Good russian name: 22 great Russian baby names

22 great Russian baby names

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Here’s some solid inspiration for good Russian boy names and Russian girl names and what they mean.

The selection of Russian baby names is often steeped in tradition. Many new parents bestow a new baby with their father’s name as a middle name to honor his heritage and family.

“Family is very important when it comes to names,” says Maria Pervesco, a native Russian speaker and author of a forthcoming autobiography about her early years in Europe and immigration to America during World War II. Russian parents also sometimes combine their two names to create a new name for their newborn.

The most important thing when you choose an ethnic name is to “make sure you are not being ignorant or disrespectful to a culture,” says Elizabeth McKeown, author and creator of First and Middle Baby Names.

Russian girl names

Here are 22 great Russian names to consider:

1. Katya (KAHT-ya)
   Katya is a classic Russian girl’s name that means “chaste” or “pure.” A common spin on the name is Karina, which shares the same meaning. 
2. Nadia (NAH-dee-uh)
   Another classic name, Nadia means “filled with hope.” Pervesco named her daughter Nadia after successfully escaping from Europe and reaching the United States. 
3. Natasha (nah-TAH-shuh)
   If you’re looking for a classic Russian name that’s not as common, you might consider Natasha, which means “birthday of Christ.” 
4. Svetlana (sfet-LAH-nuh)
   Perhaps one of the most common Russian names, Svetlana means “shining woman.” 
5. Tatiana (taht-YAH-nah)
   Tatiana is a popular Russian name, which means “unclear.” 
6. Galina (guh-LEE-nuh)
   If you want to go with a name that’s more unique, add Galina to your list of possibilities. Galina means “calm” or “serene.” 
7. Kisa (KEE-saw)
   Kisa is another unique Russian name, and it means “kitten.” 
8. Lubov (LUE-bof)
   A name that means “love,” Lubov is a consideration if you want a Russian name but don’t want one you’ve heard over and over. 
9. Mariya (muh-REE-yuh)
   A name that can also be pronounced muh-RYE-yuh, Mariya is a unique name that means “exalted.” 
10. Mila (mee-LAH)
    Trendy and popular, Mila is gaining popularity in the United States. It means “dear one.” 
11. Tania (TAHN-yuh)
    Tania is a classic Russian name that means “fairy queen.”

Russian boy names

12. Pasha (PAW-shuh)
    Pasha is a classic Russian name that means “small and humble.” 
13. Vladimir (vlah-DEE-meer)
    Another classic Russian name, Vladimir means “ruler of the world.” 
14. Aleksandr (uhl-yik-SAHN-dur)
    Aleksandr is also a classic Russian name, and it means “to protect. ” According to Pervesco, it’s also a very common name. “I have a son, a grandson and a great-grandson with this name,” she exclaims. 
15. Boris (bor-EES)
    A name that means “to fight,” Boris is a more unique but classic Russian name. 
16. Dmitry (dee-MEE-tree)
    This popular name means “loves the earth.” 
17. Ivan (ih-VAHN)
    Ivan is a classic name that’s not as common. It means “God has mercy.” 
18. Maksim (MAC-sim)
    If you’re looking for a unique Russian name, Maksim is one attractive option. Maksim means “the greatest.” 
19. Nicolai (NICK-oh-lye)
    Nicolai is a unique spin on the more classic Nicholas, and it means “victory of the people.” “This is a handsome name for parents looking for something classic but not as popular,” Pervesco says. 
20. Lehya (LEH-yah)
    If you want something even more unique, Lehya is a name to consider. It means “lion. ” 
21. Sergei (sur-GAY)
    If you’re wanting a classic name but one that’s not too common, try Sergei. It means “exalted one.” 
22. Timur (TEE-mor)
    Timur is a good Russian name, but it’s unique enough that your child probably won’t be sharing his name with lots of others. It means “conqueror.”

If you’re on the fence about Russian baby names, consider using one as a middle name to honor your Russian heritage, suggests McKeown, who says that a “middle name is a good spot to honor someone or place something daring or unexpected.”

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Russian Names | Nameberry

Russian Names | NameberryMenuFind your type now Arrow Right

AboutQuiz

Mon May 02 2022By Pamela Redmond

Russian names are attracting new attention in the Western World, thanks to the increased visibility of Russian culture and an influx of Russian models with stunning Russian names like Natalia, Irina and Daria.

What’s here is our full list of Russian names, generated from our complete database and ordered according to their current popularity on Nameberry. The Russian baby names here include familiar choices like Anastasia and Alexei, as well as little-known Russian gems like Zoya and Zinoviy.

Russian names in the US Top 1000 for girls include Alina, Kira, Mila, Nadia, and Nina. For boys, Russian names in the US Top 1000 include Ivan, Nikolai and Valentin. In Russia, popular names include Polina, Varvara and Ksenia for girls, and Mikhail, Lev and Artem for boys.

A note on Russian usage: names ending in -sha, -ka and, in some cases, -ya are diminutive forms in Russian – which means they are generally used only as nicknames in Russia, rather than as formal names in their own right. Many would also make for cool and unexpected nickname ideas for more popular English names: think Katya for Katherine, or Misha for Michael.

