142 Russian Names and Meanings

Eastern Slavic naming customs are most frequently used in Russia. A traditional Russian baby name consists of a given name, a patronymic name that serves as a middle, and a family name or last name. The patronymic name is most commonly a name that comes from the father or another paternal ancestor and has a "-vich" suffix for a son and an "-avna" or "-ovna" suffix for a daughter.

The Impact of Religion on Russian Names

The Russian Orthodox Church is one of the largest religious organizations globally, with an estimated 90-million members. Christianity was introduced to ancient Slavs in the 9th century by Greek missionaries. As a result, the church became a central figure in Russian culture. Even with the separation of church and state following the 1917 revolution, during which the government seized religious lands and arrested clerics, the church held fast. In the 1940s and 50s, the church saw a revitalization and expansion that continued well into the 1980s. Today, the Russian Orthodox Church remains a stalwart in the lives of many Russian citizens, both religiously and culturally. 

Popular Russian Names for Boys

Some of the most common Russian boy names are also the most classic choices for parents, whether you're of Russian descent or not!

1. Aleksandr - Defender of mankind; Russian equivalent of Alexander
2. Andrei - Manly, courageous
3. Artyom - Dedicated to Artemis
4. Bogdan - Given by God
5. Dmitri - Lover of the earth
6. Evgeny - Noble, well-born
7. Feodore - Gift of God; Russian variant of Theodore
8. Gleb - Heir of God
9. Igor - Warrior
10. Leonid - Lion-like
11. Maxim - The greatest
12. Nickita - Unconquerable; variant of Nikita
13. Pavel - Small, humble
14. Sasha - Leader of men; derivative of Alexander
15. Sergei - Servant, protector
16. Viktor - Victorious
17. Yevgeny - Noble, well-born

Religious Russian Names for Boys 

Due to the heavy influence of religion—namely Christianity—on nearly every aspect of life and culture in Russia, religious names still remain a common staple of naming traditions in the country.

18. Artemy - Devoted to Artemis
19. Benedikt - Blessed
20. Danyl - God is my judge
21. Dominik - Belonging to God
22. Efim - Pious or holy
23. Elizary - God is my helper
24. Fyodor - God’s gift
25. Gavriil - God is my strength
26. Ilya - My God is Yahu
27. Innokenty - Innocent
28. Iosif - God will increase
29. Ivan - God is gracious or God’s gift
30. Kirill - Lord
31. Luka - Light or bringer of light
32. Matvey - Gift of God
33. Mikhail - One who is like God
34. Misha - Who is like God
35. Oleg - Holy
36. Stepan - Crown
37. Timofey - Honoring God

Slavic Boy Names in Russia

Russia is an ancient Slavic land, and long before the Christian church, Western or far Eastern influence played a part; Slavic cultures had their names and naming traditions. Many of those traditional Slavic names still exist and are commonly used today.

38. Bogoslav - Glory of God
39. Boris - Battle
40. Dobrynya - Kind, good-hearted
41. Jaromir - Fierce peace
42. Kazimir - Keeper or destroyer of peace
43. Ludomir - Peace of the people
44. Milovan - Gracious, dear
45. Nikita - Unconquerable
46. Radomir - Joyful peace
47. Stanislav - Becoming glorious
48. Svetoslav - Light, glory
49. Tihomir - Quiet peace
50. Vladimir - Renowned prince
51. Vyacheslav - Glory
52. Zlatan - Golden

Russian Baby Boy Names With Greek Influence 

Greek missionaries were the first to introduce Christianity to Slavic culture, and as a result, Greece and Byzantine Empire became a significant influence over Slavic culture. The Byzantine empire influenced language, culture, religion, and names.

53. Alexei - Defender of mankind
54. Anatoly - Sunrise
55. Andrey - Warrior
56. Anton - Priceless
57. Arkady - From Arcadia, a region of peace
58. Christofor - Bearer of Christ
59. Denis - From Dionysius, god of wine
60. Dmitry - Earth lover
61. Eugene - Wellborn
62. Filipp - Lover of horses
63. Gennady - Generous
64. Grigory - Watchful
65. Kir - Lord
66. Konstantin - Constant
67. Leonty - Lion-like
68. Nikolai - Victory of the people
69. Panteleimon - All-compassionate
70. Rodion - Son of a hero
71. Vasili - Kingly
72. Yuri - Light of God

Common Russian Names for Girls

If you were to walk down the streets of Moscow or St. Petersburg, you might hear parents calling for their children, likely including some of the following trendy Russian names for baby girls.

