Russian Names

Alek

Polish, Armenian, Serbian, and Russian form of Alex, Greek, Greenlandic

"defending men; harpoon line"

A variation of Alex used in a number of languages, Alek has the cool, solid feel of Erik and Axel. It can also be a name of Greenlandic origin, meaning "harpoon line".

Alexei

Russian, Greek

"defending men"

Alexei could well join the legion of Alex names popular in the US. There are countless opportunities to liven up Alexander, and Alexei (or Alexey) is one of the most straightforward and appealing.

Sasha

Russian diminutive of Alexander

"defending men"

The energetic Russian nickname name Sasha is being used increasingly on its own, though since the prominence of the First Daughter, more than 90% of the American babies named Sasha are girls. Sacha…

Aleksandr

Russian; Armenian, from Greek

"defending men"

A form of Alexander commonly used in Russia, Armenia, Estonia and Kazakhstan.

Shura

Russian diminutive of Alexander

"defending men"

Shura is a unisex Russian nickname for Aleksandr or Aleksandra, themselves forms of Alexander. Less known in the English=speaking world than Sasha, it's also more assertive -- probably because of…

Sanya

Diminutive of Aleksandr, Russian from Greek

An alternative to Sasha, another common Russian nickname for Aleksander.

Aleksei

Aleksei is a masculine name of Russian origin, representing the Slavic form of Alexius or Alexis, ultimately derived from the Greek 'alexein' meaning 'to defend' or 'to help.' This powerful name has…

Anatoli

Georgian; Russian; Ukrainian, from Greek

"from the east, rising sun"

A sweet and gentle-sounding name with a sunny meaning, typically nicknamed Tolya in Russia. Depending on the country of origin, it can also be written as Anatoli or Anatoliy.

Anatoly

Russian, from Greek

"from the east, rising sun"

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

Tolya

Tolya is a masculine name of Russian origin, primarily used as a diminutive or affectionate form of Anatoly (Анатолий). Anatoly itself derives from Greek roots meaning 'sunrise' or 'from the east.'…

Arkadi

Russian from Greek

"Arcadia"

Nice, bouncy three-syllable rhythm, à la Jeremy and Barnaby.

Armen

Armenian

"Armenian"

Naming your son Armen is like naming him Roman, or German -- it's the term that denotes a person of Armenian descent. Armen has been used as a first name for centuries and is an unusual yet…

Arman

Form of Herman or Armen, French, Armenian, Persian, Kazakh, Turkish

"soldier; land of Armenia; wish, hope, purpose"

One of those truly international names, with a similar feel to Roman, Arthur, and Artem, without the popularity, in the US at least. The name is in fact in the Top 50 in Armenia and Bosnia, while it…

Arseni

Arseni is a masculine name with Slavic and Greek origins, primarily used in Russia, Belarus, and other Eastern European countries. It derives from the Greek name Arsenios, which means 'virile' or…

Avgust

Avgust is a masculine name of Slavic origin, representing the Eastern European variant of Augustus or August. In countries like Russia, Slovenia, and other Slavic nations, this spelling is the…

Avreliy

Avreliy is a masculine name of Russian origin, derived from the Latin name Aurelius, which means 'golden' or 'golden one.' This name carries the weight of classical history, as Aurelius was a…

Varfolomei

Varfolomei is the Russian form of the Hebrew name Bartholomew, which means 'son of Talmai' or 'son of the furrows.' This name has deep historical roots in Eastern Orthodox traditions, where Saint…

Vasili

Greek

"royal, kingly"

Alternative form of Basil that might suit the adventurous.

Vas

Vas is a concise masculine name with diverse cultural origins. In Hungarian, it literally means 'iron', symbolizing strength and durability. It can also be found as a shortened form of various Slavic…

Vaslek

Vaslek is a masculine name with Slavic origins, primarily found in Eastern European cultures, particularly Russian, Polish, and Czech communities. It likely developed as a diminutive form of names…