RELATED:

Russian Girl Names

Russian Boy Names

1. AnastasiaHeart

   • Origin:

     Greek, feminine variation of Anastasios

   • Meaning:

     “resurrection”

   • Description:

     Anastasia is the feminine form on Anastasius, a Greek name derived from the word anastasis, meaning “resurrection. ” It was a common name among early Christians, who often gave it to daughters born around Christmas or Easter. There are handful of saints named Anastasia, including the patron saint of weavers.

   Anastasia ContinuedChevron – Right

2. MilaHeart

   • Origin:

     Slavic, Russian

   • Meaning:

     “gracious; dear”

   • Description:

     Mila is a given name with Russian and Slavic provenance. It began as the diminutive form for names such as Ludmila, Milena, and Milica. Mila can be a nickname for any name containing the element mil, meaning “gracious” or “dear.”

   Mila ContinuedChevron – Right

3. AnyaHeart

   • Origin:

     Russian diminutive of Anna

   • Meaning:

     “grace”

   • Description:

     Anya is a Russian variation of Anna, which came from the Hebrew name Hannah. Anya is the form found most frequently in Russia, Poland, and other East European countries, while Anja is the spelling usually preferred in Germany Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and The Netherlands. In the Hungarian language, Anya also means mother.

   Anya ContinuedChevron – Right

4. DimitriHeart

   • Origin:

     Russian from Greek Demetrius

   • Meaning:

     “follower of Demeter”

   • Description:

     Dimitri is a Slavic variation of the Russian Dmitriy, a name that comes from the Greek Demetrius. Demetrius was derived from Demeter, the name of the Greek goddess of fertility and farming. Among the possible spelling variations are Dmitri, Dmitrii, Dmitriy, and Dmitry.

   Dimitri ContinuedChevron – Right

5. VeraHeart

   • Origin:

     Russian

   • Meaning:

     “faith”

   • Description:

     Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple names such as Ada and Iris.

   Vera ContinuedChevron – Right

6. NinaHeart

   • Origin:

     Short form of names that end in -nina

   • Description:

     Nina is as multiethnic as you can get: Nina is a common nickname name in Spain and Russia, a Babylonian goddess of the oceans, and an Incan goddess of fire. Here and now, it’s a stylish possibility that’s been underused. “Weird Al” Yankovic chose this decidedly nonweird name for his daughter.

   Nina ContinuedChevron – Right

7. NataliaHeart

   • Origin:

     Latin

   • Meaning:

     “birthday [of the Lord]”

   • Description:

     Natalia was derived from the Latin word natalis, meaning “birthday.” It refers to the birthday of Jesus Christ, and thus originated as a name for girls born on Christmas Day. Related forms include the French Natalie, Portuguese Natalina, and Russian diminutive Natasha.

   Natalia ContinuedChevron – Right

8. MikaHeart

   • Origin:

     Japanese

   • Meaning:

     “beautiful fragrance”

   • Description:

     Mika is a Japanese girls’ name that translates easily to English. As a male name, it’s a short form of Mikael, the Scandinavian and Finnish form of Michael. Both are spelled and pronounced the same.

   Mika ContinuedChevron – Right

9. LevHeart

   • Origin:

     Hebrew, Russian

   • Meaning:

     “heart; lion”

   • Description:

     This concise one-syllable name, has two possible derivations and two positive meanings associated with it. In Hebrew, it means “heart”, while in Russian it means “lion”. So strong and simple Lev has both a soft and a fierce side.
     

   Lev ContinuedChevron – Right

10. NadiaHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      “hope; tender, delicate”

    • Description:

      Nadia, an accessible Slavic favorite, has a strong run of popularity in the US in the early 2000s, partially thanks to the character on Lost called Nadia but actually named Noor, but it’s since slumped down the rankings. An earlier inspiration was Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, who won the 1976 Olympics.

    Nadia ContinuedChevron – Right

11. AnnikaHeart

    • Origin:

      Swedish diminutive of Anna

    • Meaning:

      “grace”

    • Description:

      Annika is a surprise hit of recent years, inspired by golfer Sorenstam; for Trekkies, it was also the name of a ‘Star Trek:Voyager’ character. Some people’s first memory of it might be as Pippi Longstocking’s friend. A nice namesake for an ancestral Ann.

    Annika ContinuedChevron – Right

12. LiliaHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian

    • Meaning:

      “lily”

    • Description:

      One of a group of pretty double L names, Lilia is more unusual and distinctive than some others. Truly cross-cultural, the lilting Lilia is heard in the Russian, Spanish, Hebrew, and Hawaiian communities and would be a good choice for a child born to parents of different ethnicities.

    Lilia ContinuedChevron – Right

13. NatashaHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian diminutive of Natalya

    • Meaning:

      “birthday of the Lord”

    • Description:

      Natasha, an appealing, still unusual name, entered the American mainstream post-Cold War but seems to have peaked in the eighties, replaced by the more straightforward Natalie. As is common for Natashas the world over, the Obamas shorten their Natasha’s name to Sasha.