73. Alina - Bright, beautiful
74. Anastasia - Resurrection
75. Anastasiya - Common variation of Anastasia, meaning resurrection
76. Arina - Peace; variation of Irena
77. Daria - Wealthy, prosperous
78. Evgenia - Noble, well-born
79. Galya - Calm, healer
80. Inga - Guarded by the Norse god Ing
81. Irma - Universal, complete
82. Liza - God is an oath; this is a short form of Elizaveta
83. Mila - Gracious or dear
84. Nina - Grace, favor
85. Polina - Small, humble
86. Sofia - Wisdom
87. Tasha - Diminutive of Natalia, meaning birthday or Christmas Day
88. Tatiana - A form of Titus, a Roman family clan name
89. Varvara - Stranger, foreigner

Religious Russian Girl Names

Family Education has unearthed a beautiful selection of religious Russian names for girls, each carrying deep cultural and spiritual significance, tied closely to ancient naming traditions of Eastern Europe.

90. Agafia - Good, kind
91. Aleksandra - Defender of mankind
92. Anfisa - Blossom, flower
93. Anya - Grace
94. Ekaterina - Pure
95. Elizaveta - My God is an oath
96. Feodora - Gift of God
97. Galina - Calm, serene
98. Ioanna - God is gracious
99. Irina - Peace
100. Ksana - Praise be to God
101. Margarita - Pearl
102. Maria - Sea of sorrow
103. Natalia - Christmas Day
104. Oksana - Praise to God
105. Pelageya - Of the sea
106. Serafima - Fiery, burning
107. Vanka - Favored by God
108. Yana - God is gracious
109. Zinaida - Born of Zeus

Russian-Slavic Girl Names

Slavic girl names are commonly found in Russia and are rich in history, culture, and meaning. Often rooted in nature, virtues, or traditions, these names carry a sense of beauty and strength that have inspired parents for generations.

110. Bogdana - Gift from God
111. Dima - Torrential rain, earth mother, powerful warrior
112. Dobroslava - Glorious goodness
113. Galina - Bright, calm, healer
114. Ivanka - God is gracious
115. Lilia - Lily flower
116. Ludmila - Love
117. Milena - Gracious, dear
118. Nadezhda - Hope
119. Radmila - Happy, hardworking
120. Roksana - Dawn
121. Slavica - Glory, fame
122. Svetlana - Light, blessed, holy
123. Vasilisa - Queenly, royal
124. Zorya - Dawn, star

Greek Names for Girls in Russia 

After Christianity spread from Greece to Russian, open trade routes allowed for the freedom to exchange not only goods but ideas, knowledge, and other aspects of culture and life—including the following names for girls.

125. Agnessa - Chaste, pure
126. Alyona - Shining light
127. Angelina - Messenger
128. Callista - Most beautiful
129. Dionysia - Follower of Dionysus
130. Doroteya - Gift of God
131. Elena - Bright, shining light
132. Eva - Life
133. Evdokia - Delight, pleasure
134. Inessa - Chaste, pure
135. Isidora - Gift of Isis
136. Katya - Pure
137. Kira - Lady
138. Kleopatra - Glory of the father
139. Lena - Light
140. Nika - Victory
141. Olympia - From Mount Olympus
142. Thekla - Glory of God

Reveling in Russian First Names

Many Russian names originate from either Eastern Orthodox Church traditions, most commonly seen in names of Saints, or native pre-Christian Slavic traditions. Like the US, Russia experiences the ebbs and flows of naming trends. For example, after the Russian revolution in 1917, many new names emerged that honored communist ideals. Likewise, post-Soviet Russia has seen name trends follow popular music artists, famous actors, and an influx of foreign names, including the Russian names for girls and boys found on this list of Family Education's top picks.

For more information check out these popular topics:

• Russian Last Names and Meanings
• Russian Jewish Surnames and Meanings
• 129 Greek Names and Meanings

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