Russian Names

Russian names are used in the country of Russia and in Russian-speaking communities throughout the world. See also about Russian names.
gender
usage
Liouba Люба f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Люба (see Lyuba).
Lioubov Любовь f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь (see Lyubov).
Liubov Любовь f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Liudmila Людмила f Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian
Belarusian form of Ludmila, and an alternate transcription of Russian Людмила (see Lyudmila) or Ukrainian Людмила (see Lyudmyla).
Liza Лиза f English, Russian, Greek, Georgian
Short form of Elizabeth (English), Yelizaveta (Russian), Elisavet (Greek) or Elisabed (Georgian).
Lizaveta Лизавета f Russian
Short form of Yelizaveta.
Ljubov Любовь f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь (see Lyubov).
Luba Люба f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Ukrainian Люба (see Lyuba).
Lubov Любовь f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Ludmila Людмила f Czech, Latvian, Russian
Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.... [more]
Ludmilla Людмила f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Людмила (see Lyudmila).
Luka Лука m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Russian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic
Form of Lucas (see Luke) in several languages.
Lukyan Лукьян m Russian (Archaic), Ukrainian (Archaic)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Lucianus.
Lyosha Лёша m Russian
Diminutive of Aleksey.
Lyov Лёв m Russian (Rare)
Variant of Lev 1.
Lyuba Люба f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Lyubov, and a Bulgarian form of Ljuba.
Lyubochka Любочка f Russian, Ukrainian
Diminutive of Lyubov.
Lyubov Любовь f Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lyudmila Людмила f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Ludmila. This was the name of a character in Aleksandr Pushkin's poem Ruslan and Lyudmila (1820).
Makar Макар m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Makarios (see Macario).
Makari Макарий m Russian (Archaic)
Alternate transcription of Russian Макарий (see Makariy).
Makariy Макарий m Russian (Archaic)
Russian form of Makarios (see Macario).
Maks Макс m Russian, Ukrainian, Slovene, Polish
Short form of Maksim, Maksym or Maksimilijan.
Maksim Максим m Russian, Belarusian, Macedonian, Ukrainian
Russian, Belarusian and Macedonian form of Maximus, as well as an alternate transcription of Ukrainian Максим (see Maksym).
Maksimilian Максимилиан, Максимильян m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Maximilianus (see Maximilian).
Manya Маня f Russian
Russian diminutive of Maria.
Marfa Марфа f Russian
Traditional Russian form of Martha.
Margarita Маргарита f Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Greek, Albanian, Late Roman
Latinate form of Margaret. This is also the Spanish word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).
Maria Мария f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Marianna Марианна f Italian, Hungarian, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Russian, Greek, English
Combination of Maria and Anna. It can also be regarded as a variant of the Roman name Mariana, or as a Latinized form of Mariamne.
Marina Марина f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Mariya Мария f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Maria, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Марыя (see Maryia).
Mark Марк m English, Russian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, Biblical
Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.... [more]
Marlen 1 Марлен m Russian
Blend of Marx and Lenin. This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
Martin Мартин, Мартын m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Finnish
From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.... [more]
Marusya Маруся f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Mariya.
Marya Марья f Russian
Russian variant form of Maria.
Maryana Марьяна f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Marianna, and a Russian variant.
Masha Маша f Russian
Russian diminutive of Mariya.
Matfey Матфей m Russian (Rare)
Older Russian form of Matthew.
Matrona 1 Матрона f Russian (Rare), Late Roman
Means "lady" in Late Latin, a derivative of Latin mater "mother". This was the name of three early saints.
Matryona Матрёна f Russian (Rare)
Russian variant of Matrona 1.
Matvei Матвей m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Матвей (see Matvey).
Matvey Матвей m Russian
Russian form of Matthew.
Max Макс m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, French, Catalan
Short form of Maximilian or Maxim. In English it can also be short for Maxwell, and it coincides with the informal word max, short for maximum.... [more]
Maxim Максим m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech
Alternate transcription of Russian Максим or Belarusian Максім (see Maksim) or Ukrainian Максим (see Maksym). This is also the Czech form.
Mefodiy Мефодий m Russian (Archaic)
Russian form of Methodius.