    Natasha ContinuedChevron – Right

14. KiraHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian feminine variation of Cyrus

    • Meaning:

      “throne”

    • Description:

      Though such cognates of Kira as Keira, Kyra, and Ciara are evermore popular throughout Europe and in the U.S., this Cyrus relative has a different root. Variations include Keera, Kiera, Kierra, Kirah, Kiri, Kiria, Kiriah, Kiro, Kirra, Kirrah, Kirri, Kirya, and Kyra.

    Kira ContinuedChevron – Right

15. DamienHeart

    • Origin:

      French from Greek

    • Meaning:

      “to tame, subdue”

    • Description:

      Converting Damian to Damien – or Julian to Julien or Lucian to Lucien – adds a certain je ne sais quoi to names. But most people in English speaking areas will still pronounce this the same as the -an ending form. The French pronunciation is more like “dah-mee-u(n)”.

    Damien ContinuedChevron – Right

16. IvanHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian variation of John

    • Meaning:

      “God is gracious”

    • Description:

      Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys’ names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool.

    Ivan ContinuedChevron – Right

17. SashaHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Greek Alexander

    • Meaning:

      “defending men”

    • Description:

      Sasha, largely male in Russia–and also spelled Sascha and Sacha–is an energetic name that has really taken off for girls here, chosen by Jerry Seinfeld (using the alternate Sascha spelling) and other celebs. The Barack Obamas use it as the nickname for their younger daughter, whose proper name is Natasha. But in line with a trend toward softer-sounding boys’ names like Asher and Joshua and thanks to Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen, Sasha also still has life as a boys’ name too–it’s popular in France for boys and girls almost equally.

    Sasha ContinuedChevron – Right

18. TatianaHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian from Latin family name

    • Description:

      Tatiana was derived from Tatius, a Sabine-Latin family name of unknown origin. Titus Tatius was the name of an ancient king who ruled over the Sabines, an ancient Italic tribe who lived near Rome. The Romans used the name Tatius even after the Sabines died out and created the derivative forms Tatianus and Tatiana. The names were eventually disseminated throughout the Orthodox Christian world, including Russia.

    Tatiana ContinuedChevron – Right

19. LaraHeart

    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Larissa or Larisa

    • Meaning:

      “citadel”

    • Description:

      This is an alternative to Laura or Lauren made romantic by Dr Zhivago, and badass by video-game heroine Lara Croft.
      
      

    Lara ContinuedChevron – Right

20. AngelinaHeart

    • Origin:

      Greek, Italian, Spanish, Russian diminutive of Angela

    • Meaning:

      “angel”

    • Description:

      The gorgeous Angelina Jolie has promoted the star power of her name and changed Angelina’s image from delicate to intense, from older Italian mama to stylish multi-cultural child. Kids might relate to the dancing mouse in the series of charming children’s books, Angelina Ballerina, or to the Harry Potter character, Angelina Johnson Weasley, a member of Dumbledore’s army.

    Angelina ContinuedChevron – Right

Popular Baby Names, origin russian

Adrik	Dark.	Male	Russian	–
Akim	God.	Male	Russian	–
Aksana		Female	Russian	Axana
Alek	Variant of Alexander ‘defender of mankind.’.	Male	Russian	–
Aleksandr	Helper of man.	Male	Russian	–
Aleksi	Helper of man.	Male	Russian	–
Aleksis	Helper of man.	Male	Russian	–
Alexei	Helper of man.	Male	Russian	–
Alexis	Defender or helper. This Russian masculine name became popular in Britain and the US in the early 20th century, and is now given to children of either sexe.	Male	Russian	–
Alik	Helper of man.	Male	Russian	–
Aloyoshenka	Defends mankind.	Male	Russian	–
Aloysha	Defends mankind.	Male	Russian	–
Anatolii	From the east.	Male	Russian	–
Andrei	Russian form of Andrew ‘manly’.	Male	Russian	–
Andrusha	Russian form of Andrew ‘manly’.	Male	Russian	–
Andrya	Russian form of Andrew ‘manly’.	Male	Russian	–
Antinko	Inestimable.	Male	Russian	–
Anton	Inestimable.	Male	Russian	–
Antosha	Inestimable.	Male	Russian	–
Arman	Army man.	Male	Russian	–
Baran	The ram; forceful; virile. See also Baron.	Male	Russian	–
Berdy	Very intelligent.	Male	Russian	–
Bogdashha	Gift from God.	Male	Russian	–
Bohdan	Gift from God.	Male	Russian	–
Bohdana	from god	Female	Russian	Bogdana
Bolodenka	Peaceful.	Male	Russian	–
Boris	fight, battler	Male	Russian	Bors, Borys
Borya	Fighter.	Male	Russian	–
Boryenka	Fighter.	Male	Russian	–
Brends	Russian form of Stephen ‘crowned with laurels’.	Male	Russian	–
Brody	From Brody.	Male	Russian	–
Burian	Lives near the weeds.	Male	Russian	–
Cheslav	Lives in a strong camp.	Male	Russian	–
Cyzarine	royalty	Female	Russian	Cyzars
Czar	Emperor. Variant of Caesar.	Male	Russian	–
Danya	God’s gift.	Male	Russian	–
Dema	Calm.	Male	Russian	–
Dima	Strong fighter.	Male	Russian	–
Dimitre	Variant of Dimitri: Earth-lover.	Male	Russian	–
Dimitri	Earth-lover.	Male	Russian	–
Dimitrios	Variant of Dimitri: Earth-lover.	Male	Russian	–
Dimitry	Variant of Dimitri: Earth-lover.	Male	Russian	–
Dmitr	Variant of Dimitri: Earth-lover.	Male	Russian	–
Dmitri	Variant of Dimitri: Earth-lover.	Male	Russian	–
Edik	Rich protector.	Male	Russian	–
Egor	Russian form of George ‘farmer’.	Male	Russian	–
Evgenii	Russian form of Eugene ‘noble’.	Male	Russian	–
Fabi	Russian form of Fabian ‘bean farmer’.	Male	Russian	–
Faddei	Variant of Fadey: Bold; brave.	Male	Russian	–
Fadeaushka	Variant of Fadey: Bold; brave.	Male	Russian	–
Fadeuka	Variant of Fadey: Bold; brave.	Male	Russian	–
Fadey	Bold; brave.	Male	Russian	–
Fadeyka	Brave.	Male	Russian	–
Fayina	free one	Female	Russian	–
Fedor	God’s gift.	Male	Russian	–
Fedya	God’s gift.	Male	Russian	–
Fedyenka	Russian form of Theodore ‘gift from God’.	Male	Russian	–
Feliks	Russian form of Felix ‘lucky’.	Male	Russian	–
Filip	Russian form of Philip ‘loves horses’.	Male	Russian	–
Fjodor		Male	Russian	Fedor, Fiodor
Foma	Twin.	Male	Russian	–
Fredek	Russian form of Frederick ‘peaceful ruler’.	Male	Russian	–
Fyodor	Russian form of Theodore ‘gift from God’.	Male	Russian	–
Galina	light	Female	Russian	–

