Do you want a unique baby name from Russia? Perhaps your family is originally from there and you want to honor your roots, perhaps you just love the culture or language, or maybe you have another reason… whatever brought you here, know this list of Russian Baby Names is a great place to find a unique and meaningful name for your little one.
The History of Russian Baby Names
Russian baby names have a charm and unique sound that makes them both powerful and endearing. Whether you’re drawn to names that feel bold and timeless like Dmitry and Anastasia, or soft and beautiful like Mila and Sasha, Russian names offer a beautiful balance of strength and sweetness. These names are perfect for parents who love rich cultural roots and unique sounding names.
What makes Russian baby names especially appealing is their meaningful nature and the way they roll off the tongue. The top baby name searches for Russian names usually include the term “meaningful”… because they are!
Many names come with shortened and cute versions too, which work great as stand-alone names or offer nice nicknames as well.
The Russian language often emphasizes soft consonants, rolling “r”s, and vowel endings that sound unique but aren’t always hard to pronounce in English like some other countries names may be.
These names are a great fit for families with Russian or Eastern European heritage, fans of classic literature and ballet, or anyone looking for names that feel both meaningful and rare in the English-speaking world. This large list of 86 traditional Russian baby names for boy, girls, or gender neutral is sure to give you inspiration!
Cute Russian Boy Name Ideas
Alexander (Александр)
Meaning: Defender of mankind
Anatoly (Анатолий)
Meaning: Sunrise
Andrei (Андрей)
Meaning: Manly, brave
Anton (Антон)
Meaning: Priceless, praiseworthy
Artem / Artyom (Артём / Артемий)
Meaning: Safe; dedicated to Artemis
Bogdan (Богдан)
Meaning: Gift from God
Boris (Борис)
Meaning: Fighter, warrior
Daniil (Даниил)
Meaning: God is my judge
Dmitry (Дмитрий)
Meaning: Follower of Demeter
Evgeny (Евгений)
Meaning: Well-born, noble
Fyodor (Фёдор)
Meaning: Gift of God
Gavriil (Гавриил)
Meaning: God is my strength
Grigory (Григорий)
Meaning: Watchful, vigilant
Igor (Игорь)
Meaning: Warrior of peace
Ivan (Иван)
Meaning: God is gracious
Kirill (Кирилл)
Meaning: Lordly, masterful
Leonid (Леонид)
Meaning: Lion-like
Lev (Лев)
Meaning: Lion
Luka (Лука)
Meaning: Bringer of light
Makar (Макар)
Meaning: Blessed, happy
Maxim (Максим)
Meaning: The greatest
Matvey (Матвей)
Meaning: Gift of God
Mikhail (Михаил)
Meaning: Who is like God?
Nikolai (Николай)
Meaning: Victory of the people
Oleg (Олег)
Meaning: Sacred, holy
Pavel (Павел)
Meaning: Humble, small
Pyotr (Пётр)
Meaning: Rock, stone
Roman (Роман)
Meaning: Strong, powerful
Sergei (Сергей)
Meaning: Protector, servant
Stepan (Степан)
Meaning: Crowned one
Timofey (Тимофей)
Meaning: Honoring God
Vladimir (Владимир)
Meaning: Ruler of the world
Yuri (Юрий)
Meaning: Farmer, earth-worker
Vasiliy (Василий)
Meaning: Royal, kingly
Valentin (Валентин)
Meaning: Strong, healthy
Arseniy (Арсений)
Meaning: Masculine, strong
Savely (Савелий)
Meaning: Asked for, desired
Ignat (Игнатий)
Meaning: Fiery, passionate
Mark (Марк)
Meaning: Warlike
Russian Girl Name Ideas
Anastasia (Анастасия)
Meaning: Resurrection
Aleksandra (Александра)
Meaning: Defender of mankind
Alina (Алина)
Meaning: Bright, beautiful
Anna (Анна)
Meaning: Gracious, full of grace
Arina (Арина)
Meaning: Peaceful
Daria (Дарья)
Meaning: Wealthy, possessing goodness
Elizaveta (Елизавета)
Meaning: Pledged to God
Ekaterina (Екатерина)
Meaning: Pure
Galina (Галина)
Meaning: Calm, tranquil
Irina (Ирина)
Meaning: Peace
Kira (Кира)
Meaning: Lady, ruler
Klara (Клара)
Meaning: Bright, clear
Ksenia (Ксения)
Meaning: Hospitable, welcoming
Lada (Лада)
Meaning: Goddess of beauty and love
Larisa (Лариса)
Meaning: Cheerful, lighthearted
Liliya (Лилия)
Meaning: Lily flower
Lyudmila (Людмила)
Meaning: Loved by the people
Maria (Мария)
Meaning: Beloved, wished-for child
Mila (Мила)
Meaning: Gracious, dear
Nadezhda (Надежда)
Meaning: Hope
Natalya / Natalia (Наталья / Наталия)
Meaning: Born at Christmas
Nina (Нина)
Meaning: Dreamer, grace
Olga (Ольга)
Meaning: Blessed, holy
Polina (Полина)
Meaning: Little, humble
Raisa (Раиса)
Meaning: Easygoing, adaptable
Sonya (Соня)
Meaning: Wisdom
Svetlana (Светлана)
Meaning: Light, shining one
Tatiana (Татьяна)
Meaning: Fairy queen, noble
Ulyana (Ульяна)
Meaning: Youthful
Veronika (Вероника)
Meaning: Bringer of victory
Yelena (Елена)
Meaning: Shining light
Yulia (Юлия)
Meaning: Youthful, soft-haired
Zhanna (Жанна)
Meaning: God is gracious
Zinovya (Зиновия)
Meaning: Life of Zeus
Gender Neutral Russian Names with Meaning
Sasha (Саша)
Meaning: Defender of mankind (short for Alexander or Alexandra)
Zhenya (Женя)
Meaning: Noble, well-born (short for Yevgeny or Yevgeniya)
Valya (Валя)
Meaning: Strong, healthy (short for Valentin or Valentina)
Vasya (Вася)
Meaning: Kingly (short for Vasiliy or Vasilisa)
Lesha (Лёша)
Meaning: Defender (short for Alexei)
Misha (Миша)
Meaning: Who is like God? (short for Mikhail)
Pasha (Паша)
Meaning: Humble (short for Pavel)
Nata (Ната)
Meaning: Born at Christmas (short for Natalia)
Katya (Катя)
Meaning: Pure (short for Ekaterina)
Tanya (Таня)
Meaning: Fairy queen (short for Tatiana)
Natasha (Наташа)
Meaning: Born at Christmas (short for Natalia)