Melor Мэлор m Russian (Rare)
Acronym of Russian Маркс Энгельс Ленин Октябрьская Революция (Marx, Engels, Lenin, October Revolution). This name commemorates the creation of the former Soviet state. It was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
Michail Михаил m Greek, Russian
Modern Greek transcription of Michael. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Михаил (see Mikhail).
Mikhail Михаил m Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Russian and Belarusian form of Michael, and an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Михаил (see Mihail). This was the name of two Russian tsars. Other notable bearers include the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841), the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022), and the Latvian-Russian-American dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948-).
Mila Мила f Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene, Ukrainian, Russian
From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names containing that element.
Milana Милана f Serbian, Croatian, Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian
Feminine form of Milan.
Milena Милена f Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Italian
Feminine form of Milan. It began to be used in Italy in honour of Milena Vukotić (1847-1923), mother of Helen of Montenegro, the wife of the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III. In Italy it can also be considered a combination of Maria and Elena.
Miron 1 Мирон m Romanian, Russian, Polish
Romanian, Russian and Polish form of Myron.
Miroslav Мирослав m Czech, Slovak, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Derived from the Slavic elements mirŭ "peace, world" and slava "glory". This was the name of a 10th-century king of Croatia who was deposed by one of his nobles after ruling for four years.
Miroslava Мирослава f Czech, Slovak, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene
Feminine form of Miroslav.
Misha Миша m Russian
Russian diminutive of Mikhail.
Mishka Мишка m Russian
Russian diminutive of Mikhail.
Mitrofan Митрофан m Russian (Archaic)
Russian form of Metrophanes.
Mitya Митя m Russian
Diminutive of Dmitriy or Mitrofan.
Miya Мия f Russian
Russian form of Mia.
Modest Модест m Russian (Archaic)
Russian form of Modestus.
Moisey Моисей m Russian
Russian form of Moses.
Motya Мотя m & f Russian
Diminutive of Matvey or Matrona 1.
Mstislav Мстислав m Czech (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Means "vengeance and glory" from the Slavic elements mĭstĭ "vengeance" and slava "glory". Mstislav the Great was a 12th-century grand prince of Kiev.
Nadejda Надежда f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Надежда (see Nadezhda).
Nadezhda Надежда f Russian, Bulgarian
Means "hope" in Russian and Bulgarian.
Nadia 1 Надя f French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-).
Nadya 1 Надя f Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Russian and Bulgarian diminutive of Nadezhda. It is also an alternate transcription of Ukrainian Надія (see Nadiya).
Nastasia Настасья f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Настасья (see Nastasya).
Nastasya Настасья f Russian
Short form of Anastasiya.
Nastia Настя f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Настя (see Nastya).
Nastya Настя f Russian
Diminutive of Anastasiya.
Nata Ната f Russian, Georgian
Short form of Natalya (Russian) or Natalia (Georgian).
Natali Натали f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Natalie.
Nataliya Наталия f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Natalja Наталья f Estonian, Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Наталья (see Natalya), as well as the usual Estonian form.
Natalya Наталья f Russian
Russian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Natasha Наташа f Russian, Belarusian, English
Russian diminutive of Natalya. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace (1865). It has been used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
Naum Наум m Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nahum.
Nazar Назар m Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen and Armenian form of Nazarius.
Nazariy Назарий m Ukrainian, Russian (Rare)
Ukrainian and Russian form of Nazarius.
Nelli Нелли f Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, Hungarian
Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish and Hungarian form of Nellie.
Nelya Неля f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Nelli.
Neonilla Неонилла f Late Greek, Russian (Rare)
From a Greek name derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new". This was the name of an Orthodox Christian saint, a 3rd-century Syrian woman martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Decius.
Nestor Нестор m Greek Mythology, Russian, Portuguese, French
Means "returner, homecomer" in Greek, from νέομαι (neomai) meaning "to return". In Homer's Iliad this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
Nika 1 Ника f & m Russian
Russian short form of Veronika and other names ending in nika. It can also be a short form of Nikita 1 (masculine).
Nikandr Никандр m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Nikandros.
Nikanor Никанор m Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, Russian (Rare)
Greek and Russian form of Nicanor.
Nikifor Никифор m Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nikephoros.
