Boldumsaz

Scholars hold the name of the place to mean "Fortress in a Marshy Place"; a fortress, atop a square plateau, is visible from afar.^[1]

Local people argue a different etymology infusing folk-lore.^[1] The local Khan commissioned an architect to build the tallest minaret of the world at some place nearby but planned to execute him post-completion, lest he would replicate the designs elsewhere.^[1] The architect got to know of this plan, used his resources to construct wings, and flew away from the minaret.^[1] Landing at the fortress, he exclaimed the Turkmen equivalent of "Safe and Sound", which changed to the current name of the city with passage of time.^[1]

The city has been identified with the medieval town of Nyzvar, which was sacked by Mongols; however, this identification has been contested.^[1] During the Soviet period it was called Kalinin, in honor of Mikhail Kalinin.^[2] It was renamed briefly Voro’shilovabad after Kliment Voroshilov.^[2] On 5 May 1993, Presidential Decree No. 1327 assigned the present name.^[3][4]