[name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] is favorite of mine, but only nice nickname for it is [name_f]Ana[/name_f] or possibly [name_f]Anya[/name_f] - is [name_f]Anya[/name_f] too much a stretch?
I personally wouldn’t do it because of the connection to the late 90s cartoon film. [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] basically has amnesia and doesn’t know who she is, she’s called [name_f]Anya[/name_f] for most of the movie. But that might just be me :D. Outside of that I think [name_f]Anya[/name_f] would work -it’s a beautiful name. Besides that maybe [name_f]Sia[/name_f], [name_f]Nia[/name_f], [name_f]Asta[/name_f], Stazi (stah-zi), and [name_f]Ana[/name_f] (ah-nuh).
I love it! This used to be on my list.
[name_f]Anya[/name_f] is an established nickname for [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] in [name_f]Russia[/name_f], alongside the more common [name_f]Nastya[/name_f]. It definitely works!
I definitely think it works. [name_f]Anya[/name_f] seems like a natural nickname.
I’m sorry to be a bore but [name_f]Anya[/name_f] is never used as a nickname for [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] in [name_f]Russia[/name_f]. All the Russian Anyas I’ve met were actually Annas - all Russian names come with established nicknames, and I honestly don’t know where the whole [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] “[name_f]Anya[/name_f]” thing is coming from - a Russian [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] would be called [name_f]Nastya[/name_f], [name_f]Stasya[/name_f] or [name_f]Asya[/name_f]. It could work in an English-speaking country, though, but I personally find it a little strange.
I think it’s actually quite intuitive and works very well.
Thank you all!
+1
I love [name_f]Anya[/name_f]. However, in its original context, [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] doesn’t shorten to [name_f]Anya[/name_f]. They are separate names. I would pick [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] or pick [name_f]Anya[/name_f] - the only relation they have in the English mind is some overlapping letters and an exotic, international ring.
There is also [name_f]Anja[/name_f] - [name_f]Anne[/name_f] in [name_m]German[/name_m]. If you have [name_m]German[/name_m] background, this spelling might appeal. It is said the same way.
My idea was [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] -> [name_f]Ana[/name_f] -> [name_f]Anya[/name_f]/[name_f]Anja[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Anya[/name_f]. Definitely not too much of a stretch.
[name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] nn [name_f]Anya[/name_f] is an intuitive choice and not a stretch (by Western world stardards). Btw, the songs from the movie [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] are the best!
Moonstone, how I am supposed to pronounce [name_f]Asya[/name_f]? It seems like a great nickname.
[name_f]TIA[/name_f]. 
[name_u]TRUTH[/name_u]. Was starting to feel like I was the only one who had watched it. :-?
Like I said before it’s not a stretch [name_f]IMO[/name_f]. I just wouldn’t be able to (I love that movie), but most people probably wont have that connection.
Makes perfect sense to me. I’ve never seen the film [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f], so it doesn’t make sense to me because of that like some people have mentioned.