Nikita 1 Никита m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian form of Niketas. This form is also used in Ukrainian and Belarusian alongside the more traditional forms Mykyta and Mikita. A notable bearer was the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971).
Nikodim Никодим m Russian
Russian form of Nicodemus.
Nikolai Николай m Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай (see Nikolay).
Nikolay Николай m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the Russian-Ukrainian novelist Nikolay Gogol (1809-1852).
Nikon Никон m Ancient Greek, Russian
Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory".
Nil Нил m & f Catalan, Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare), Belarusian (Rare), Turkish
Catalan, Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Neilos (and the Nile River). This name was borne by a 15th-century Russian saint, Nil Sorsky. As a Turkish name it is feminine, and comes directly from the Turkish name for the river.
Nina 1 Нина f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Short form of names that end in nina, such as Antonina or Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word niña meaning "little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).... [more]
Nina 3 Нина f Russian
Russian form of Nino 2.
Ninel Нинель f Russian
Reversal of the surname Lenin. Lenin was the founder of the former Soviet state. This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
Ninochka Ниночка f Russian
Diminutive of Nina 1.
Nonna Нонна f Late Greek, Russian
Feminine form of Nonnos. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Nazianzus in Cappadocia. She was the mother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.
Noyabrina Ноябрина f Russian (Rare)
Derived from Russian ноябрь (noyabr) meaning "November". It was coined by communist parents in order to commemorate the October Revolution of 1917, which according to the Gregorian calendar (not in use in Russia at the time) actually took place in November 1917.
Odissey Одиссей m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Odysseus.
Ofeliya Офелия f Azerbaijani, Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare), Bulgarian (Rare)
Azerbaijani, Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Ophelia.
Oksana Оксана f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Xenia.
Oktyabrina Октябрина f Russian (Rare)
Derived from Russian октябрь (oktyabr) meaning "October". This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names and commemorate the October Revolution of 1917.
Oleg Олег m Russian, Georgian
Russian form of the Old Norse name Helgi (see Helge). The Varangians brought this name from Scandinavia to Eastern Europe: it was borne by a 9th-century Varangian ruler who conquered Kyiv and made it the capital of the state of Kievan Rus.
Olesya Олеся f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian diminutive of Oleksandra. This was the name of an 1898 novel by the Russian author Aleksandr Kuprin.
Olga Ольга f Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovene, Serbian, Bulgarian, Greek
Russian form of the Old Norse name Helga. The 10th-century Saint Olga was the wife of Igor I, the ruler of Kievan Rus (a state based around the city of Kyiv). Like her husband she was probably a Varangian, who were Norse people who settled in Eastern Europe beginning in the 9th century. Following Igor's death she ruled as regent for her son Svyatoslav for 18 years. After she was baptized in Constantinople she attempted to convert her subjects to Christianity, though this goal was only achieved by her grandson Vladimir.
Olimpiada Олимпиада f Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Olympias.
Oliviya Оливия f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Olivia.
Olya Оля f Russian
Diminutive of Olga.
Onisim Онисим m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Onesimus.
Onufriy Онуфрий m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Onuphrius.
Osip Осип m Russian
Russian form of Joseph.
Oxana Оксана f Ukrainian, Russian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian/Russian Оксана (see Oksana).
Pafnutiy Пафнутий m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Paphnutius.
Pankrati Панкратий m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Панкратий (see Pankratiy).
Pankratiy Панкратий m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Pancratius.
Panteley Пантелей m Bulgarian (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Russian form of both Panteleimon and Pantaleon.
Pasha Паша m Russian
Diminutive of Pavel.
Patritsiya Патриция f Bulgarian (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Russian feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patya Патя m Russian (Rare)
Diminutive of Ipatiy.
Pavel Павел m Russian, Czech, Bulgarian, Slovene, Macedonian, Belarusian
Russian, Czech, Bulgarian, Slovene, Macedonian and Belarusian form of Paul.
Pelageya Пелагея f Russian
Russian form of Pelagia.
Pelagiya Пелагия f Russian
Russian form of Pelagia.
Petia Петя m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Петя (see Petya).
Petya Петя m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian masculine diminutive of Pyotr or Bulgarian feminine diminutive of Petar.
