Russian Names
 

Welcome to the lesson about Russian names! If you just wish to see the list of names, then scroll down and you will find the 50 most common male and female names. (Listed in both Russian and English). But if you have the time, read on. We will investigate Russian names, their origin and usage. The three-part form of modern Russian names consists of a first name, patronymic and surname . It first appeared in the 10th century but became normal during the reign of Tzar Peter I.

A little history of Russian names.

Names that were used in Russia before Christianity could reveal personal characteristics of a child (e.g. Умник - clever, Хромой - lame, Храбр - brave, Красава - pretty, Кудряш – curly-headed); the order in which children were born (e.g. Первуша – first, Третьяк - third, Меньшак - younger, Старшой - elder); trade or occupation (e.g. Селянин - peasant, Кожемяка – leather currier, Воропай - thief); or even parents’ attitude towards the child (e.g. Ждан – expected, Неждан – unexpected). Pre-Christian names transformed into surnames in the course of time. Hence such surnames as Жук - bug, Воробей - sparrow, Мельник - miller, Голубева – from “pigeon”, Жданов – from “expected” , Киселёв – from “kissel”, a kind of starchy jelly.

Most modern Russian names were borrowed from Byzantine Empire with the arrival of Christianity. After the 10th century only Christen names were officially allowed. However, in reality most children received two names – a commonly used name and the formally documented name. At that time many Greek and Roman names were also assimilated into Russian (eg. Андрей - Andreas, Никифор - Nikephoros, Валентин - Valentinus, Валерий - Valerius, София - Sophia, Елена - Helena, Агата - Agatha) as well as names from all over the world (European, Oriental, Scandinavian countries etc.) (e.g. Жанна - Jeanne, Герман - Herman, Альберт - Albert, Руслан - Yeruslan, Земфира - Zemfira, Тимур - Temur, Игорь - Ingvar, Ольга – Helga).

During the 20th century ancient Slavic names tended to return (e.g. Людмила – Liudmila, Лада – Lada, Владимир – Vladimir, Ярослав – Yaroslav, Святослав – Sviatoslav, Мстислав – Mstislav etc.).

After the October Revolution of 1918 new names were created to reflect the spirit of that time. For example, Маркслен – combination of surnames Marks and Lenin, Октябрина – in honor of the October revolution, Вилен – the initials of V.I. Lenin, Нинель – Lenin spelled back to front.

First names and their variations.

Russian first names have different forms. They have a formal and numerous diminutive forms. Diminutive names are simply nick-names. For ease of explanation we will break the names down into 4 different groups:
Formal: (e.g. Татьяна - Tatiana, Евгений - Yevgeniy).
Colloquial: (Таня - Tania, Женя - Zhenia)
Diminutive : (Танюша - Taniusha, Женечка - Zheniechka)
Stylistically lowered diminutive: (Танька – Tan’ka, Женька – Zhen’ka).

Generally it is best to use the form of the name that is used when you are introduced to someone. Most commonly people will introduce themselves to foreigners with the colloquial form, but sometimes the formal form is used if the person prefers to use that. In a business, school or university environment you may hear the more formal forms used. We will take a look at how Russians use each form now.

The formal name is documented in passports and birth certificates . It is common to use this formal name followed by a patronymic in more formal circumstances. Such as: when addressing a senior person, a person of a higher social rank or a teacher (e.g. Иван Ильич – Ivan Illich, Любовь Алексеевна – Liubov Alekseevna). The formal form of a given name without a patronymic (usually with "Вы", as opposed to "Ты") is commonly used when a senior person addresses a junior one in formal communication (e.g. Ирина - Irina, Георгий – Georgiy).

The colloquial form (e.g. Миша - Misha, Наташа - Natasha) is commonly used in informal communication between friends, relatives or acquaintances regardless of their age. When used with “Вы” it can be used when addressing a junior person.

Diminutive forms (Мариша – Marisha, Антоша – Antosha) are usually emotionally colored and used in friendly and intimate communication. These forms are commonly end in “sha” or similar sounds. It's generally not appropriate for a foreigner to use these forms when traveling in Russia. If you are close friends it may be ok.

The stylistically lowered diminutive is formed with the suffix – “k” (Сашка – Sashka, Машка – Mashka) . The are usually reserved for very close friends and couples.

50 Most Common Russian Men's Names

50 Most Common Russian Women's Names

Patronymic Names

All Russians also have a patronymic name. A patronymic name is formed from your father's name. Patronymic names are no longer used in English, but our surnames show remnants of this system. “Johnson, Robinson, etc.”.

A patronymic name is a mandatory legal form registered and documented in birth certificates and passports. It is widely used in all official documents. The patronymic name is always used after the given name (e.g. Александр Алексеевич – Aleksandr Alekseevich; Ирина Олеговна – Irina Olegovna). Patronymic names are rarely used between young people, friends, relatives and close acquaintances.

Forming a Russian Patronmimic Name

Start with your father's name then follow the rules below. For sons use the first "вич" (vich) forms. For daughters use the "вна" (vna) forms. No list of simple rules are perfect, but it should give you the idea.

