Eastern European Names

An entrancing, beguiling name that goes far to freshen up Sarah.

Central European form of Matthew.

Sweet and soft alternative to Sasha. Typically used as a diminutive for the Russian male names like Pavel, which itself is a diminutive of Paul. But could be used as a twist on Pauline. Pasha offers an international flair with a cozy, approachable vibe.

Vanya is much more familiar.

If it's possible for a name to be too musical, this one is.

This international variation was publicized by Olympic skater Ekaterina Gordeeva.

An international possibility, heard from England and Israel to Poland, Latvia, and Albania. It is a name with a vast range of possible meanings and origins, including: a Polish variation of Jane, meaning "God is Gracious"; a Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian short form of Susanna, meaning "lily"; a Persian name meaning "woman"; a Mongolian name meaning "bullfinch"; and a Shona name from Zimbabwe meaning "a hundred".

Remember Zuzu, the adorable little girl you watch every Christmas in "It's a Wonderful Life"? Here's a direct path to that nickname, a lot more zesty than the more familiar Susannah.

This once-cool nickname-y name now belongs to the grandma generation.

To some, may have the same warm feeling of Russian nicknames like Sasha and Misha.

Soundalike cousin of Sammy, cute but slight on its own.

Simple, friendly, distinctive name heard in several cultures. The a ending may feel more feminine in the US than Ole, though both variations are acceptable in Scandinavia.

Despite a possible pronunciation problem, a pleasant, unusual choice. Sandor Clegane (nicknamed The Hound) is a major character on Game of Thrones. In Hungary, the name is spelt with an accent - Sándor.

A Czech surname derived from the word for "green", which has a certain spark.

Dacia was an ancient region comprised of what is modern Romania and Moldova and smaller parts of other Eastern European countries. Its inhabitants were called the Dacians, and the Dacian Kingdom flourished around the time of Christ until it was toppled by the Romans. Daciana is the female version sometimes used in Romania.