Platon Платон m Ancient Greek, Greek, Russian, Ukrainian
Greek form of Plato.
Polikarp Поликарп m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Polycarp.
Polina Полина f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Greek
Either a Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Greek form of Paulina or a short form of Apollinariya.
Porfiriy Порфирий m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Porphyrios (see Porfirio).
Praskovia Прасковья f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Прасковья (see Praskovya).
Praskoviya Прасковья f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Прасковья (see Praskovya).
Praskovya Прасковья f Russian
Russian form of Paraskeve.
Prokhor Прохор m Russian
Russian form of Prochorus.
Prokopiy Прокопий m Russian
Russian form of Prokopios.
Prokopy Прокопий m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Прокопий (see Prokopiy).
Pyotr Пётр m Russian
Russian form of Peter. A famous bearer was the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).
Radmir Радмир m Russian
Russian form of Radomir.
Rafail Рафаил m Greek, Russian
Greek and Russian form of Raphael.
Raisa 1 Раиса f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Probably a Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Herais.
Raissa Раиса f Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Portuguese form of Herais, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Раиса, Ukrainian Раїса or Belarusian Раіса (see Raisa 1).
Raya Рая f Bulgarian, Russian
Diminutive of Rayna 1 or Raisa 1.
Regina Регина f English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Estonian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.
Renat Ренат m Russian
Russian form of Renatus. In some cases communist parents may have bestowed it as an acronym of революция наука техника (revolyutsiya nauka tekhnika) meaning "revolution, science, technics" or революция наука труд (revolyutsiya nauka trud) meaning "revolution, science, labour".
Robert Роберт m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Catalan, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the rare Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).... [more]
Rodion Родион m Russian
Russian form of Ῥοδίων (Rhodion), a short form of Herodion, referring to Saint Herodion of Patras. A famous fictional bearer is Rodion Raskolnikov, the main character in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel Crime and Punishment (1866).
Rodya Родя m Russian
Diminutive of Rodion.
Roksana Роксана f Russian, Polish
Russian and Polish form of Roxana.
Roksolana Роксолана f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian and Russian form of Roxelana.
Rolan Ролан m Russian
Russian form of Roland.
Roma 1 Рома m Russian
Diminutive of Roman.
Roman Роман m Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Slovene, Croatian, Estonian, German, English
From the Late Latin name Romanus meaning "Roman". This name was borne by several early saints including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia.
Rostislav Ростислав m Russian, Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements orsti "to grow" and slava "glory".
Roza 1 Роза f Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Means "rose" in Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian. It is a cognate of Rosa 1.
Rozaliya Розалия f Russian
Russian form of Rosalia.
Rudolf Рудольф m German, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Dutch, Russian, Armenian
From the Germanic name Hrodulf, which was derived from the elements hruod meaning "fame" and wolf meaning "wolf". It was borne by three kings of Burgundy and a king of West Francia, as well as several Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. Anthony Hope used this name for the hero in his popular novel The Prisoner of Zenda (1894).
Ruf Руфь f Russian
Russian form of Ruth 1.
Rufina Руфина f Russian, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Rufinus. Rufina and Secunda were sister saints who were martyred in Rome in the 3rd century.
Rurik Рюрик m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of the Old Norse name Hrǿríkr. This was the name of a 9th-century Varangian ruler of Novgorod.
Ruslan Руслан m Russian, Tatar, Bashkir, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Turkmen, Azerbaijani, Ossetian, Chechen, Ingush, Avar, Circassian, Indonesian, Malay
Form of Yeruslan used by Aleksandr Pushkin in his poem Ruslan and Ludmila (1820), which was loosely based on Russian and Tatar folktales of Yeruslan Lazarevich.
Rustik Рустик m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Rusticus.
Ruvim Рувим m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Reuben.
Sabina Сабина f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Swedish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Sabinus, a Roman cognomen meaning "a Sabine" in Latin. The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy, their lands eventually taken over by the Romans after several wars. According to legend, the Romans abducted several Sabine women during a raid, and when the men came to rescue them, the women were able to make peace between the two groups. This name was borne by several early saints.
Samuil Самуил m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Samuel.
Sanya 2 Саня m & f Russian
Diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.
