One of the most exciting parts of pregnancy or adoption is choosing your baby’s name! Some parents choose to honor their family heritage with their baby’s name. Do you or your partner happen to have any Russian roots? You’re in the right place if you are considering a Russian name! There are many beautiful Russian girl names and Russian boy names with equally beautiful meanings to choose from.
Russian Names
Russian Girl Names
Mythology fan? You might consider Zena, Zenaida, or Zinaida, meaning “belonging to Zeus.”
Travel or geography enthusiast? You might like Sitka, the name of the second oldest city in Alaska, which means “people on the outside of Shee.”
Do you love nature and the outdoors? You might consider nature names like Inna, which means “rough stream, coming from strong waters;” Jalaina, Jalaine, Jalena, Jalayna, Jelena, or Jelina, which all mean “deer or stag;” Lenuschka or Lenyushka, which both mean “sunray;” Margarita, which means “pearl;” Marina, which means “of the sea;” Mischa, which means “bee or honey;” Svetlana, which means “star, shining star;” or Yalena or Yelena, which both mean “shining light.”
Maybe you want to choose a religious name for your daughter? You might like Anastasia, Anastasiya, Tasiya, or Tasya, which all mean “Resurrection;” Dominika, which means “from the Lord;” Doroteya, which means “gift of God;” Feodora, Fyedora, or Pheodora, which all mean “divine gift;” Ksana, Oksana, or Oksanna, which all mean “praise be to God;” Samara, which means “guardian or protected by God;” Vanka, which means “grace, favored by God;” or Yana, which means “God is gracious, a gift from God.”
Or you might consider Khristen, Khristin, Khristina, Khristine, Khristyana, Khristyna, Khrystina, Khrystyn, Khrystana, or Khrystyne, which mean “Christian, follower of Christ,” or Yelisabeta, Yelisabetta, Yelizabet, Yelizaveta, or Yelizavetha, which mean “consecrated to God, pledged to God, or God is my oath.”
Want something elegant for your little girl? Try Alena or Alena, which mean “bright, beautiful;” Alyona, which means “bright and shining light;” Anoushka, which means “grace, favor;” Anya, which means “grace;” Eva or Yeva, which both mean “life;” Katya, which means “pure, perfect;” Maya, which means “dream;” Mila, which means “loved by the people, gracious, dear one;” Tarnya, which means “queen or saint’s name;” Tiana, Tiahna, Tiane, Tiani, Tianna, Tianne, Tiona, Tionna, Tyana, or Tyanna, which all mean “princess;” Yula or Yulia, which both mean “youthful;” or Zoia, Zoya, or Zoyya, which mean “life.”
Or you might like Nada, Nadege, Nadenka, Nadia, Nadie, Nadija, Nadiya, Nadja, Nadya, Nady, Nadyenka, Nadzia, or Natka, which all mean “hope.”
Want a name befitting a warrior? You might consider Bronya, which means “armor, strength, protection;” Kira, which means “leader of the people;” Larisa, which means “fortress, citadel, cheerful;” Nikita, which means “winner, victor;” or Sacha, Sascha, Sasha, or Sasheen, which all mean “leader of men, defender of mankind.”
Expecting a baby girl in December? You might like Natalya, which means “the birthday of Christ,” or Tashi, which means “born on Christmas.”
