Russian Names
- Pasha
Origin:
Russian, diminutive of PavelMeaning:
"small"Description:
Your little Pasha will rule the roost. In Russia, Pasha is traditionally given to a boy born on Good Friday.
- Lera
- Svetlana
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"star"Description:
Popular Russian name, familiar here via author Svetlana Stalin, the dictator's daughter.
- Konstantin
Origin:
Slavic; Estonian; Finnish; Hungarian; German, from LatinMeaning:
"steadfast"Description:
This sleek form of Constantine is traditional in many European countries, and most popular in German-speaking nations and Russia.
- Pavel
Origin:
Russian variation of PaulMeaning:
"small"Description:
Pavel may be widespread in the former Soviet Union, but it has a somewhat impoverished image here.
- Rodion
Origin:
Russian from GreekMeaning:
"song of the hero"Description:
Well used in Russia, this is a distinctive and undiscovered choice here. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is the fictional protagonist of Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoyevsky.
- Maksim
- Ilias
- Fyodor
Origin:
Russian variation of TheodoreMeaning:
"God's gift"Description:
This variation of Theodore is familiar here mostly via the great Russian novelist Dostoyevsky. It was also the name of three early tsars of Russia.
- Kirill
Origin:
Russian variation of Cyril, GreekMeaning:
"lordly"Description:
Strong and attractive form of Cyril.
- Alek
Description:
The Russian variation of Alex or Alec.
- Leonid
Origin:
Russian, variation of Leonidas "lion"Meaning:
"lion"Description:
This form got noticed as the first name of long-reigning Russian president Brezhnev; other bearers include playwright and short-story writer Andreyev, Leonid the Magnificent,a Russian performance artist on America's Got Talent, and Leonid McGill, the protagonist of a Walter Mosley private eye series. All in all, though, Leonid is not the most likely to join the pride of lion-related names here.
- Mitya
- Milya
- Natalya
Origin:
Russian from LatinMeaning:
"natal day, Christmas"Description:
Perfect name for a little girl born at Christmas. Its many variations and pet forms include Natalia, Nataliya, Natalie, Nataly, Natascha, Talya, Talia, Tasha and Tasya.
- Dmitri
Origin:
Russian from Greek DemetriusDescription:
Worldly, artistic and attractive Slavic version of the name of the Greek god of fertility and farming.
- Bela
Origin:
CzechMeaning:
"white"Description:
Since this is strictly a male name in Slavic cultures, better to stick with the "Bella" spelling here.
- Zoa
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"life"Description:
Possibly a variation of the ultra-popular Greek Zoe, Zoa was given to around 2 dozen baby girls each recent year.
- Asya
Origin:
Turkish; Russian and Bulgarian diminutive of AnastasiaMeaning:
"Asia; resurrection"Description:
Asya has dual origins: it is both the Turkish word for Asia (the continent), and a short form of Anastasia in Russian and Bulgarian. Beyond that, it is a beautiful example of a "travelling light" name, in the style of Aria: short, elegant, and usable across different cultures.
- Ilari
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"cheerful"Description:
Sounds just like its meaning.