By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 26 pages
of 26
Macedonian, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, and Greek form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Katerina and its near-identical twin Katarina have a pleasingly lilting European sound, though for some Americans they may be uncomfortably close to Katrina, which will be linked for a long time to…
Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, Romanian, from Greek
"woman from Lydia"
A spelling variant of Lydia used in parts of Southern & Eastern Europe.
Russian from Greek
"peace"
Irina is a Russian ballet-inflected classic, one of the Three Sisters in the Chekhov play. While some Americans will pronounce this like Irene with three syllables, the pronunciation used throughout…
Japanese, Slovene, Hebrew, English, Greek
"beautiful fragrance; who is like God?; follower of Demeter"
Mika is a sparky and stylish Japanese girls' name that translates easily to English. Also used as a Slovene and Hebrew diminutive for Mihaela and Michaela, as an alternative spelling to the Biblical…
English, German, and Portuguese variation of Larisa, Greek and Russian
"citadel"
Daintily pretty without being frilly, Larissa is familiar but more quietly used than its sound-alikes Melissa and Alyssa. Though this is the more common variation in the Western World, the original…
Variation of Alice, or Hebrew
"noble; great happiness"
Alisa is variation of Alice with a touch of international flair. Used in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia and Poland, it is also familiar in English speaking countries too. As a Hebrew name, Alisa…
Russian variation of Helen
"bright, shining one"
One of many international versions of this classic.
Russian variation of George
Common Russian name familiarized here via cosmonaut Yury Gagarin and a character in Dr. Zhivago , but we don't see it ever gaining permanent resident status.
Slavic
"great ruler, peaceful ruler, ruler of the world"
Vladimir is a cultured and deep-rooted Slavic name associated in this country with cultural figures including piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz and the author of Lolita , Vladimir Nabokov. The name…
Russian variation of Michael
"who is like God"
One of the most familiar Russian names in the West, thanks to ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov and state head Mikhail Gorbachev.
Russian diminutive of Ekaterina
One of the warm and earthy Russian nickname names now coming into style. Denzel Washington is the father of a Katia.
Diminutive of Dariya or Darya, Russian
"possessing goodness"
An energetic — dare we say dashing — Russian diminutive of Darya that hasn't caught on in the same way as Sasha has in the English speaking world. Singer Dasha (born Anna Dasha Novotny) , actress,…
Variation of Nathan, Hebrew
"given"
For jet-setting parents or those with many cultural backgrounds, a name that is workable across various languages is often a priority. Natan is a great option, as it is a familiar name in many…
Greek, from Hebrew
"Yahweh is God"
The Greek form of Elijah.
European diminutive of Catherine, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Japanese
"pure; joy, singing; melted; white jasmine"
One of those short, punchy names with its roots in a variety of different cultures and languages, Rina is sister to names like Mina, Mira, Lina, and Nina. Retro in feel, but never overused in the US,…
Maiya is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Sanskrit, it relates to 'illusion' or 'magic,' while in Hebrew it can mean 'wished-for child.' It's also found in Japanese culture where it…
Hebrew, Greek, Estonian, Scandinavian, German, Punjabi
"joyous melody; peace; reborn; to remain"
Rena is a Hebrew name all on its own and is also a European short form of Irene, Irini, Renata, and Renate. In Punjabi, Rena means "to remain".
Russian from Latin
"natal day, Christmas"
Perfect name for a little girl born at Christmas . Its many variations and pet forms include Natalia, Nataliya, Natalie, Nataly, Natascha, Talya, Talia, Tasha and Tasya.
Maksim is a masculine name of Slavic origin, representing the Eastern European form of Maximus, derived from Latin meaning 'greatest' or 'largest.' Particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,…
Russian and Slavic feminine form of Galina
Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".