How to name a boy – ancient beautiful good simple strong male native Russian names for a boy

Heritage

Article last updated: 03.10.2022

How to name the son? Someone is guided by the holy calendar, someone by compatibility with a patronymic, someone is looking for an original rare name, someone chooses among names of a certain origin … In any case, every name is beautiful and no matter what you stop at, your choice will be right, because it is prompted by a loving heart. We suggest paying attention to some primordially Russian and Old Slavic names that resonate in the heart and subconscious at the level of sound and meaning, and create a stable spiritual connection between a boy of the 21st century and his real ancestors who lived on our earth hundreds or even thousands of years before him … There are many such names. A list of some of them with meanings is at the end of the article.

What should be considered a Russian name for a boy?

The question itself is not as simple as it seems, since many people put different meanings into the concept of “Russian name for a boy”. Firstly, all names have a certain origin and among the most common in society today are biblical, Greek, Roman names. These, in particular, include many names that have become completely familiar to our ears – such as, for example:

• Alexey, Vasily, Vlas, Demyan, Gordey, Evgeny, Kuzma, Makar, Nikolay, Prokhor – Greek;
• Vitaly, Victor, Dementy, Kondrat, Konstantin, Ignat, Maxim, Sergey – Roman;
• Elisha, Zakhar, Ilya, Matvey, Mikhail, Semyon, Thomas – biblical.

– due to their large number and / or prevalence in the past, they are often conditionally considered Russian names. Yes, they really became a part of our culture, that’s how they called their children in our country for many generations, and on this basis they can be referred to as “Russian names”, that is, “names that are often called (or called) children in Russia” .

Artist: Yuri Pantyukhin. Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky.

But some of the parents may want to find names for their children that would be primordially Russian, or rather even Slavic, that is, “invented” here and common on our earth not in the last few centuries, but in ancient times . Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, there are no complete lists or official lists of names that existed in Russia in pre-Christian times. Only a small part of such names have survived due to the fact that the deeds of their bearers were documented in separate documents, annals or birch bark. By studying them, we can imagine how the names of our distant ancestors could sound and partially reconstruct this lost layer of heritage.

Artist: Alexander Uglanov. On a sunny slope.

What was the name of children in ancient Russia?

In particular, the researchers divided all Old Russian names into several groups according to a certain logic:

• Names-totems associated with animals and birds: Fox, Bear, Tur, Raven, Magpie.
• Names fixing some external features: Belyai (light), Rusinko (blond), Mal (small), Vyshen (tall).
• Names fixing some character traits: Buyan (violent temper), Molchan (silent), Milan (sweet, kind).
• Names associated with birth features: Zhdan (long-awaited child), Nezhdan (“accidental” child), Istoma (difficult birth).
• Ordinal names associated with the order of birth: Pervusha, Vtorak, Tretyak .
• Names designed to scare away troubles and misfortunes: Failure, Koschey, Nemil .
• Names-amulets, carrying a certain wish or setting: most often with endings – glory, -yar, -polk, peace, -bor. For example, Budimir (= awakening world), Dobroslav (= glorifying dobo), Ratibor (= able to overcome the whole army).

