladjov-2015" />

The use of double names by Bulgarian monarchs, sometimes not used consistently in contemporary sources,{{efn|Monarchs with double names are in formal contexts most often recorded with both names. [[Ivan Asen II]] (1218–1241) is sometimes recorded merely using his second name (Asen). His sons [[Kaliman I of Bulgaria|Kaliman Asen I]] (1241–1246) and [[Michael Asen I]] (1246–1256) are sometimes recorded to only use their first names (Kaliman, Michael). Similarly, [[George Terter I]] (1280–1292) is in at least one contemporary source referred to merely as George. In most official documents, [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria|Ivan Alexander]] (1331–1371) and his sons [[Ivan Sratsimir of Bulgaria|Ivan Sratsimir]] (1356–1397) and [[Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria|Ivan Shishman]] (1371–1395) are referred to with their full double names, but in less formal contexts they are sometimes referred to merely by their more characteristic second names (Alexander, Sratsimir, and Shishman).<ref name="Mladjov-2015" />}} has in cases led to confusion and misunderstanding in modern efforts to assign regnal numbers. In particular, it has sometimes erroneously been assumed that the usage of double names indicated that the monarchs employed family names; this interpretation has in the past resulted in the use of names such as Ivan II Asen (for Ivan Asen II), George I Terter (for [[George Terter I]]) and Michael III Shishman (for [[Michael Asen III of Bulgaria|Michael Asen III]]). Names of clans were prominently used in Bulgaria in pre-Christian times, though disappeared from usage sometime after the conversion to Christianity, despite family names being used in some of Bulgaria's closest neighbours (such as the Byzantine Empire).<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Although names such as ''Asen'' or ''Terter'' could serve as genealogical and political markers to demonstrate a ruler's position in an illustrious lineage they were also fully part of the ruler's regnal names, as demonstrated by those rulers whose double names excluded genealogical connections (such as Ivan Alexander). Double names with genealogical connotations were at times also claimed by rulers not belonging to the same dynastic lineage, such as [[Mitso Asen of Bulgaria|Mitso Asen]] (1256–1257; who married into the Asen dynasty).<ref name="Mladjov-2015" />