Eastern European Names

Alevtina is a Russian form of the spirited Valentina, and while it may have a slightly gentler sound to it, the name retains the level of grandeur, elegance, and liveliness of the Latin variation. Notable bearers include tennis player Alevtina Ibragimova and actress Alevtina Tukan. 

Alevtina

Succinct and simple on the surface, Lin is a surprisingly complex name with a variety of different roots. As a Chinese name, it is a unisex option, connected to the color green. Pronounced as LEEN, it means "forest" or "green gem, fine jade" depending on the characters used.
 
As a Burmese name, it would be said to rhyme with pin or kin, and holds the meaning "clear, bright", while in French, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and occasionally Spanish, it is a variation of Linus, a Greek name meaning "flax". In this case, it would be said as LOH(n) in French, with that barely there n, while in Russian and Ukrainian, it would be LIHN.
 
Lin may occasionally be used as a spelling of the Welsh Lyn, meaning "lake", while as a feminine name, it has its roots in Korean ("luster of jade), Arabic ("soft, flexible"), and English ("pretty", "soft, flexible"). 
 
A notable male bearer of the name is writer, singer, actor, and filmmaker Lin-Manuel Miranda, famous for Hamilton, Moana and more. He was named for the poem Nana roja para mi hijo Lin Manuel ("Red Lullaby for My Son Lin Manuel") by the Puerto Rican writer José Manuel Torres Santiago, about the Vietnam War.

The stylish Hungarian form of Giselle, with the cool -ella ending and Z in the middle. It was notably borne by the first queen of Hungary, wife to King Stephen. 

Gizella

Popular in Hungary where it ranks in the Top 100, Boróka may be considered a word name, meaning "juniper" in Hungarian, making this an equivalent to the stylish English word name. It is also used however as a diminutive to Borbála, the Hungarian form if Barbara.
 
As a stand-alone name, its popularity is fairly recent, having entered the charts in Hungary back in 2010.

Boróka

As a Russian name, Ilary is a masculine choice and an alternative transcription of Ilariy; as an Italian name, it is a variation of Ilaria and predominantly used as a girl name. Either way, the roots are same:  Ilary comes from the Roman Hilarius, meaning "cheerful, merriment". 


Ilary

A bright yet gentle sounding botanical choice, Taimi has that cool, strong EYE sound and an appealing -i ending. Not to be confused with 60s and 70s fave, Tammy, Taimi relates to plants in Estonian and to young saplings in Finnish, though they ultimately share the same root. 
 
Taimi is also used as a Japanese name, making this a multicultural option. It may be interpreted as meaning "great + beauty" or "peaceful + to see", though other kanji combinations are possible. 
 
It may be worth noting that Taimi is the name of a dating app, pronounced, in this case, as "TAY-mee".

Taimi

Succinct and gentle with that appealing -el ending, Mirel is the Romanian masculine form of Mirela, itself from the French Mireille, a poetic choice meaning "to admire". The name is however unisex, used as an alternative to Mireille in Romania itself, but also as a Yiddish diminutive to Miriam. 
 
Former footballer turned football manager Mirel Rădoi is a notable bearer.

Mirel

A super-popular name in its native Lithuania, Austėja was in Top 10 there from 2003 until 2017, and in a recent year, it still ranked in the Top 20. In Lithuanian mythology, Austėja was the goddess of bees and honey, associated with growth and protection. 

Austėja

Spelled as Austėja in its native Lithuania, this spelling may appear in English speaking countries if accents aren't recorded or left off. It derives from Lithuanian mythology in which Austėja is the goddess of bees and honey, associated with growth and protection.
 
A hugely popular choice in Lithuania, it also ranked just outside the UK Top 1000 back in 2012 when it was at its peak in its native country.

Austeja

A relation of the Greek Galen, this Bulgarian name shares the same serene and tranquil meaning. A notable bearer is the Bulgarian music artist who performs under the mononym Galin. 

Galin

A mix of gentle and sharp sounds, Mihály is a Hungarian variation of the Biblical Michael. It has been a steady favorite in its native Hungary and currently ranks in the Top 100. Diminutive forms include Miksa and Misi.

Mihály

The Polish form of the floral Jasmine, ultimately from the Persian yāsamīn. A fast rising name in Poland in the early 2020s, 2024 saw it rank in the Top 50 for the first time.

