Can first or last name uniqueness help to identify diaspora researchers from any country?

Abstract Purpose Diaspora researchers work in one country but have ancestral origins another, either through moves during a research career (mobile diaspora researchers) or by starting the target (embedded researchers). Whilst mobile might be tracked affiliation changes bibliometric databases, embedded cannot. This article reports an evidence-based discussion of which countries’ can partially using first last names, addressing this limitation. Design/methodology/approach A frequency analysis and names authors all Scopus journal articles 2001-2021 for 200 countries regions. Findings There are great variations extent to uniquely national, from Monserrat (no unique names) Thailand (81% names). Nevertheless, most subset that relatively unique. For 50 with researchers, national always more likely their name-associated country, suggesting continued association. Lists researchers’ name frequencies proportions provided countries/regions. Research limitations Only period is (2001-2021) no attempt was made validate any researcher. Practical implications Simple heuristics used identify international spread sample some manual checks individual needed weed out false matches. supplement researcher data databases. Originality/value list associations large regions, could name.