We are expecting a little girl in a couple of months and currently live outside of our homeland. We are Russian, however hopefully we will be back by the time she is due, as we are only out of the country for a work contract.
We have a list of names and we are struggling in case she is actually born outside of [name_f]Russia[/name_f]. We live in the UK at the moment, so pronunciation might be an issue.
[name_f]Aleksandra[/name_f]
[name_f]Anastasia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ekaterina[/name_f]
[name_f]Irina[/name_f]
[name_f]Maria[/name_f]
[name_f]Tatiana[/name_f]
[name_f]Xenia[/name_f]
[name_f]Irina[/name_f] is my top name, however my husband does not mind. Her siblings are [name_m]Vladimir[/name_m], [name_m]Nikolai[/name_m], [name_m]Anton[/name_m], [name_m]Mikhail[/name_m] and [name_m]Kirill[/name_m]. She is our first girl, and I like far more girls names than I do boys so it is hard.
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я американка но изучаю русский язык! all these names seem great, although i suspect english speakers would pronounce ekaterina wrong if it wasn’t spelled “yekaterina” 
other ideas for a russian speaker in an english country:
anna / anya
marina
kira
natalia / natasha
vera
mila
nadia
lilia
sophia / sonya
good luck! удачи тебе!
Your names are beautiful! I can’t help but be drawn to [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] and [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] (I adore Xenia/Kseniya in Russian!), but I do think [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] would be problematic in [name_f]English[/name_f] unless you’re planning on using the more [name_f]English[/name_f] pronunciation (which I think is more like [name_f]Zee[/name_f] nee ya? It’s been years since I’ve said it any way but the Russian; so don’t quote me on that lol).
[name_f]Maria[/name_f] and [name_f]Tatiana[/name_f] especially are classic and I can see them working well inside or outside of [name_f]Russia[/name_f]. [name_f]Aleksandra[/name_f] may have issues with spelling but otherwise equally feels very usable internationally. I do love [name_f]Irina[/name_f], though, and I think she’s lovely with her brothers! I just slightly prefer [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] and [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] myself.
I love [name_f]Ekaterina[/name_f] but I agree that without spelling it [name_f]Yekaterina[/name_f], it will probably be mispronounced (unless you are ok with eh kat eh REE nah). I also love the suggestions of Anna/Anya,Sophia, and [name_f]Vera[/name_f], and I also love [name_f]Zoya[/name_f] and [name_f]Lilia[/name_f] and Nadia/Nadezhda although I’m not sure how used they are in [name_f]Russia[/name_f] now.
Good luck!
Congratulations!
You’ve got a great list so far! I think they would all work well. How about [name_f]Elizaveta[/name_f]? I think pronunciation wouldn’t be a problem and it could be a sweet connection to your family’s time in the UK (in honor of the former Queen).
I think any of your names would work in [name_f]English[/name_f], as others have said!
[name_f]Anastasia[/name_f], [name_f]Maria[/name_f] and [name_f]Tatiana[/name_f] would be the most familiar to me (and [name_f]Aleksandra[/name_f], too, but be prepared for people to spell it with an “x” instead of the “ks”) and I also love [name_f]Irina[/name_f].
Yes we would spell it [name_f]Yekaterina[/name_f], I should have amended my post to correct it however it was late when I posted.))
Thank you for the suggestions!
Yes, I suppose [name_f]Aleksandra[/name_f] would be an unusual spelling for most.
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[name_f]Irina[/name_f] or [name_f]Tatiana[/name_f]!
I have been told by a neighbour that [name_f]Xenia[/name_f] is too hard for where I live, it is too hard for them to pronounce! It’s a pity! I don’t want to give her a hard name to pronounce in [name_f]English[/name_f] just in case we are not back home before she is born.(
Your list is so beautiful!
What name would you choose if your daughter was born in [name_f]Russia[/name_f]? What is your absolute favorite name?
I advise you to select the name that you love the most, no matter where she is born. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if you live in the UK for a few months or even a year, the pronounciation problem will only last for a while. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you believe it is worth deciding your daughter’s name based on that? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think you will live abroad again in the future? If so, where and for how long? I love names that are international and names that work in multiple languages, but traditional names are also very charming and distinct. People around you can also learn different pronounciations! Besides that, you can find a sweet nickname for your daughter that works wherever she goes.
From your list, I love [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] and [name_f]Irina[/name_f]. They both sound so elegant, gentle, regal, powerful and delicate at the same time. [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] is so beautiful, majestic and bright. [name_f]Irina[/name_f] is very melodic, sweet and sophisticated.
[name_f]Aleksandra[/name_f] and [name_f]Ekaterina[/name_f] are stunning! Timeless, gorgeous names for a girl. The spellings are not intuitive in the UK, but for a short period, I believe they will work. These names offer multiple good nicknames that you can consider when introducing your little girl.
[name_f]Xenia[/name_f] is the most interesting, cool and captivating name on your list. I imagine a energetic, confident, brave girl/woman when I read this name. However, it is a little difficult to pronounce for some, I’m afraid.
[name_f]Maria[/name_f] and [name_f]Tatiana[/name_f] are great names, but my least favorite options. Unfortunately, [name_f]Maria[/name_f] is extremely overused where I live, and in consequence, I am unable to appreciate its charm. [name_f]Tatiana[/name_f] is sweet and romantic, but I find it a little dated. Obviously, that perspective depends on where you live…
That being said, and considering your sons’ names, if you would like to avoid the same initials, I would probably go with [name_f]Irina[/name_f]! If you don’t care about sharing the first letter, [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] would be my other top choice.