Sasha Саша m & f Russian, Ukrainian, English, French
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.
Sashenka Сашенька f Russian
Diminutive of Sasha.
Sashok Сашок m Russian
Diminutive of Aleksandr.
Saveli Савелий m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Савелий (see Saveliy).
Saveliy Савелий m Russian
Russian form of the Latin name Sabellius meaning "a Sabine". The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy.
Savely Савелий m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Савелий (see Saveliy).
Savva Савва m Russian
Russian form of Sabas.
Semen Семён m Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Simon 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Семён (see Semyon).
Semion Семён m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Семён (see Semyon).
Semyon Семён m Russian
Russian form of Simon 1.
Serafim Серафим m Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina) in various languages.
Serafima Серафима f Russian
Russian form of Seraphina.
Sergei Сергей m Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Сергей (see Sergey).
Sergej Сергей m Serbian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Bulgarian
Serbian, Slovene, Czech and Slovak form of Sergey, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Сергей (see Sergey).
Sergey Сергей m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Sergius.
Seva Сева m Russian
Diminutive of Vsevolod.
Sevastian Севастьян m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Севастьян (see Sevastyan).
Sevastyan Севастьян m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Sebastian.
Shura Шура f & m Russian
Russian diminutive of Aleksandra or Aleksandr.
Silvestr Сильвестр m Czech, Russian (Rare)
Czech and Russian form of Silvester.
Slava Слава m & f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Croatian, Slovene
Short form of names containing the Slavic element slava meaning "glory". It is typically masculine in Russia and Belarus, unisex in Ukraine, and feminine the South Slavic countries.
Snezhana Снежана f Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Snježana, as well as an alternate transcription of Macedonian Снежана (see Snežana).
Sofiya София f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Sophia.
Sofron Софрон m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Sophron.
Sofya Софья f Russian, Armenian
Russian and Armenian form of Sophia.
Sonya Соня f Russian, English
Russian diminutive of Sophia. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace (1869, English translation 1886).
Spartak Спартак m Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Albanian, Armenian, Georgian
Form of Spartacus in several languages.
Stanislav Станислав m Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element stati "stand, become" (inflected forms in stan-) combined with slava "glory". This name was borne by a few medieval saints (typically called by the Polish form Stanisław or Latinized form Stanislaus), including a bishop of Krakow who was martyred in the 11th century.
Stanislava Станислава f Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Russian, Ukrainian
Feminine form of Stanislav.
Stas Стас m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Stanislav.
Stasya Стася f Russian
Diminutive of Stanislava or Anastasiya.
Stefaniya Стефания f Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Russian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian feminine form of Stephen.
Stepan Степан m Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian form of Stephanos (see Stephen).
Styopa Стёпа m Russian
Diminutive of Stepan.
Susanna Сусанна f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, English, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshanna). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to Jesus.... [more]
Sveta Света f Russian
Short form of Svetlana.
Svetka Светка f Russian
Diminutive of Svetlana.
Svetlana Светлана f Russian, Slovak, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Armenian, Georgian
Derived from Russian свет (svet) meaning "light, world". It was popularized by the poem Svetlana (1813) by the poet Vasily Zhukovsky. It is sometimes used as a translation of Photine.
Sviatoslav Святослав m Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Ukrainian Святослав (see Svyatoslav).
Svyatopolk Святополк m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Svatopluk.
Svyatoslav Святослав m Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic elements svętŭ "sacred, holy" and slava "glory". This was the name of a 10th-century ruler of Kievan Rus, the son of Igor and Olga, and the first to have a name of Slavic origin instead of Old Norse.
Syuzanna Сюзанна f Armenian, Russian
Armenian form of Susanna, as well as a Russian variant.
Taisa Таиса f Russian, Ukrainian
Short form of Taisiya.
Taisia Таисия f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Таисия or Ukrainian Таїсія (see Taisiya).
Taisiya Таисия f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Thaïs (referring to the saint).
Tamara Тамара f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, Georgian
Russian form of Tamar. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It rapidly grew in popularity in the United States starting in 1957. Another famous bearer was the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
Tamila Тамила f Ukrainian, Russian
Meaning uncertain, possibly a variant of Tomila or Tamara.