Popular Russian Names for Girls
Here are a few of the most popular Russian girl names in alphabetical order:
Agrefena
Alla
Alena or Alina
Alyona
Anastasia, Anastasiya, Tasiya, or Tasya
Anoushka
Anya
Boba
Bojana
Bronya
Dinara
Dominika
Eva or Yeva
Faina
Feodora, Fyedora, or Pheodora
Galina
Inga
Inna
Innessa
Irina
Jalaina, Jalaine, Jalena, Jalayna, Jelena, or Jelina
Karina
Katya or Yekaterina
Khristen, Khristin, Khristina, Khristine, Khristyana, Khristyna, Khrystina, Khrystyn, Khrystana, or Khrystyne
Kira
Klara
Ksana, Oksana, or Oksanna
Lada
Larisa
Lenya
Lenuschka or Lenyushka
Lubov
Luda
Manya
Margarita
Marina
Matrena, Matrina, Matriona, Matryna, or Motreina
Maya
Mila
Mischa
Nada, Nadege, Nadenka, Nadia, Nadie, Nadija, Nadiya, Nadja, Nadya, Nady, Nadyenka, Nadzia, or Natka
Natalya
Nikita
Olena, Olinia, or Olinija
Polina
Raisa
Samara
Sacha, Sascha, Sasha, or Sasheen
Sitka
Sonechka
Sonya
Svetlana
Tahna, Tahni, Tahnia, Tahnya, Taina, Tana, Tanja, Tanya, Tawnya, Tonnya, or Tonya
Tahsha, Tasha, Tashia, Tashina, Taska, Tassa, Tassie, or Toshiana
Taisiya
Tanazia
Tanee
Tanita
Tarnya
Tashi
Taitianna, Tatia, Tatiana, Tatianna, Tatiania, Tatijana, Tatiyana, Tatjana, Tatyana, Tatyanah, or Tetyana
Taya
Tiana, Tiahna, Tiane, Tiani, Tianna, Tianne, Tiona, Tionna, Tyana, or Tyanna
Tiandra
Ulyana
Vanka
Yalena or Yelena
Yana
Yelisabeta, Yelisabetta, Yelizabet, Yelizaveta, or Yelizavetha
Yula or Yulia
Yulka
Yuridiana
Zena, Zenaida, or Zinaida
Zoia, Zoya, or Zoyya
Russian Boy Names
Do you love nature? You might like Anatoli or Anatoly, which both mean “from the east rising sun, sunrise;” Dmitri, which means “Earth lover;” Leonid or Lyonechka, which both mean “lion-like, brave;” Lev, which means “heart, lion;” Luka, which means “light, bringer of light;” Ony, which means “eagle;” or Pyotr, which means “rock, stone.”
Maybe you want to choose a religious name for your son? You might consider Daniil, which means “God is my judge;” Dominik, which means “belonging to God;” Fedyenka, Feodor, Fyodor, or Fyodr, which mean “God’s gift, gift from God;” Iosef, Iosif, or Iosip, which mean “Jehovah increases;” Ivan, which means “God is gracious;” or Matvey, which means “gift of God, God’s gift.”
Or you might like Mikhail, which means “who is like God?;” Oleg, which means “holy, sacred;” or Semyon, which means “listening, God is heard;” Zakhar, which means “God has remembered;” or Yuri, Yurii, or Yury, which mean “the light of God.”
Want to give your son a powerful name worthy of a warrior? You might like Aleksandr, Aleksey, Alexei, Alyosha, or Olexei, meaning “man’s defender,” or Schura or Shoura, meaning “man’s defender.”
Or you might consider Arseny, which means “strong, virile;” Boris or Borislav, which means “fight, battle;” Eriks, which means “eternal ruler;” Igor, which means “warrior;” Kiril, which means “lord, master, ruler;” Nikolai, which means “victorious;” Rodion, which means “song of the hero;” Rurik, which means “famous ruler;” Vadim, which means “powerful ruler;” Valentin, which means “healthy, strong;” Viktor, which means “man of victory, conqueror;” or Vsevolod, which means “ruler of all.”
Popular Russian Names for Boys
Here are a few of the most popular Russian baby boy names in alphabetical order:
Adrik
Afanasi
Aleksandr, Aleksey, Alexei, Alyosha, or Olexei
Arseny
Bogoljub
Boris or Borislav
Branimir
Czar
Daniilushka
Dainis
Daniil
Dima
Dmitri
Dominik
Eriks
Esenin
Fedyenka, Feodor, Fyodor, or Fyodr
Gavriil
Gennady
Grigory
Hedeon
Igor, Yegor, or Ygor
Ilia or Illya
Ioanis
Iosef, Iosif, or Iosip
Ivan
Kiril
Leonid or Lyonechka
Lev
Luka
Maksimilian
Marat
Matvey
Mikhail
Nikolai
Oleg
Ony
Pavel
Pyotr
Rodion
Rurik
Schura, Shoura, or Shura
Semyon
Slavik
Stanislav
Vadim
Valentin
Vasily
Veniamin
Viktor
Vladimir
Vsevolod
Vyacheslav
Yesenin
Yevgeny
Yuri, Yurii, or Yury
Zakhar
There are so many great Russian names to choose from! Which Russian names for girls or boys are your favorites? We hope you had some that made it on your list!
If you are still on the baby name hunt, check out our other baby name lists. Try elegant baby names, classic baby names, strong boy names, and flower names for girls for inspiration. Good luck picking out the right one for your baby-to-be!
