How to Give Your Baby a Russian Name

Add some flair to your child's name by using a Russian name for the first or middle name. The list below will guide you to the meanings and spellings of some Russian names for children.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Baby Names
• Genealogy Books
• Internet Access
• Computers
• Genealogy Software

1. Choose a name that symbolizes love. Dodya for a girl, or Daveed for a boy (a form of David), means beloved.
2. Select a name that means wisdom, like Sonya for a girl.
3. Decide on a name synonymous with courage. Nikita for a girl means victorious people. The male version is Nikolai or Koyla. Vitya for a boy means conqueror; Leonid means brave as a lion; and Aleksandr, Aleksey and Sasha (all forms of Alexander) mean defender of humankind.
4. Opt for a virtuous name. For girls, Katya and Ekaterina mean pure, while Anya means gracious. For a boy, Ivan (a form of John) or Vanya means God is gracious.
5. Try a name synonymous with fame. For boys, Vladimir means famous prince (or famous ruler). For a girl, Tania means fairy queen.
6. Give your child a name that glorifies God. For a girl Nika means belonging to God. For boys, Misha means like God, and Danila means God is my judge.
7. Choose Natasha for a girl born on Christmas Day.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind that these names come from various parts of the country and can be derived from different cultures. The spellings and meaning may vary slightly from region to region - check with your family or other resources if this is important for naming your child.