Ukrainian And Russian Girl Names

Sofia

Spanish variation of Sophia, Greek

"wisdom"

Sofia is a refined variation of the Greek name Sophia, which was derived directly from sophia , the Greek word for wisdom. It was the name of a Roman saint—the mother of Faith, Hope, and Charity—and…

Valentina

Latin

"strength, health"

Effortlessly stylish, with plenty of sweetness and strength, Valentina feels like a fresh alternative to Valerie, Victoria, or Vanessa, even if it does now rank ahead of them in the US charts.…

Natalia

Latin

"birthday [of the Lord]"

Natalia was derived from the Latin word natalis , meaning "birthday." It refers to the birthday of Jesus Christ, and thus originated as a name for girls born on Christmas Day. Related forms include…

Anastasia

Greek, feminine variation of Anastasios

"resurrection"

Anastasia is the feminine form on Anastasius, a Greek name derived from the word anastasis , meaning "resurrection." It was a common name among early Christians, who often gave it to daughters born…

Vera

Russian

"faith"

Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple…

Nadia

Russian, Arabic

"hope; tender, delicate"

Nadia, an accessible Slavic favorite, has a strong run of popularity in the US in the early 2000s, partially thanks to the character on Lost called Nadia but actually named Noor, but it's since…

Marina

Latin

"from the sea"

This pretty sea-born name was used to dramatic effect by Shakespeare in his play Pericles for the virtuous princess who says she is "Call'd Marina, for I was born at sea." Marina was an epithet of…

Sasha

Russian, diminutive of Greek Alexander

"defending men"

Sasha, largely male in Russia--and also spelled Sascha and Sacha--is an energetic name that has really taken off for girls here, chosen by Jerry Seinfeld (using the alternate Sascha spelling) and…

Karina

Scandinavian, German, Polish, and Russian variation of Carina

This sweet and loving name, favored in recent years by a mix of Hispanic-American parents and Bob Dylan fans, was chosen for her daughter by TV actress Melina Kanakaredes.

Zoya

Russian and Greek variation of Zoe, Greek

"life"

Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.

Ira

Hebrew, Russian, Greek, Finnish, Sanskrit, "watchful one; peace; protectress; earth

Truly multi-cultural, Ira can be: a Russian short form of Irina, meaning "peace"; a gender-switch of the Hebrew male name Ira, meaning "watchful"; a modern Greek and Finnish form of Hera, meaning…

Ariadna

Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish variation of Ariadne, Greek

"most holy"

Romantic and elegant but tough and sparky at the same time, Ariadna is a variation of the Greek Ariadne, predominantly used among Spanish speakers. In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of…

Klara

German, Russian, Polish, Scandinavian variation of Clara

"light"

German, Slavic and Scandinavian form of Clara, which is a Top 100 girl name in multiple European countries, including Austria, Croatia, Iceland and Poland. While Clara is fashionable in the US, the…

Tamara

Hebrew

"date palm tree"

Adding a final a to Tamar lends it a more sensual Slavic tone, making it a more popular choice than the original.

Eleonora

Italian, German, Dutch, and Polish variation of Eleanor

Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing. In this case, we vote good.

Katya

Russian, diminutive of Ekatarina, Russian variation of Katherine

"pure"

One of the warm and earthy Russian nickname names now coming into style. Denzel Washington gave his daughter the Katia spelling.

Mariya

Hebrew or Egyptian

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian form of the classic Maria sure to cause a lifetime of spelling questions and pronunciation mistakes.

Liliya

Russian; Bulgarian; Ukrainian

"lily"

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

Ksenia

Ksenia is a feminine name with deep Slavic roots, particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries. Derived from the Greek word "xenos" meaning "stranger" or…

Dariya

Dariya is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Slavic countries, particularly Russia and Ukraine, it's a variation of Daria, derived from the Persian name Daraya meaning 'sea' or from…