The name probably has no such connotation in Russian, but when I see it spelled, I think "a fantasy" (as if you added a T in the name, that's what you'd have).
Afanasiy Prokopievich Shchapov (Àôàíàñèé Ïðîêîôüåâè÷ Ùàïîâ in Russian) was a Russian historian accused of "Siberian nationalism" and persecuted by tsarist authorities.