Eastern European Names

A dramatic and adorable name with a lot of sweep and swoosh. Also spelled Anush.



Anoush

Although the international Arman is traditionally a male name, we have heard it used for girls.

Arman

Aranka

The favored form of Betty in several European countries.

Betti

Unisex nickname that feels fresher than Chris.

Cris

Bera is a rare feminine form of Biǫrn (or Björn), used in Scandinavian and Nordic countries, albeit quietly. Derived from Old Norse, it means "bear", either in relation to the animal or to the idea of bearing or carrying weight. 
 
Alternatively, Bera may also be used as a variation of Russian Vera, notably among speakers Aragonese in northern Spain and in Kazakhstan, while as a Biblical or Hebrew name, it may be associated with Bereket, Beracha, or Bracha, which meaning "blessing".

Bera

Sasha in all its forms -- which include Sacha and Sascha -- is rising in popularity for both boys and girls, especially with the Sasha spelling attached to one of the First Daughters. Sacha with this spelling is a Top 20 name for baby boys in France.


Sacha

A lively South Slavic elaboration on Daria.

Darinka

The Lithuanian spelling of Mateja, itself a feminine form of the Biblical Matthew, Matėja is a Top 20 choice in Lithuania. While Mateja is more popular in Slovenia and Croatia, this variation was chosen by musician Žygimantas Petkus and artist Gabija Petkuvienė for their daughter in 2023.

Matėja

The mythological Ares has been on the rise in the US in recent years, while in Lithuania, this variant of war god's name ranked in the Top 20 in the latest stats. Ultimately from the Greek Ares and via the Latinized Arius, Arijus means "bane" or "ruin", though others may suggest it is a short form of Aristoteles, meaning "the best purpose", or a variation of Aris, a Dutch diminutive of Adriaan.


Arijus

A compact yet impactful name, Taavi is an international variation of the Biblical classic David, notably used in Estonia and Finland. Estonian prime minister Taavi Rõivas was one bearer of the name. 


Taavi

A sparkly gemstone name that was popular in Lithuania during the 2000s, Deimantė derives from the Lithuanian deimantas, meaning "diamond". Reminiscent of diamante, another name for a rhinestone, Deimantė has several notable bearers including chess player Deimantė Cornette and Instagrammer Deimante Kazenaite.

Deimantė

Used across Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, and Greece, but also in Estonia, Bosnia, and Cyprus too, Hristina is a variation of Christina, ultimately from the Greek christos meaning "anointed". Often used among Orthodox Christians, it is pronounced as khree-STEE-na or khris-TEE-nuh (kh being like the ch in Loch).

Hristina

A warm and pretty international name that ultimately links back to the Biblical Mary, Merima is used predominantly in Ethiopia, Sebia, and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It may have evolved via the Turkish Meryem and the Arabic Maryam.
 
Notable bearers include long distance runners Merima Denboba, Merima Hashim, and Merima Mohammed, along with singer Merima Njegomir, and musician Merima Ključo.

Merima

Variation of Ekaterina, and close to the name's earliest known form. The original meaning is obscure, but one theory is that it derives from Hekateros, a minor Greek god of a folk dance. The name was later remodeled the virtuius Greek word katharos, "pure".

Ekaterine

Ultimately derived from the Greek Alexius, Aliocha is the French form of the Russian name Alyosha. In Russia, it is used as a diminutive of Aleksey (meaning "defender, helper"), while in French, it might be used for Alexis. A notable bearer is actor Aliocha Schneider.

Aliocha

Succinct yet impactful, Halja is both an Estonian name meaning "verdant, green" and a Ukrainian short form of Haylna, a variant of Galina, associated with calmness and healing. 
 
Appearing as the name of a decorative typeface, Halja may also be associated with Hel, the daughter of Loki in Norse Mythology, via the Proto-Germanic haljo. Meaning "to conceal, cover", it could add another layer to the name.

Halja

One of those short, travelling-lite names with a variety of possible meanings, Evo could be considered: a variation of Ivo, which means "yew" from its Germanic roots and "God is gracious" from its Slavic ones; a masculine form of Eva or Eve meaning "life"; a short form of names such as Evan, Evander, Evren, Everett, and so on; a play of the word "evolve" meaning "to develop, grow". 
 
Borne by former Bolivian president, Juan Evo Morales "Evo", it hasn't appeared in the US stats since 2009.

This short, ultra-rare name is one of our favorite <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/766/4-letter-girl-names-starting-with-i">four-letter girl names starting with I</a>.

Ilki

Elvyra

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 55)