East Slavic naming customs are the traditional way of identifying a person's given name, patronymic name, and family name in East Slavic cultures in Russia and some countries formerly part of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.
They are used commonly in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and to a lesser extent in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. Name Belarusian example Russian example Ukrainian example First name (given name) Patronymic Family name (surname)
Given names East Slavic parents select a given name for a newborn child. Most first names in East Slavic languages originate from two sources:
Eastern Orthodox Church tradition native pre-Christian Slavic lexicons
Almost all first names are single. Doubled first names (as in, for example, French, like Jean-Luc) are very rare and are from foreign influence. Most doubled first names are written with a hyphen: Mariya-Tereza.
Males Belarusian variant Russian variant Ukrainian variant Latin-alphabet transliterationThe same romanization system is used for all three languages for comparative purposes. For the official romanization systems of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian, which will be used throughout the rest of the article, see romanization of Russian, romanization of Ukrainian, and romanization of Belarusian, respectively. (Belarusian / Russian / Ukrainian) Origin Comments / / Hebrew equivalent to John Yakub, Yakau / Iakov, Yakov / Yakiv Hebrew equivalent to James or Jacob Illa / Ilia / Illia Hebrew equivalent to Elijah Mikałaj, Mikoła / Nikolai / Mykola, Mykolai Greek equivalent to Nicholas, meaning "Victory (of the) People" Mikita / Nikita / Mykyta Greek equivalent to "Nicetas", meaning "victorious one" (from Nike "victory") Barys / Boris / Borys Bulgar unclear, possibly "wolf", "short" or "snow leopard" Uładzimir / Vladimir / Volodymyr Slavonic meaning "great/famous lord" (-мир comes from мѣръ and is not related to міръ or миръ, see also the name's etymology) Equivalent to Norse Valdemar Piotr, Piatro, Piatruś / Petr, Pyotr / Petro Greek equivalent to Peter Andrej / Andrei / Andrii Greek equivalent to Andrew Alaksandr / Aleksandr / Oleksandr, Oleksa Greek equivalent to Alexander Pilip / Filipp / Pylyp Greek from Greek (Phílippos), meaning "fond of horses". Equivalent to Philip. Dzmitry, Zmicier / Dmitrii / Dmytro Greek from Greek (Demétrios), meaning "of Demeter" Siarhiej / Sergei / Serhii Latin from the Roman nomen (patrician family name) Sergius, itself from a more ancient Etruscan name Leanid, Lavon / Leonid / Leonid Greek from Greek Leonidas, meaning "Son of the Lion" Viktar / Viktor / Viktor Latin meaning "Conqueror" Hieorhij, Jury / Georgii / Heorhii Greek the analogues are , , equivalent to George Pavał, Paŭło / Pavel / Pavlo Latin equivalent to Paul Kanstancin, Kastuś / Konstantin / Kostiantyn Latin equivalent to Constantine Kirył, Kiryła / Kirill / Kyrylo Greek equivalent to Cyril Vasiĺ, Bazyl / Vasilii / Vasyl Greek equivalent to Basil Raman / Roman / Roman Latin from Romanus Uladzisłaŭ / Vladislav / Vladyslav Slavonic meaning "Lord of Fame" Viačasłaŭ / Viacheslav / Viacheslav Slavonic meaning "Growing Fame" Matviej, Macviej / Matvei / Matvii Hebrew equivalent to Matthew Michał, Michaś / Mikhail / Mykhailo Hebrew equivalent to Michael Aleh / Oleg / Oleh Old Norse derivative from Scandinavian "Helgi" Ihar / Igor / Ihor Old Norse derivative from Scandinavian "Ingvar" Maksim / Maksim / Maksym Latin meaning "Greatest" Fiodar / Fyodor / Fedir Greek equivalent to Theodore, meaning "God's gift" or "God-given" Zachar / Zakhar / Zakhar Hebrew equivalent to Zachary, meaning "Remembered" Alaksej / Aleksei / Oleksii Greek equivalent to Alexis, meaning "Defender" Makar / Makar / Makar Greek meaning "Blessed"