At the same time, it should be remembered that in ancient times The person’s name may have changed over time. For example, at birth he was called, conditionally, Mal (according to external characteristics), and having matured, or having passed a certain initiation, he could have received a different name – for example, according to character traits or profession – say Buyan. After the adoption of Christianity, a person could also have two names at the same time – the one with which he was baptized according to the calendar, and the one given according to the old tradition, which became, as it were, a nickname – for example, Peter, nicknamed Molchan. The nickname could later be fixed as a surname, which helped to distinguish people with the same names.

Artist: Vsevolod Ivanov. Sanctuary of Numbers.

In ancient times, the Slavs, apparently, also had several names at the same time, used in communication with people of different circles of proximity and kinship. Thus, the real true personal name of a person was known only to parents, and, possibly, to his wife, teacher or brother. For all others, nicknames were used throughout their lives, which could easily be changed under certain circumstances (like nicknames on the Internet). In this context, to reveal your true name to someone is to show the highest degree of trust. This has come down to us in legends, according to which the knowledge of the true name of someone (or the true name of an animal, thing) gives the knower power over this person. Based on this, we generally cannot say with certainty that the names of our ancestors that have come down to us from chronicles and letters were the true personal names of people, and not nicknames used for “official, service and social contacts. ”

Artist: Boris Olshansky. Berendei.

In addition, for different classes were characterized by different names . For ordinary people, names fixing external features, character traits, and the order of birth were more often used. The military class and the nobility (boyars) are dominated by two-part amulets that carry a certain wish and are often associated with the theme of victory, struggle, glory, etc.

There was also an unspoken list of names for the princes – all the Ruriks called their children names from this list and no others. You can easily check this yourself by re-reading the preserved historical chronicles with the names of the rulers of the principalities. At the same time, none of the lower classes had the right to call their children these princely names. It is interesting that among these princely names there are both pre-Christian and biblical ones.

Artist: I. S. Glazunov . Rurik, Truvor, Sineus.

Russian princely names of the Rurik dynasty

So the generic princely names of the Rurikovichs include:

1. pre-Christian – Rurik, Oleg, Igor, Svyatoslav, Vladimir (Volodar/Volodsha), Vsevolod, Mstislav, Yaroslav, Yaropolk, Vyacheslav, Izyaslav, Svyatopolk, Rostislav, Rogvolod, Vseslav, Boris, Gleb .
2. biblical – Roman, David, Vasily, Yuri . Unlike the pre-Christian names of the princely list, biblical princely names could also be used by representatives of other estates, as they were in the calendar, that is, they were open to everyone. Over time, the names of Boris and Gleb were also canonized. And even later, many others from the original princely list.

Strong, beautiful and simple original Russian names for a boy

So how can we call a boy a traditional Russian name today so that, on the one hand, it is connected with the most ancient layers of our history, and on the other hand, it does not sound out of place or strange to the ear of the surrounding people?

It is obvious that a number of ancient Slavic common names associated with animals, serial numbers, unsightly character traits, etc. , are likely to disappear. At the same time, numerous lists of sonorous Old Slavic names presented on the Internet (mostly names-amulets made up of two words), on the one hand, are also too unusual, and on the other hand, often raise doubts whether this is really a really existing Old Russian name, and an analogue not invented in the 21st century, created simply on the basis of the general logic of composing Slavic names? If this fact does not bother you, then, of course, you can pick up a lot of beautiful options in them. In addition, what is important – regardless of their historical authenticity – these are names with meaning, the meaning of which is intuitively clear to any Russian person, so they still carry the function of “amulet”. And who, in principle, forbids us to create new names in the context of our tradition, since historically it turned out that a large number of old and relatives were irretrievably lost?

However, let’s get back to more familiar names. It seems optimal to search for options among ancient Russian / Slavic names that are more or less well-known in the context of our history, and therefore allow us to maintain the desired balance between adherence to tradition and modern realities. Such names, in the subjective opinion, include:

• The princely names mentioned above, known to everyone and recorded in numerous annals. Most of them are also included in the calendar, since many princes were subsequently canonized, that is, with such a name, a child can even be baptized if desired.
• Names of heroes, famous warriors and heroes of Russia. Not all of them are included in the holy calendar, however, these names are also quite well known, well remembered and evoke positive associations with most people. In addition, the very fact of their existence can be considered unambiguously confirmed – since they were brought to us by numerous ancient legends and traditions.
• Names that at first glance seem to come from the Bible, Scandinavia, Byzantium or Rome, but in fact – according to some theories that we will voice below – are primordially Russian and are easily “read” in Russian on a subconscious level.

Consider some of the original Russian names in more detail with history and meaning

Oleg – “officially” it is considered that this is a name of Scandinavian origin (in the original version Helgi), meaning “saint”, “dedicated”. However, there are reasons to disagree with such an interpretation and attribute this name to the original Russian-Slavic. The fact is that in all the languages ​​​​of the Slavic group there is a male name meaning “wolf” (Vuk, Vok, Valko, Volek, etc.), and only in Russian it seems to be absent. This is extremely strange, especially considering the fact that the wolf among our ancestors was one of the main sacred animals (along with the bear, raven and elk), personifying the mind, strength, devotion, dexterity, reliability, loyalty, dedication and a number of traditional male traits. character. Such a name should have served as the strongest protective totem, and in terms of its character and energy it would have been quite suitable for the prince. There is a version that Oleg (Voleg, Volek, Volga) is the Wolf, and Olga, in turn, is the female version of this name. By the way, Oleg, as we know, is just included in the circle of princely names of the Rurikovichs, and his most famous bearer is Prince Prophetic Oleg.