Jaśmina

Ryś is used as a diminutive of Ryszard, the Polish form of the Germanic Richard. As such Ryś is a Polish equivalent of the English Rick or Rich.
 
While it is tied to the sturdy classic, Ryś also doubles up as a word name, ryś being the Polish word for "lynx". The name is also used as a surname, borne by speedskater and politician Erwina Ryś-Ferens, for example.

Ryś

God of the sky, thunder, lightning, rain and war, Perun is the highest-ranking deity in Slavic mythology. Also associated with eagles, mountains, fire, the law, and oak trees, the name may come from the Proto-Slavic element per- meaning "to slay, to strike".
 
Alternatively, the name has been interpreted to mean "oak" from a Baltic root and "thunder" in Old Slavic. Sometimes spelled as Peryn, as in the case of the Peryn Peninsular in Russia (the site of a shrine to Perun), it feels like an accessible mythological choice.
 
Perun has been used as the name of a Marvel character, also known as Valeri Sovloyev, who appears in various comic books, though in the real world, it has seen only very limited, given to a handful of people in Russia and Bulgaria. 
 
The name should not be confused with the Cornish saint's name, Perran, or the French variation of Pierre and Peter, Perrin, though they may feel more usable if mythological names aren't for you.

Perun

An international and unisex choice, Malin is a rare northern English name associated with the city of Sheffield. In this case, it would mean "little warrior". As a Bulgarian choice, it is a masculine form of Malina, a Slavic name meaning "raspberry". It is more common as a feminine name, however, as a contracted form of Magdalene and Madeleine. 

Malin

Libussa is a name from medieval legend - the youngest but wisest of three sisters, Libussa became queen after their father died. She founded the Přemyslid dynasty, and prophesied and founded the city of Prague in the 8th century.

Libussa

A multicultural option with a familiar yet unusual sound, Ulana may appeal as an alternative to Alana, Una, and Luna, while still offering familiar nicknames Lana or Lani.
 
As a Kyrgyz name, it is a feminine form of Ulan, meaning "young boy", and could then be interpreted as meaning "young girl". Alternatively, it may relate to the Kyrgyz word ulantuu or the phrase ulanta ber meaning "continue", "carry on", or "go on". In this case, oo-LAHN-uh would be used as the pronunciation.
 
The name is also used across a number of Slavic countries, including Russia, the Ukraine, and Poland, possibly as a contracted form of Uliana or Ulyana, both variations of Juliana, meaning "sky father" or "youthful". Here, it would be pronounced uw-LAN-uh.
 
Another possibility is that Ulana has its roots in Hawaii, borrowed from either the name Ulani, meaning "heavenly", or from the Hawaiian words ulana meaning "woven fabric" or lana meaning "calm".
 
Two final theories are that it could be a variation of Helena ("shining torch") via Olena or Ulena, or borrowed from an Uzbek word meaning "together, connected".

Ulana

Not a mash up of Kolson and Solomon, but a Czech, Slovak and German form of Colman, Callum, and Columba. With the gentle meaning of "dove", it holds historical significance, being the name of an Irish monk martyred in Austria in the 10th century. 
 
Also known as Coloman of Stockerau, St, Koloman was tortured and hung after was mistaken as a spy due to his unusual appearance. He was made a saint, partly due to remorse on the part of those who killed him and because of the miracles occurring at the site of his burial. 
 
The patron saint of hanged men, horses, and persecuted innocents, Kolomon was a popular name in Czechia throughout the 20th century and remains familiar there now.

Koloman

Gentle and warm, Salme is a multicultural name with several different roots. As a Prussian, Estonian, and Finnish name, it is used as a contracted form of the Biblical Salome, lending it the lovely meaning "peace", however, it also doubles up as an Estonian word name, meaning "poem".
 
In the latter case, it has literary ties too, appearing in the 19th-century Estonian national epic, Kalevipoeg by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald. Salme (from the Estonian salm) marries the son of the North Star.
 
The name is also used as a spelling variation of the Arabic Salma (or Selma), which ultimately shares a root with Salome. Usually said to mean "safe", it adds to the calm, gentle feel of the name.

Salme

Alternate spelling of Ivayla, a name derived from an Old Bulgarian word for "wolf". 

Ivaila

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 56)