Russian Girl Names

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

Makes Jane anything but plain.

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 that "sure" sound.

Its association with the word liebe gives this name an endearing, adored aura.

Feodora is an interesting choice for the intrepid name giver, especially with its dynamic nickname, Feo (pronounced FAY-oh).

An overly elaborate version for use in this country.

Beautiful African name with a nevertheless mournful meaning.

Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.

Madelina is the Madeline equivalent used in many European cultures. While it's a simple and melodic name, like its mother name it can lead to lots of spelling and pronunciation problems. The first syllable may be "may" or rhyme with dad; last two syllables pronounce lee-na, though of course some will inevitably say lye-na. Only a handful of girls received this name in the US last year, making it a distinctive and pretty classic, but don't choose it ignoring its very real down side.

Ivanna / Ivana both come out of the name "John" by way of the Russian variant Ivan. Whereas Joanna feels dated, Ivanna feels cosmopolitan and fresh. Ivanka (of Trump fame) is a diminutive version of Ivanna.

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

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

Tassia is an obscure short form used mostly in Russia and Eastern Europe, where the name Anastasia as in the executed Russian princess is common. Rarely found in the English-speaking world, Tassia could make a distinctive and attractive nickname for this elegant royal name and can easily stand on its own.