People's Commissar

From 1919 to 1946, functions of ministers in the government of Russia and, later, the Soviet Union were performed by People's Commissars (Russian title: Narodny Komissar, or Narkom). A ministry was called People's Commissariat (Russian: Narkomat), whose main governing body was the Council of People's Commissars (Russian: Sovnarkom).

In 1946, Narkoms were renamed into Ministers, as a part of the reorganization of the Sovnarkom into Sovmin.