Eastern European Names

Zdenka is a feminine name that is far more popular that the original male name (Zdenko), in both its homeland and abroad. Its meaning, woman from Sidon, makes it the Czech version of English name Sidony. The distinctive "Zd" beginning makes this one of the most intriguing Czech names for girls.

In Eastern Europe, more fashionable these days than Vladimir.

A Slavic variation of Helen that might make an unusual update of that classic name.

This Czech form of Eugene sounds fresher than the English variant, with its on-trend Ev- beginning and cool -zhen ending sound.

See ZOE.

In the Bible, Tabor is the name of the mountain that stood on the border between northern and southern Israel. This biblical place name is similar to the Hungarian name Tibor.

A sweet and gentle-sounding Russian name with a sunny meaning, typically nicknamed Tolya in Russia. It can also be written as Anatoli or Anatoliy.

For lovers of Pasternak's great doctor, a lively middle name choice, one made by actress Nia Long.

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.

Like cousin Ludmila, a Russian name rarely heard in this country.

This unusual name belonged to a character played by Kirsten Dunst in an early film.

What a difference a couple of letters make: Old World version of most popular name never quite made it out of the shtetl.

A gentle name well used in Armenian families, unfamiliar here.

A simple and appealing multi-cultural form of John.