Russian baby names
Handpicked for families who want names with roots: the beloved classics, what parents in the culture choose today, and the cool discoveries most US name sites never surface.
Alexander defender of mankind
Alina bright, noble
Anastasia resurrection
Andrei manly, brave
Anton priceless, of inestimable worth
Arina peace
Artem unharmed, healthy (Russia's most popular boy name in recent years)
Boris fighter, warrior
Dmitri devoted to Demeter
Ekaterina pure (Russian form of Catherine)
Fyodor gift of God (novelist Dostoevsky's name)
Galina calm, serene
Igor warrior, hero's army
Ilya the Lord is my God (Russian form of Elijah)
Irina peace
Ivan God is gracious
Kirill lordly, masterful
Konstantin steadfast, constant
Ksenia hospitable, wanderer
Leonid lion-like
Lev lion (novelist Tolstoy's given name)
Ludmila beloved of the people
Marina of the sea
Masha bitter, beloved (diminutive of Maria)
Maxim greatest
Mikhail who is like God
Nadia hope (short form of Nadezhda)
Natalia born on Christmas day
Natasha born on Christmas day (diminutive of Natalia)
Nikita victorious (male in Russia, worn as unisex in the US)
Nikolai victory of the people
Nina grace, dreamer (from Ninos, Assyrian legend)
Oksana praise to God
Oleg holy, blessed
Olga holy, blessed
Pavel small, humble
Polina small, humble
Roman from Rome, citizen of Rome
Rurik famous ruler (legendary founder of the first Russian dynasty)
Sasha defender of mankind (unisex diminutive of Alexandra)
Sergei attendant, servant
Sonya wisdom (diminutive of Sofia)
Svetlana star, light
Tatiana fairy queen
Timofei honoring God (Russian form of Timothy)
Varvara foreign woman (Russian form of Barbara)
Vasilisa royal, queenly (folk-tale heroine, Vasilisa the Beautiful)
Vasily royal, kingly
Vera faith
Viktor conqueror
Viktoria victory
Vladimir famous ruler
Yeva life (Russian form of Eve)
Yuri farmer (Russian form of George)
Zlata golden
Zoya life
Which of these fits YOUR family? →