Russian Names

Panya is a Russian diminutive that sounds a tad feminine to the Western sensibility.

This Old Russian name is mentioned in several genealogical sources, but few modern name books. Pronounced either to rhyme with David, or as zah-VEED, it can be a highly unusual alternative.

Friendly Slavic rarity.

Shura is a unisex Russian nickname for Aleksandr or Aleksandra, themselves forms of Alexander. Less known in the English=speaking world than Sasha, it's also more assertive -- probably because of that "sure" sound.