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!