Tanya Таня f Russian, Bulgarian, English
Russian diminutive of Tatiana. It began to be used in the English-speaking world during the 1930s.
Taras Тарас m Ukrainian, Russian, Belarusian
Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian form of the Greek name Ταράσιος (Tarasios), which possibly means "from Taras". Taras was an Italian city, now called Taranto, which was founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BC and was named for the Greek mythological figure Taras, a son of Poseidon. Saint Tarasios was an 8th-century bishop of Constantinople. It was also borne by the Ukrainian writer and artist Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861).
Tasha Таша f Russian, English
Short form of Natasha.
Tatiana Татьяна f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman name Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
Tatyana Татьяна f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Tatiana.
Terenti Терентий m Georgian, Russian
Georgian form of Terentius (see Terence). It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Терентий (see Terentiy).
Terentiy Терентий m Russian
Russian form of Terentius (see Terence).
Tikhon Тихон m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Tychon.
Timofei Тимофей m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Тимофей (see Timofey).
Timofey Тимофей m Russian
Russian form of Timothy.
Timur Тимур m Tatar, Chechen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkish, Russian, History
From the Turkic and Mongol name Temür meaning "iron". This was the name of several Mongol, Turkic and Yuan leaders. A notable bearer was Timur, also known as Tamerlane (from Persian تیمور لنگ (Tīmūr e Lang) meaning "Timur the lame"), a 14th-century Turkic leader who conquered large areas of western Asia.
Tit Тит m Slovene, Russian (Rare)
Slovene and Russian form of Titus.
Tolya Толя m Russian
Diminutive of Anatoliy.
Toma 1 Тома f Russian
Diminutive of Tamara.
Tomila Томила f Russian (Rare)
Possibly from Slavic tomiti meaning "to torment". In some cases communist parents may have derived it from the phrase торжество Маркса и Ленина (torzhestvo Marksa i Lenina) meaning "victory of Marx and Lenin".
Tonya Тоня f English, Russian
English diminutive of Antonia or a Russian diminutive of Antonina. In the English-speaking world its use has likely been positively influenced by the name Tanya.
Trifon Трифон m Bulgarian, Russian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Russian form of Tryphon.
Trofim Трофим m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Trophimus.
Tsetsiliya Цецилия f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Cecilia.
Tyoma Тёма m Russian
Diminutive of Artyom.
Uliana Ульяна f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Ульяна or Ukrainian Уляна (see Ulyana).
Ulya Уля f Russian
Diminutive of Ulyana.
Ulyana Ульяна f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Juliana.
Ustinya Устинья f Russian (Rare)
Russian variant form of Iustina (see Justina).
Vadik Вадик m Russian
Diminutive of Vadim.
Vadim Вадим m Russian
Meaning uncertain. It is used as a Russian form of the saintly name Bademus. Alternatively it may be derived from Slavic vaditi "to accuse, to argue" or from an Old Norse source. According to legend, this was the name of a legendary leader of the Ilmen Slavs who fought against the Varangians.
Vadimir Вадимир m Russian (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Vadim, with the addition of the Slavic element mirŭ "peace, world".
Valentin Валентин m French, Romanian, German, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish
Form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1) in several languages.
Valentina Валентина f Italian, Russian, Lithuanian, German, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian, Romanian, Spanish, Greek, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1). A famous bearer is the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova (1937-), who in 1963 became the first woman to visit space.
Valeri Валерий m Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian
Bulgarian and Georgian form of Valerius, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Валерий (see Valeriy).
Valeria Валерия f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valerius. This was the name of a 2nd-century Roman saint and martyr.
Valerian Валериан m Russian, Georgian, Romanian, History
From the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Valerius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Publius Licinius Valerianus) who was captured by the Persians. Several saints have also borne this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.
Valeriy Валерий m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Valerius.
Valeriya Валерия f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian and Ukrainian feminine form of Valerius, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Валерыя (see Valeryia).
Valery Валерий m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Alternate transcription of Russian Валерий, Ukrainian Валерій or Belarusian Валерый (see Valeriy).
Valya Валя f & m Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Valentina or Valentin.
Vanya Ваня m Russian
Diminutive of Ivan.
Varfolomei Варфоломей m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Варфоломей (see Varfolomey).