Females Belarusian variant Russian variant Ukrainian variant Latin-alphabet transliteration (Belarusian / Russian / Ukrainian) Origin Comments Nastassia, Nasta / Anastasiya / Anastasiia Greek from Greek (Anastasia) meaning "she of the Resurrection" Anhelina / Angelina / Anhelina Greek From Greek (Angelina) meaning "messenger" Hanna / Anna / Hanna Hebrew equivalent to Anne or Hannah Alena / Yelena, Alyona / Olena Greek equivalent to Helen; in Russian Alyona can be both a pet version of Yelena and a name in its own right Maryja / Mariya / Mariia Hebrew equivalent to Mary Natallia / Natalya / Nataliia Latin equivalent to Natalie Volha / Olga / Olha Old Norse derivative from Scandinavian Helga Alaksandra / Aleksandra / Oleksandra Greek equivalent to Alexandra Ksienija, Aksana / Kseniya / Oksana Greek in Russian, Oksana is a separate name of the same origin Kaciaryna / Yekaterina / Kateryna Greek equivalent to Catherine Lizaveta / Yelizaveta / Ielyzaveta Hebrew equivalent to Elizabeth Tacciana / Tatyana / Tetiana Latin derivative from the Latinized name of the Sabine king Titus Tatius Ludmila / Lyudmila / Liudmyla Slavonic meaning "Dear to the People" Sviatłana / Svetlana / Svitlana Slavonic meaning "The Shining One" Julija / Yuliya / Yuliia Latin equivalent to Julia or Julie Vera / Vera / Vira Slavonic meaning "Faith"; a calque of the Greek Nadzeja / Nadezhda / Nadiia Slavonic meaning "Hope"; a calque of the Greek Luboŭ / Lyubov / Liubоv Slavonic meaning "Love"; a calque of the Greek Sofja / Sofiya, Sofya / Sofiia Greek equivalent to Sophia, meaning "Wisdom"
Forms Being highly synthetic languages, the East Slavic ones treat personal names as grammatical nouns and apply the same rules of inflection and derivation to them as for other nouns. So one can create many forms with different degrees of affection and familiarity by adding the corresponding suffixes to the auxiliary stem derived from the original name. The auxiliary stem may be identical to the word stem of the full name (the full name Жанна Zhanna can have the suffixes added directly to the stem Жанн- Zhann- like Жанночка Zhannochka), and most names have the auxiliary stem derived unproductively (the Russian name has the auxiliary stem , which produces such name-forms as , , etc., not ).
Unlike English, in which the use of diminutive forms is optional even between close friends, in East Slavonic languages, such forms are obligatory in certain contexts because of the strong T–V distinction: the T-form of address usually requires the short form of the counterpart's name. Also, unlike other languages with prominent use of name suffixes, such as Japanese, the use of derived name forms is mostly limited to the T-addressing: there is no way to make the name more formal than the plain unsuffixed full form, and usually no suffixes can be added to the family name.
Most commonly, Russian philologists distinguish the following forms of given names:
Name form Example Formation Comments Full full name stem + case ending - Short short name stem + II declension ending most common for informal communication, comparable to Western name-only form of address (Ann, John), or Japanese surname-only, or surname/name -kun Diminutive short name stem + + II declension ending expresses familiarity, may be considered rude when used between people who are not close friends. Comparable to English diminutives (Annie, Willy) or Japanese unsuffixed names Affective diminutive short name stem + + II declension ending most intimate and affectionate form, comparable to German diminutives (Ännchen) or Japanese -chan suffixes
Short forms
The "short name" (, historically also "half-name" (), is the simplest and most common name derivative. Bearing no suffix, it is produced irregularly and always has the II declension noun ending for both males and females, thus making short forms of certain unisex names indistinguishable: for example, Sasha () is the short name for both the masculine name Aleksandr and the feminine form Aleksandra.
Some names, such as Zhanna and Mark, have no short forms; others may have two or more different forms. In the latter case, one form is usually more informal than the others.