Artist: Igor Ozhiganov. Prophetic Oleg – farewell to the horse.

Igor is another name from the “Scandinavian” circle, where it sounds like “Ingvar”, meaning “warlike” or “guarding God” or “protected by God.” It is noted, however, that the name Ingvar is not found in the medieval annals of Scandinavia in general, and spread there much later. The Scandinavian origin of the Varangians-Rus, who came to Russia led by Rurik, also raises more and more questions – there are much more compelling reasons to consider them a related Slavic-speaking tribe from the shores of the Baltic (read more). In this regard, it is appropriate to consider another hypothesis, according to which the name Igor comes from the Russian “game” (Old Russian “igr”), meaning something like “player” (= merry fellow? strategist? living active person?). The most famous historical character is Igor, the son of Rurik and the pupil of the Prophetic Oleg, whose wife was Olga. The name Igor is included in the list of princely names of Rurikovich.

Artist: Ilya Glazunov. Prince Oleg with Igor.

Boris is an abbreviated / diminutive form of the common Proto-Slavic name Borislav, common in the past in the territories of Russia and Bulgaria. Means “fighter”, “glorious in the fight”, “fighting for glory”. Historically, Prince Boris, the brother of Gleb, received the greatest fame in Russia – both of them were killed in a fight with their older brother Svyatopolk, and later canonized by the church. The name Boris is included in the list of princely names of the Rurikovich.

Gleb (Uleb) – there are several versions of the origin of the name. Some deduce its etymology from the Scandinavian or Old German Gottlieb (Gottlieb), meaning “beloved of God (Gods)”, others believe that the name Gleb comes from the Old Slavonic word “gleba” – that is, “land”. The name Gleb is included in the list of princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Artist:

N. K. Roerich

. Boris and Gleb.

Svyatoslav – “holy glory”. The most famous Svyatoslav of Ancient Russia is the warrior prince, the son of Igor and Olga Svyatoslav Igorevich, who became famous for a number of victorious Khazar and Bulgarian campaigns. Svyatoslav seriously expanded the borders and sphere of influence of Ancient Russia, fought on equal terms with Constantinople, and in terms of the scale of his personality and strategic victories he is considered one of the most prominent rulers of Russia. The name is among the princely names of the Rurikovichs, and is also one of the few Russian “pagan” names canonized by the church. However, it was not Svyatoslav described above, also known as an ardent zealot of the ancient faith, who was canonized, but Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, Prince of Vladimir of the 13th century (Svyatoslav-Gabriel Yuryevsky).

Artist: Boris Olshansky. Sich on the Dnieper.

Vladimir (Volodimir / Volodar / Volodsha / Volotoman) – in this case, the Slavic version of the origin from the words “owning the world” seems indisputable, however, a number of scientists still offer the Scandinavian version of Valdimarr (from “vald” – the ruler and “marr “- famous). Which interpretation seems more realistic is up to you to decide, however, we note the interesting fact that the name Volodymyr is mentioned in the most ancient sacred book of Ancient Russia that has come down to us – the “Pigeon Book”, dressed in a Christian form, but in essence representing a pre-Christian view of the world. There, a certain Volodimir Volodimirovich (in other lists – Volotoman Volotomanovich) asks questions about the structure of the world to Tsar Davyd Osievich (aka Davyd Evseevich). Unfortunately, information about who both of these characters were did not reach us, nevertheless it is obvious that for listeners in the past it was perfectly clear who they were talking about, and the significance of these figures in the context of the fact that they are mentioned in this sacred text, is not in doubt. (read more). The name Vladimir is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Yaroslav – “yar + glory” can mean 1) “glorifying Yar (Yarilu)”. Yarila-Yarilo personifies the sun, and in particular its youngest, passionate, hot hypostasis – the spring sun, being one of the main gods of the ancient Slavic pantheon. Yarilo is awakening, fertility, currents of all kinds of energies, purity, sincerity, light, an invincible thirst for life and love. Thus, Yaroslav is “glorifying Yarila”, “glorifying the sun”, “glorifying life”; 2) “ardent”, that is, strong, powerful, hot, energetic; respectively, entirely – “possessing a bright glory” or “glorious for its vitality (rage)”. Both interpretations complement each other, and in one way or another revolve around the concept of Yar — life force. Naming a child with this name is intended to enhance the corresponding qualities in him, or to emphasize his spiritual closeness to the sun god. The most famous historical Yaroslav is Yaroslav the Wise, famous for his educational activities, the creation of the first legislative act of Russia “Russian Truth”, as well as far-sighted foreign policy. The name Yaroslav is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Artist: Viktor Korolkov. Yarilo.