Rule 1

If the name ends with a hard consonant (except "ж", "ш", "ч", "щ", "ц"):
Add: –ович/овна (-ovich/ovna) (male/female):
Example: Александрович (Aleksandrovich), Гамзатович (Gamzatovich), Карловна (Karlovna), Ивановна (Ivanovna)

Rule 2

If the name ends with "ж", "ш", "ч", "щ" or "ц":
Add: -евич/евна (-evich/evna) (male/female)
Example: Жоржевич (Zhorzhevich), Янушевич (Yanushevich), Миличевна (Milichevna), Францевна (Frantsevna)

Rule 3

If the name ends with "ж", "ш", "ч", "щ" or "ц", followed by an unstressed vowel:
Replace final vowel with: -евич/евна (-evich/evna)
Example: Важа – Важевич (Vazha – Vazhevich), Гоча – Гочевна (Gocha – Gochevna)

Rule 4

If the name ends with "а", "у", "ы", or "o":
Replace final vowel with: -ович/овна (-ovich/ovna)
Example: Антипа – Антипович (Antipa – Antipovich), Гаврила – Гавриловна (Gavrila – Gavrilovna), Михайло – Михайлович (Mikhailo - Mikhailovich)
Exclusion: endings –ич/ична (-ich/-ichna) are added to the names Аникита, Никита, Мина, Савва, Сила, Фока (Anikita, Nikita, Mina, Savva, Sila, Foka): Аникитич, Никитич, Минич, Саввична, Силична, Фокична (Anikitich, Nikitich, Minich, Savvichna, Silichna, Fokichna);

Rule 5

If the name ends with "е"
Replace final vowel with: -евич/евна (-еvich/еvna)
Аарне – Аарневич (Aarne – Aarnevich), Вилье - Вильевна (Vilie – Vilievna)

Rule 6

If the name ends with a soft consonant (consonant plus soft-sign "ь"):
endings –евич/евна (-evich/evna) are added and the final ь is omitted:
Example: Игорь – Игоревич (Igor – Igorevich), Олесь – Олесевна (Oles – Olesevna)

Rule 7

If names end in "и"
Add -евич/евна (-еvich/еvna)
Вилли – Виллиевич (Villi – Villievich), Вяйне – Вяйневна (Viayne – Viaynevna)

Rule 8

If the name ends with "–ий":
Replace "й" with –евич/евна (-evich/evna). The vowel "и"- is either preserved or changed into "ь":
--- Change "и" to "ь" if it follows a single consonant or a diphthong "нт":
Example: Василий – Васильевич (Vasiliy – Vasilievich), Викентий – Викентьевна (Vikentiy – Vikentievna)
--- Preserve "и" if it follows "к", "х", "ц" or a consonant diphthong (except "нт"):
Example: Дмитрий – Дмитриевич (Dmitriy – Dmitriyevich), Стахий – Стахиевна (Stakhiy – Stakhiyevna)

Rule 9

Patronymics from old Slavic names ending with –ея, -ия
Replace final vowel with: –евич/евна (-evich/evna)
Example: Захария – Захариевич (Zakhariya – Zakhariyevich), Менея – Менеевна (Meneya – Meneyevna)

Russian Surnames

Among the nobles in Russia, surnames first appeared in approximately the 13th century. It was not until the 17th century that peasants began receiving their surnames. The mandatory documentation of surnames began after the October revolution of 1918. There are multiple sources of surnames: old ancient names, nicknames, trades and occupation, personal characteristics, appearance and location (e.g. Жданов - expected, Третьякова – the third, Бобров - beaver, Зайцева - hare, Кузнецов - blacksmith, Попова - priest, Худоногов – thinly-legged, Бездомникова - homeless, Лесной - forest). Sometimes surnames combined two sources of derivation and were hyphened (e.g. Мамин-Сибиряк, Панкратов-Чёрный – Mamin-Sibiriak, Pankratov-Chernyi)

The most common indigenous Russian surnames have the following endings:
"–ов/-ова", "-ев/ева", "-ёв/ёва" (–ov/-ova, -ev/eva, -iov/iova). Example: Львов (Lvov), Синяева (Saniayeva), Кушнарёва (Kushnariova)
"–ин/ина", "-ын/ына" (-in/ina, -yn/yna) Example: Фомин (Fomin), Лисицын (Lisitsyn)
-ский/ская, -цкий/цкая (-skiy/skaya, tskiy/tskaya) Example: Рождественская (Rozhdestvenskaya), Высоцкий (Vysotskiy)
-ой/ая (-oy/aya) Example: Толстой (Tolstoy); seldomly: –их/-х (-ikh/-kh) Example: Каменских (Kamenskikh);
and more seldomly surnames with zero ending. Example: Воробей (Vorobey).

Surnames are often used in formal communication and are usually preceded by "господин" (Mr.) or "госпожа" (Mrs.): господин Харитонов (Mr. Kharitonov), госпожа Хрусталёва (Mrs. Khrustaliova).

A sole surname is often used in educational institutions to address students or when discussing a famous person. In other cases the usage of a sole surname is impolite and even rude: Ребров, Корольова – Rebrov, Koroliova.

The threefold form of a name (name, patronymic and surname) is formal. It is used to mention a respected person or present them to an audience: Александр Сергеевич Пушкин – Aleksandr Sergeevich Pushkin.

Example Sentences Using Names