Eastern European Names

This form of Irene feels fresher and gives the classic name a chic, international flair. It's most commonly used in Eastern Europe.

Irena

Sources say that Bina, which is close to the word for bee in Yiddish, was once used as a translation for the Hebrew Deborah, which means bee. On its own, it also means "understanding" in Hebrew. Simple and sweet in itself, it could also be short for (or a nod to) many names including Sabina, Robina, Columbina, and Jacobina.

Bina

Cesia is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from the Latin name 'Caesia,' meaning 'bluish-gray,' often referring to eye color. Alternatively, it could be a variation of Cesiah or a feminine form of Caesar, meaning 'hairy' or 'head of hair' in Latin. In some Hispanic communities, Cesia is used as a variation of Cecilia. The name remains relatively uncommon in English-speaking countries but has some usage in Latin American communities. Cesia has a gentle, flowing sound with a distinctive quality that sets it apart from more common names. Its rarity makes it an intriguing choice for parents seeking something melodic yet unusual.

Cesia

Jena is a succinct name with a number of different roots, making it a versatile choice. On one hand, it might be used as a diminutive for the 70s favorite Jennifer, a name of Cornish origin that was hugely popular in a number of countries in the latter half of the 20th century. Jena might feel sleeker and more contemporary to some than the long form.
 
Alternatively, it might be used as a variation of Gina, a short form of names such as Angelina, Eugenia, Georgina, Luigina, and Regina. This spelling may appeal to those who like the sound of Gina but are concerned about teasing potential (in English speaking countries), or those who are honoring a Jean, as it shares the sounds and the letters.
 
Jena is also occasionally used as a Polish variation of Janna, itself a short form of Johana and therefore linked to John. As a Czech name, it might also be used as an Anglicized spelling of Jéňa, a pet name for a Jenovéfa, the Czech form of Genevieve. 
 
From its Arabic roots, Jena means "paradise" or "garden" from janna. It may alternatively be rendered as Jannah, Jennah, and Jinan in Arabic and Cennet in Turkish.

Jena

An attractive and intriguing choice with an appealing blend of gentle and sharper sounds, Kasia is a diminutive of Katarzyna, the Polish form of Katherine. Ultimately from Greek, it is generally interpreted to mean "pure".
 
Notable bearers include actress Kasia Smutniak, singer Kasia Kowalska, cyclist Kasia Niewiadoma, TV presenter Kasia Madera, singer Kasia Cerekwicka, influencer Kasia Vuorinen, writer Kasia Delgado, and singer Kasia Stankiewicz.
 
In addition to its Polish roots, Kasia may also be used as a Greek variation of the Biblical Keziah, meaning "cinnamon, cassia"; as a spelling twist on Cassia, a name that may relate to Keziah, or be a form of Cassius; and as a play on Acacia, a tree name, inspired by the Akacia or Akasia spelling. 
 
The pronunciation may therefore vary. In Greek KA-sya may be heard, but as a spin of Cassia, it could she KA-see-uh or KASH-uh. As a twist on Acacia, it may be more like KAY-shuh or KAY-see-uh.

Kasia

A slightly more approachable take on Nicodemus that boasts the very-cool nickname Niko, Nikodem is ultimately the Polish variation of Ancient Greek name Nikodemos. A Biblical choice, it was borne by one of the men who helped to entomb Jesus following his crucifixion.
 
With its strong and uplifting meaning, it is a popular choice in its native Poland where it made #1 in 2025. It is also familiar in the Netherlands and England and Wales where it ranked in the Top 400 in recent counts.

Nikodem

In Slavic myth, this name belonged to the water priestess and protector of warriors. 

Zarya

Rolan is a masculine name with multiple possible origins, including as a variation of Roland, which comes from Germanic elements meaning 'fame' and 'land,' referring to someone famous throughout the land. It may also have Slavic roots in some contexts. This concise, strong-sounding name carries heroic associations through the legendary medieval knight Roland, featured prominently in French epic literature. While never reaching mainstream popularity in English-speaking countries, Rolan has maintained a consistent presence, appreciated for its straightforward pronunciation, masculine sound, and cross-cultural adaptability. The name projects qualities of bravery, strength, and adventure while offering a subtle alternative to the more common Roland variation.