Vsevolod – consists of the Old Russian words “vs” (= all, everything) + “volodeti” (= to own), that is, it means “owning everything”, “omnipotent”. The most famous historical character is Vsevolod the Big Nest, also known as Vsevolod III. The time of his reign marked the heyday of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. After himself, the prince left 12 children, including 8 sons, for which he received his nickname. The name Vsevolod is among the princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Mstislav – consists of the Old Russian words “revenge” (= protect, overcome) + “glory”, that is, it means “glorious defender”, “glorious defender”, “glorious warrior”. As we can see, the root of “revenge” in Old Russian included a much wider range of concepts than just revenge on someone, and the main ones were just positive ones – related to protection, guarding, righteous struggle. The most famous historical character is Mstislav the Brave (Udaloy) Tmutarakansky, who became famous as a great warrior brave in battle (fought against the Kasogi, participated in the campaign of Yaroslav the Wise against Poland), merciful to the defeated and attentive to his army. The name Mstislav is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Artist:

N. K. Roerich

. Single combat between Mstislav and Rededya.

Yaropolk – consists of the Old Russian words “ardent” (that is, energetic, ardent, furious, active, shining) and “regiment” (= people, crowd, assembly). “Regiment” can be interpreted both as a large army and simply as a community of people, respectively, the name Yaropolk can be read in two ways “shining among the people”, “inspiring the army”, “charging people around with a rage”, “standing a whole army” and so on. Such ambiguity does not at all mean that the interpretation of this name today is vague or inaccurate – the fact is that all the original root bases, used in particular for adding names, contain a wide range of meanings and meanings that complement each other without any either contradictions or the need to “choose” only one. It is the complex of all meanings that adds up a single correct image – as if we are looking at a certain object from different angles. The name Yaropolk is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Svyatopolk – consists of the Old Russian words “holy” (that is, bright, sacred, exalted) and “regiment” (= people, crowd, assembly). It can be interpreted as “revered as a saint”, “illuminating the people (or army) with the light of their souls”, “holy army”, etc. The name Svyatopolk is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Artist: Andrey Klmenko. A word about Igor’s regiment, Eclipse of the sun.

Vyacheslav – “vyache” in Old Russian was used in the concept of “more, stronger, better” as a comparative degree, that is, the name Vyacheslav is read as “more glorious”, “superior to others with its glory”, “most glorious”. There were other transcriptions of him – Vecheslav, Vyaceslav. Interestingly, among the southern Slavs, the name Vyacheslav was transformed into the form of Vatslav – many historical characters are also known under this name. The name Vyacheslav is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs. For several centuries, it was almost completely forgotten, until, on the wave of a return to the “Russian style” and an in-depth study of the native culture, already in the 19th century, a “fashion” arose for it among the nobility and intelligentsia.

Rostislav – means “growing glory”, “growing glory”, “one whose glory is constantly growing.” The name Rostislav is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs.

Vseslav – means “glorified by all”, “the most glorious”, but, at the same time, it can also mean “glorifying everything”, that is, “glorifying life”. His truncated form Seslav was also used. The well-known bearer of the name is Vyacheslav Bryachislavich, the prince of Polotsk who appears in Igor’s Word and Campaign, also known as Vseslav the Prophetic or Vseslav the Enchanter, a sorcerer warrior, a hero who was credited with the ability to turn into a beast. The name Rostislav is one of the princely names of the Rurikovichs. Unlike most of the above names, it has never been canonized by the church.

Monument to Vseslav Bryachislavovich in Polotsk.

The following names were NOT included in the list of Rurik princely names, but may also be of interest to those who are looking for a beautiful and strong original Russian or Slavic name for a boy:

Stanislav – means “to become glorious.” In the history of Russia, a single use of this name is recorded for a member of the princely Rurik dynasty – we are talking about Stanislav Vladimirovich, the youngest son of St. Vladimir. For some reason, this name was never used again by representatives of the princely family. At the same time, it became quite widespread among the nobility and boyars, about which there are relevant documentary evidence. With the spread of Christianity, the name practically disappeared from everyday life, and then returned in a very unusual way from Poland: there this name (with an emphasis on the last syllable) was extremely popular at all times, and even kings were often called Stanislavs, one of whom established the corresponding state award — Order of Saint Stanislaus. With the accession of Poland, this award was “inherited” by the Russian Empire, and the order not only took root in our land, but also became one of the most frequently issued. Along with the spread of the Order, interest in the name Stanislav also returned, however, its wide distribution was hindered by its absence in the Orthodox nomenclature. After the October Revolution, the name gradually began to appear more and more often.

Order of Saint Stanislaus

Ratmir – like Stanislav, it was most common among the ancient Russian nobility, boyars, warriors of the squad. It was not used by princes and ordinary people. The name Ratmir was given by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin to one of the key characters of the poem “Ruslan and Lyudmila”, endowed by him with such features as ardor, love of love, the desire to get what he wants at all costs. Obviously, our great poet knowingly chose this name for such a hero.

Vladislav – “possessing fame.” There is a version that the name came to Russia quite late – in the XIII century from the neighboring South Slavic peoples (possibly Serbs). An indirect confirmation of this is the absence of a name among the princely names of the Rurikovich.

