Russian Diminutives For Girls

Lena

English, Scottish, Dutch, German, and Scandinavian, diminutive of various names ending in -lena

This pet form of Helena and other ena-ending names, long used as an independent name, is attracting notice again as an option both multicultural and simple. Lena was a Top 100 name from 1880 to 1920.…

Raya

Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, Arabic, English, Japanese, Malay

"friend; clear, pure; hero; fragrance; queen; night orchid; celebration"

More unusual alternative to Maya, Raya has risen in popularity due to the introduction of the newest Disney Princess from the 2021 film Raya and the Last Dragon . One of those truly multi-cultural…

Anya

Russian diminutive of Anna

"grace"

Traditionally used as a Russian diminutive of Anna, Anya now has a life of its own outside its native country. A Top 400 choice in the US and France, and in the Top 300 in England and Wales, it may…

Margo

French, diminutive of Margaret

"pearl"

Margo and Margot sound exactly the same, so why has the Margot spelling hopped back onto the Top 1000, outpacing Margo in numbers more than two to one? (Over 350 baby girls were named Margot in the…

Lina

Arabic; Latin diminutive

"tender"

This pretty, succinct Arabic name is also commonly used as a nickname for names like Carolina.

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…

Lara

Russian, diminutive of Larissa or Larisa

"citadel"

This is an alternative to Laura or Lauren made romantic by Dr Zhivago , and badass by video-game heroine Lara Croft. In mythology, Lara was a nymph in Ovid's Fasti known for her beauty and inability…

Luda

Diminutive of Ludmila

There may have been a time when Americans who heard this name thought of something other than the rapper Ludacris, and there may come another such time at some point in the future, but for now, it's…

Tonya

Variation of Tanya

This common variation of Tanya makes it less international and more ordinary.

Rita

Spanish, Hindi

"pearl; truth, order"

One of the glamour girl names of the Rita Hayworth 1940s, Rita was once a Top 50 name and stayed on the SSA list until 2002. The name Rita still has enough Latin zip to be a lively, revivable short…

Natasha

Russian diminutive of Natalya

"birthday of the Lord"

Natasha, an appealing, still unusual name, entered the American mainstream post-Cold War but seems to have peaked in the eighties, replaced by the more straightforward Natalie. As is common for…

Lida

Russian diminutive of Lidia; Scandinavian diminutive of Alida; variation of Leda, Greek

"woman from Lydia; noble; happy"

Multicultural mini name with an intuitive pronunciation — it's a recipe for success, yet Lida remains under the radar.

Zina

Russian, Hungarian, Arabic, African, Nsenga

"related to Zeus; rose; adornment, ornament; spirt name"

A truly international name with an arty feel, Zina has many origins. It is used as a short form of Zinaida, Rozina, and Zenobia in Russia, Hungary, and Poland and as an alternative form of Xena,…

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…

Sonya

See SONIA.

Liza

Diminutive of Eliza and Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Liza's heyday was the mid-1970s, following on the heels of super-popular sister Lisa. But thanks to the fact that it never became superpopular, Liza remains a name not especially tied to one…

Tanya

Russian diminutive of Tatiana

Long integrated into the U. S. name pool but still retaining some Slavic flavor, Tanya feels a bit tired; it's ready for replacement by cooler Russian choices like Sasha, Mischa, or parent name…

Lera

Lera is a feminine given name with multiple origins. In Slavic countries, it functions as a diminutive of Valeria, meaning 'strength' or 'health.' In Greek contexts, it may relate to names derived…

Alya

Arabic

"heavens, highborn, exalted"

Alya is most familiar in the US in its much-more-complicated form Aaliyah, the spelling used by the later singer. The traditional name of the star system Theta Serpentis, Alya is also an established…

Dasha

Diminutive of Dariya or Darya, Russian

"possessing goodness"

An energetic — dare we say dashing — Russian diminutive of Darya that hasn't caught on in the same way as Sasha has in the English speaking world. Singer Dasha (born Anna Dasha Novotny) , actress,…