Varfolomey Варфоломей m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Bartholomew.
Varlaam Варлаам m Russian (Rare), Georgian (Rare)
Russian and Georgian form of Barlaam.
Varlam Варлам m Georgian, Russian (Rare)
Variant of Varlaam.
Varnava Варнава m Russian (Rare), Old Church Slavic
Russian form of Barnabas.
Varvara Варвара f Russian, Greek, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Greek, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Barbara.
Varya Варя f Russian
Diminutive of Varvara.
Vasili Василий m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Василий (see Vasiliy).
Vasilisa Василиса f Russian
Russian feminine form of Basil 1.
Vasiliy Василий m Russian
Russian form of Basil 1.
Vasily Василий m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Василий (see Vasiliy).
Vaska Васька m & f Russian, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Russian diminutive of Vasiliy (masculine) or a Macedonian and Bulgarian diminutive of Vasilija (feminine).
Vassily Василий m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Василий (see Vasiliy).
Vasya Вася m Russian
Diminutive of Vasiliy.
Vatslav Вацлав m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Václav or Wacław.
Venera 1 Венера f Russian, Bulgarian, Albanian
Form of Venus, from the genitive form Veneris.
Veniamin Вениамин m Russian, Greek
Russian and Greek form of Benjamin.
Venyamin Вениамин m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Вениамин (see Veniamin).
Vera 1 Вера f Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian, Georgian
Means "faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Verochka Верочка f Russian
Russian diminutive of Vera 1.
Verusha Веруша f Russian
Russian diminutive of Vera 1.
Verusya Веруся f Russian
Russian diminutive of Vera 1.
Vikenti Викентий m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Викентий (see Vikentiy).
Vikentiy Викентий m Russian
Russian form of Vincent.
Viktoria Виктория f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek, Georgian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Belarusian
German, Scandinavian and Greek variant of Victoria. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Виктория or Ukrainian Вікторія (see Viktoriya) or Belarusian Вікторыя (see Viktoryia), as well as the usual Georgian transcription.
Viktoriia Виктория f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Виктория or Ukrainian Вікторія (see Viktoriya).
Viktoriya Виктория f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Victoria, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Вікторыя (see Viktoryia).
Vilen Вилен m Russian
Abbreviation of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the name of the founder of the former Soviet state (see Vladimir and Lenin).
Violetta Виолетта f Italian, Russian, Hungarian
Italian, Russian and Hungarian form of Violet.
Vissarion Виссарион m Russian (Archaic), Greek
Russian form and Modern Greek transcription of Bessarion.
Vitali Виталий m Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Виталий or Ukrainian Віталій (see Vitaliy).
Vitalik Виталик m Russian, Ukrainian
Diminutive of Vitaliy.
Vitaliy Виталий m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Vitaliya Виталия f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian feminine form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Vitaly Виталий m Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Виталий or Ukrainian Віталій (see Vitaliy).
Vitold Витольд m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Witold.
Vitya Витя m Russian
Diminutive of Viktor.
Vlad Влад m Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian
Old short form of Vladislav and other names beginning with the Slavic element volděti (Church Slavic vladati) meaning "to rule, to control". This name was borne by several princes of Wallachia (in Romania) including the 15th-century Vlad III Dracula, who was Bram Stoker's inspiration for the name of his vampire Count Dracula.
Vladik Владик m Russian
Diminutive of Vladislav.
Vladilen Владилен m Russian
Contraction of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the name of the founder of the former Soviet state (see Vladimir and Lenin).
Vladimir Владимир m Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian
From the Old Slavic name *Voldiměrŭ, derived from the elements volděti meaning "to rule" and měrŭ meaning "great, famous". The second element has also been associated with mirŭ meaning "peace, world".... [more]
Vladislav Владислав m Russian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian
From the Old Slavic name *Voldislavŭ, derived from the elements volděti "to rule" and slava "glory". This name has been borne by kings, princes and dukes of Croatia, Serbia, Bohemia, Poland and Wallachia.
Vladislava Владислава f Russian, Czech
Feminine form of Vladislav.
Vladlen Владлен m Russian
Contraction of Vladimir Lenin, the name of the founder of the former Soviet state (see Vladimir and Lenin).