★Russian personal names mainly come from three sources:
(1) First, the Slavic names are still used, and their meanings mostly describe people’s appearance characteristics;
(2) The second is the Christian names brought about by the introduction of Christianity, which account for the main part. Christian names are basically the names of saints, most of which originate from Greek, Latin, ancient Jewish, etc. At that time, a baby would be sent to the church to be baptized a week after birth, and the priest would name it according to the church calendar.
(3) Third, after the October Revolution, because parents had the right to name their children, a number of new names were created.
★Another: In Russian custom, many names have nicknames in addition to nicknames to show intimacy.
For example, Natalia (Наталья)’s nickname is Natasha (Наташа), and Natashenka (Наташенька) is a nickname. Ekaterina's nickname is Katya (Катя), and her nickname is Katyusha (Катюша).
Vladimir (Владимир)’s nickname is Volodya (Володя) Lenin and Putin’s names!
Alexei (Алексей)’s nickname is Alyosha (Алёша)
Mikhail (Михаил)’s nickname is Misha (Миша)
Yuri (Юрий)’s nickname is Yura (Юра)
So, in life, familiar friends generally call him by his nickname, and those long names are used in formal occasions.
★These are the meanings of some names:
Александр Alexander (Greek) defender
Алексей Alexei (Greek) defender
Анатолий Anatoly (Greek) Sunrise
Андрей Andrei (Greek) brave
Антон Anton (Greek) enters the battle
Борис Boris (Russia, Bulgaria) Struggle for Honor
Валентин Valentin (La) Healthy
Валерий Valery (La) Strong
Василий Vasily (Greek) Ruler
Виктор Victor (La) Victor
Владимир Vladimir (S) Owns the World
Геннадий Gennadi (Greek) noble
Евгений Yevgeny (Greek) noble
Егор Yegor (Greek) farmer
Ефим leaf Fim (Greek) kind-hearted
Иван Ivan (ancient Jewish) God cherishes
Игорь Igor (Russia) the god of wealth protects
Илья Ilya (Ancient Judea) My God Jehovah
Лев Lev (Greek) Lion
Леонид Leonid (Greek) Lion
Максим Maxi Mu (Ra) The biggest
Матвей Matvey (Ancient Judea) The gift of God Jehovah
Михаил Mikhail (Ancient Judea) Like God
Никита Nikita (Greek) Victory
Николай Nicholas (Greek) People's Victory
Олег Oleg (Scandinavia) Holy
Пётр Peter (Greek) stone
Семён Semyon (ancient Jewish) God who can hear
Сергей Sergei (Ra) a prominent Roman family
Степан Stepan (Greek) Garland
Юрий Yuri (Greek) Peasant
Яковь Yakov (Greek) Heel (born by grabbing the heel of his twin brother)
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