Full name (Cyrillic script) Full name (Latin script) Short forms (Cyrillic) Short forms (Latin) Александр Aleksandr (m) Саша, Саня, Шура, ukr. Сашко, Лесь Sasha, Sanya, Shura, ukr. Sashko, Les Александра Aleksandra (f) Саша, Шура, ukr. Леся Sasha, Shura, ukr. Lesia Алексей Aleksey (m) Алёша, Лёша Alyosha, Lyosha Анастасия Anastasia (f) Настя, Стася Nastya, Stasya (rare) Анатолий Anatoly (m) Толя Tolya Андрей Andrey (m) Андрюша, Дюша, Андря Andryusha, Dyusha, Andrya (rare) Анна Anna (f) Аня, Анюта, Нюта, Нюша Anya, Anyuta, Nyuta, Nyusha Борис Boris (m) Боря Borya Давид David (m) Дава Dava Даниил Daniil (m) Данила, Даня Danila, Danya Дарья Darya (f) Даша Dasha Дмитрий Dmitry (m) Дима, Митя Dima, Mitya Галина Galina (f) Галя Galya Геннадий Gennady (m) Гена Gena Георгий Georgy (m) Гоша, Жора Gosha, Zhora Григорий Grigory (m) Гриша Grisha Иван Ivan (m) Ваня Vanya Иммануил Immanuil (m) Моня Monya Ирина Irina (f) Ира Ira Кирилл Kirill (m) Кира, Киря Kira, Kirya Константин Konstantin (m) Костя Kostya Ксения Ksenya (f) Ксюша Ksyusha Лариса Larisa (f) Лара, Лёля Lara, Lyolya (rare) Леонид Leonid (m) Лёня Lyonya Лев Lev (m) Лёва Lyova Лидия Lidiya (f) Лида Lida Любовь Lyubov' (f) Люба Lyuba Людмила Lyudmila (f) Люда, Люся, Мила Lyuda, Lyusya, Meela (rare) Мария Mariya (f) Маша, Маня, Маруся, Машуля, Машенька, Марийка, Маняша, Марічка Masha, Manya, Marusya, Mashulya, Mashеnka, Mariyka, Manyasha (rare), Marichka (ukr.) Матвей Matvey (m) Мотя Motya Михаил Mihail (m) Миша Misha Надежда Nadezhda (f) Надя Nadya Наталья Natalya (f) Наташа Natasha Николай Nikolay (m) Коля Kolya Ольга Olga (f) Оля Olya Павел Pavel (m) Паша, Павлик Pasha, Pavlik Полина Polina (f) Поля, Лина Polya, Lina (rare) Пётр Pyotr (m) Петя Petya Роман Roman (m) Рома Roma Семён Semyon (m) Сёма Syoma Сергей Sergey (m) Серёжа Seryozha София Sofia, Sofya (f) Соня, Софа Sonya, Sofa Светлана Svetlana (f) Света, Лана Sveta, Lana Станислав Stanislav (m) Стас Stas, Stanko Тамара Tamara (f) Тома Toma Татьяна Tatyana (f) Таня Tanya Вадим Vadim (m) Вадик, Вадя, Вадос, Дима Vadik, Vadya, Vados, Dima (rare) Валентин / Валентина Valentin (m) / Valentina (f) Валя Valya Валерий Valery (m) Валера Valera Валерия Valeriya (f) Лера Lera Василий Vasily (m) Вася Vasya Виктор Viktor (m) Витя Vitya Виктория Viktoriya (f) Вика Vika Виталия Vitaliya (f) Вита Vita Владимир Vladimir (m) Вова, Володя Vova, Volodya Владислав, Владислава Vladislav (m), Vladislava (f) Влад, Влада Vlad, Vlada Вячеслав Vyacheslav (m) Слава Slava Ярослав Yaroslav (m) Ярик Yarik Елена Yelena (f) Лена, Алёна Lena, Alyona Елизавета Yelizaveta (f) Лиза Liza Екатерина Yekaterina (f) Катя Katya Евгений / Евгения Yevgeniy (m) / Yevgeniya (f) Женя Zhenya Юлия Yuliya (f) Юля Yulya Юрий Yury (m) Юра Yura Яков Yakov (m) Яша Yasha
Diminutive forms
Diminutive forms are produced from the "short name" by means of various suffixes; for example, Михаил Mikhail (full) – Миша Misha (short) – Мишенька Mishenka (affectionate) – Мишка Mishka (colloquial). If no "short name" exists, then diminutive forms are produced from the full form of the respective first name; for example, Марина Marina (full) – Мариночка Marinochka (affectionate) – Маринка Marinka (colloquial). Unlike the full name, a diminutive name carries a particular emotional attitude and may be unacceptable in certain contexts. Depending on the nature of the attitude, diminutive name forms can be subdivided into three broad groups: affectionate, familiar, and slang.
Affectionate diminutive Typically formed by suffixes -еньк- (-yenk-), -оньк- (-onk-), -ечк- (-yechk-), -ушк (-ushk), as illustrated by the examples below. It generally emphasises a tender, affectionate attitude and is roughly analogous to German suffixes -chen, -lein, Japanese -chan and -tan and affectionate name-derived nicknames in other languages. It is often used to address children or intimate friends.