Miroslav – can mean “glorifying the world”, “glorified by peacefulness”, “glorious in the world (that is, among the people)”, “glory to the whole world”. The name Miroslav is common among all Slavic peoples. However, not a single saint with that name was canonized. In Russia, it was probably used more often among the nobility, boyars and squads. It is not included in the princely list of Rurikovich names.

Artist: Konstantin Makovsky. Boyar wedding feast.

Vadim – etymologists have not come to a common point of view on how to interpret the meaning of the name, although on the issue of its origin, the majority agree that the name should be attributed to the Old Slavic. 1) From the old Russian “vaditi” – “to sow confusion”, “to argue”. Such an interpretation raises great doubts, because, as we can see when studying other ancient Russian names, they are always built around the positive concepts of “glory”, “peace”, “own”, “win”. On the other hand, “sower of discord” or “disputer” – if such a meaning is allowed – is not a too strong repulsive nickname that could be used to scare away troubles, such as the names of Koschey or Failure. 2) The root stem “Wadi” is also sometimes interpreted as “tame”, “lure”, “call” – as in the word “graft” familiar to us today. In this context, the name Vadim is interpreted as “calling”, “alluring”. 3) According to the third version, Vadim is an abbreviated word for the full name Vadislav, which, taking into account the previous version, can be deployed as “calling glory.” This interpretation seems to be the most reasonable, since in this case, the name fully fits into the general series and the logic of the formation of two-part male names in Russia.

Bogdan – as you might guess, it means “given by God”, “God’s gift”. Perhaps this was the name given to especially long-awaited children, for example, in families where they did not appear for a long time. It remains only unclear which God (or Gods?) is in question in this case, since opinions differ regarding the time of the appearance of this name – whether it came along with the Christian faith, or whether it existed in Russia in pre-Christian times. Some etymologists believe that the name is a tracing-paper from the ancient Greek name “Theodot” with a similar meaning, others believe that in this case the name would simply enter the Russian language in its original sound “Theodot” (in general, the name Fedot is just them and is), like other Greek names that were not “translated” into Russian.

Peresvet – the prefix “re-” was used in Russian to denote the highest degree of something and later shortened to “pre-” – as in the words “wise”, “beautiful”, “excellent”. Peresvet, respectively, means “very bright”, “brightest light”, “light of light”, “the complete opposite of darkness”, etc. The Russian hero Peresvet, who went out to battle with Khan’s duel Chelubey before the Mamaev massacre, entered the history forever. According to the preserved history, both of them died in battle, however, according to some versions, Chelubey initially cheated, taking a much longer spear, which gave him a huge advantage over the enemy. Nevertheless, Peresvet, although he himself also died, still managed to knock Chelubey out of the saddle, that is, equalized the result of a deliberately unequal fight, which means he won in a certain sense.

Artist: Boris Olshansky. Peresvet on the Kulikovo field.

Dobrynya (Dobryn) – comes from the word “good”, which, in ancient times, probably had a meaning closer to the concepts of “daring” or “the best” than to the word “kind”, as we understand it today. According to some versions, it was an abbreviated name from the full Dobromir or Dobroslav. Historically, however, it was the abbreviated version that was remembered, to a large extent due to the image of the Russian hero Dobrynya Nikitich. The name is also often found in historical chronicles as the name of one or another boyar or city mayor.

Artist: V.Vasnetsov. The fight between Dobrynya Nikitich and the seven-headed Serpent Gorynych.

Rodion is a rather controversial name on our list. According to the generally accepted version, it came to us from Greece and means “inhabitant of the island of Rhodes.” Nevertheless, the name is quite clearly read in Russian, and if so, is it worth it to complicate what our brain intuitively perceives as simple without any translation into other languages? “Rod” is the name of the ancient Slavic God the Father, from whom the rest of the gods descended, who, in turn, created our world and people. The name “Rod” then expanded to designate a genus in the sense of a family, that is, a series of ancestors going back centuries (up to the very God of the Family). Rodion, with this interpretation – “a descendant of the clan (or the clan?)”, “together with the clan (or the clan?)”

Below are other variants of male names, including rarer ones that are classified as traditional Russian / Slavic male names:

B – Bazhen (desired), Bogdan, Bogolyub, Boleslav (more glorious), Borimir (fighter for peace), Boris, Borislav, Boyan (fighter), Brachislav (illustrious warrior), Bronislav (defending glory), Budimir (awakening world)
AT Vadim (Vadimir), Velizar (a lot of light), Vladimir, Vladislav, Voislav (fighting for glory), Volodar (wielding), Volga (Volkh, possibly an analogue of the name Oleg with the meaning wolf), Vsevolod, Vseslav, Vysheslav (more glorious), Vyacheslav
G – Gleb, Gorazd (large), Gorislav (blazing glory), Gradimir (creator of the world), Gremislav (thundering glory)
D – Danislav (give fame = let it be glorious), Dobroslav (Dobrynya, Dobryata), Dobrynya (daring), Dragomil (especially expensive), Dragomir (valuing the world), Druzhina friend, colleague)
F — Zhdan (long-awaited child)
З — Zvyaga (voiced, loud)
I – Igor, Izyaslav (who gained fame), Istoma (difficult birth)