I’ve been really thinking about Russian names lately… not sure why but my grandma’s love of [name_f]Russia[/name_f] has been on my heart lately and think it’d be fun to have some more Russian presence on my list. [name_f]Vera[/name_f] is high on my list, but I’m looking at other options. [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] nn Annie/Anya, Lidia/Lidiya, [name_f]Nadia[/name_f], and [name_u]Maria[/name_u] nn [name_f]Masha[/name_f] are ones I’ve thought of, and Sophia/Sofiya has deep significance too… just wondering what other lovelies you might offer up that I haven’t thought of/encountered before.
I like the idea of something more like [name_f]Vera[/name_f] or [name_f]Nadia[/name_f], a little off the beaten path, feels Russian-light, feels very European, but also very sweet and a little striking.
[name_f]Vera[/name_f], [name_f]Lidia[/name_f] / [name_f]Lidiya[/name_f], [name_f]Nadia[/name_f] and [name_f]Masha[/name_f] are all very striking names and on my list as well when it comes to Russian and European names. Here are some others I’d like to offer up:
I love Russian (Slavic by extension, more Russian-light as you said) names. [name_f]My[/name_f] daughter’s name is [name_f]Mila[/name_f] and we gave her [name_f]Anya[/name_f] and [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f] as middle names. Very Slavic, especially compared to my other children’s names, but I love them all.
[name_f]Nadia[/name_f] in particular I think is so gorgeous. I also love Katia/Katya (and almost named my other daughter that as well).
[name_f]Lilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Alisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Zlata[/name_f]
[name_f]Polina[/name_f]
[name_f]Zoya[/name_f]
Taisia
[name_f]Raisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Yulia[/name_f]
[name_f]Kira[/name_f]
[name_f]Eva[/name_f]
[name_f]Agata[/name_f]
[name_f]Diana[/name_f]
[name_f]Zemfira[/name_f] (not sure she fits this vibe, but I had to mention her!)
I have a newfound appreciation for so many Russian names after taking my first semester of Russian language class at university! Here are my favorites, as listed in my textbook. Each of the nicknames are traditionally given pet names. Usually, the nicknames are not used as legal names, but are just sweet pet names. There are so many gems!!!
[name_f]Yekaterina[/name_f] nn Keit (Kate), [name_f]Katya[/name_f], Katyusha
[name_f]Natalia[/name_f] nn [name_f]Natasha[/name_f]
[name_f]Yevgenia[/name_f] nn Jenya
[name_f]Vera[/name_f]
[name_f]Polina[/name_f]
[name_f]Aleksandra[/name_f] nn [name_u]Sasha[/name_u]
[name_f]Olga[/name_f] nn [name_f]Olya[/name_f]
[name_f]Sofia[/name_f] nn [name_f]Sonya[/name_f]
Nadejda nn [name_f]Nadia[/name_f]
[name_f]Karolina[/name_f]
[name_f]Yelena[/name_f] nn [name_f]Lena[/name_f] (lay-nuh)
[name_f]Tatiana[/name_f] nn [name_f]Tanya[/name_f]
[name_f]Larissa[/name_f] nn [name_f]Lara[/name_f]
[name_f]Svetlana[/name_f] nn [name_f]Sveta[/name_f]
[name_f]Nina[/name_f]
[name_u]Maria[/name_u] nn [name_f]Masha[/name_f]
[name_f]Yelizaveta[/name_f]
[name_f]Alla[/name_f]
[name_f]Valentina[/name_f] nn [name_f]Valya[/name_f]
[name_f]Irina[/name_f] nn [name_u]Ira[/name_u]
[name_f]Anna[/name_f] nn [name_f]Anya[/name_f]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]
[name_f]Melina[/name_f]
[name_f]Petra[/name_f]
[name_f]Marina[/name_f]
[name_f]Masha[/name_f] and [name_f]Nadia[/name_f] are my favorites for sure, I have adored both for years, so maybe it’s time to try and find a home for one or the other. I am quite fond of Anya/Anastasia, but neither was ever my favorite [name_f]Anna[/name_f] name, so I still hesitate to commit. Sophia/Lidia are gorgeous names that I truly adore but they feel too international to feel JUST Russian.
From the suggestions, [name_f]Ksenia[/name_f] (which I’ve long loved, thanks for the reminder @katinka!) and [name_f]Zemfira[/name_f] (ZEMFIRA! @acajou, [name_f]Zemfira[/name_f] was a favorite a couple years ago but I forgot about her completely!!! If only she worked with my current list, le sigh) and [name_f]Tatiana[/name_f] are my favorites - I’ll have to reevaluate [name_f]Tatiana[/name_f] since she seems the most likely for a first name.
A few of the others, like [name_f]Petra[/name_f], [name_f]Eva[/name_f], [name_f]Zoya[/name_f], are already in my list in some shape or form already (Petra, [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f], Zoe), but I do love them!