Rolan

An medieval English diminutive of Edith, which could make an unusual addition to simple vintage revivals like Eva, Ada and Ida. In Turkish, it means "well mannered".

Zenovia makes Zenobia even more unusual. This mythology-adjacent name is worth a look.

Zenovia

Ala is the Igbo earth goddess whose symbol is the crescent moon. In a very different vein, Ala can be a diminutive for Alicja or Alexandra or really any other name with an A at both ends and an L in the middle. Ala is also an Arabic name meaning "excellence, supremacy"; could be confused as a homonym for Allah, or as part of a phrase like a la mode.

This form got noticed as the first name of long-reigning Russian president Brezhnev; other bearers include playwright and short-story writer Andreyev, Leonid the Magnificent,a Russian performance artist on America's Got Talent, and Leonid McGill, the protagonist of a Walter Mosley private eye series. All in all, though, Leonid is not the most likely to join the pride of lion-related names here.

Leonid

Since this is strictly a male name in Slavic cultures, better to stick with the "Bella" spelling here. 

Bela

In Roman mythology, Iana was an epithet of Diana, goddess of the moon.
 
If pronunciation troubles worry you, use the Yana spelling instead.

Iana

Pronounced like Lillia, Liliya is the cognate of Lily in various Slavic languages.

Liliya

The most famous Vlad was nicknamed "the Impaler." Enough said. 

Vlad

Nadya and Nadia are Eastern European short forms -- for the more difficult Nadezhda -- now fully accepted on their own. 

Nadya

This chic Ukrainian form of Helen is relatively unknown outside of its native country, but it definitely has international appeal. Olia or Olenka are the usual Ukrainian diminutives, but tomboyish Oli or Leni could work too.
 
As a Hawaiian name, it could refer to the plant, spice, and dye, turmeric, or more broadly to its yellow-ginger color. It also appears in the Hawaiian names Lolena and Pololena, variants of Lorna and Florence. Olympic surfer Carissa Moore chose it for her daughter in 2025.

Olena

A short, sweet name with plenty of substance, Ona is a multicultural choice, familiar in Spain, Lithuania, Egypt, and historically, in the US. Recent years have seen it reach the Catalonian Top 10 and the Spanish Top 100, while in the US, it hasn't appeared in the charts since the 1940s.
 
As a Lithuanian name, Ona is a variation of the classic Anna, giving it the meaning "grace", In this instance, it would be pronounced as o-NU (-U being like the u sound in up). 
 
From its Spanish and Catalan roots, it's both a short form of Mariona (itself a variation of Maria), and a word name, meaning "wave" in Catalan. Here, it would be said as O-nuh.
 
It can additionally be used as a short form of the Basque Andreona ("good lady"), and as a nickname for any Uzbek name with the element ona which means "mother" or "respected woman". Beyond that, it may be related to Iona, Winona, Simona, Onora, Verona, Alyona, and so on.

This diminutive of Valeria has a strong and striking sound to match its meaning. It has also been used in Brazil in recent decades.

Valeska

Eastern European names span the vast cultures of Eastern Europe, from Latvian and Lithuanian to Romanian and Russian. Among the most popular baby names across Eastern Europe right now are Sofia, Anna, and Emilia for girls, Daniel, Ivan, and Marko for boys.

Eastern European girl names you may want to consider include Vera, Zora, and Anya. Among the best Eastern European boy names are Casimir, Lev, and Laszlo.

Many Eastern European names derive from the same sources as those more familiar in English, including mythology and the Bible. These include names such as Gavril and Yakov, along with Zinaida and Dmitri.

If you have Eastern European heritage or are curious about this part of the world, explore our full collection of names here,

 ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

Eastern European baby names for girls and boys, including Anastasia and Dimitri, with meanings, origin, and popularity. (Page 13)