russian Lady names

The names of many Russian ladies can be unfamiliar to others who live outside Eastern and Central Europe. Many of these ladies’ names have an English equivalent; some do not. With the Russian names themselves there are many variations. Some of these variations have a softer, more personal association with the speaker. For example, any Russian name that ends with the suffix ‘ochka’ implies a greater level of personal association.

It should be remembered that when a man is trying to get to know a lady from Eastern Europe, he should always refer to her in a more ‘formal’ way to start with. This means using the main derivative of the name e.g. Ekaterina, not Katya. If the lady says it’s okay to be less formal, then you should acquiesce to her request, but don’t be too informal too quickly. It’s generally not the custom.

Below are some common Russian/Eastern European ladies’ names:

For example:

Alyona (main/formal name) Ilona (English variant for reference only)

Allochka etc. (accepted cultural variations of main name)

Russian Lady Names

Anastasia
Nastya, Nastenka, Nastyusha, Nastasya

Alexandra (Alex/Alexis/Lexy)
Sasha, Sashenka, Sashka, Shura, Shurochka

Alla (Ally)
Allochka, Allushka

Alyona (Ilona)
Alyonushka, Alyonka, Alya

Anna
Anya, Annushka, Anyuta, Anechka

Daria
Dasha, Dashenka, Dashechka, Dashunya

Diana (Dianne)
Dianushka, Dina, Dianochka

Ekaterina (Catherine/Katrina/Kate/Katie)
Katya, Katerina, Katyushka, Katyusha, Katenka

Elena
Lena, Lenochka, Lenok, Lenchik, Yelenushka

Eleonora (Elly/Elenor)
Elya

Elizaveta (Elizabeth/Liz/Eiza)
Liza, Lizok, Lizochka

Elvira
Elya

Eugenia (Jean/Jeannie)
Zhenya, Zhenka, Zhenechka

Galina
Galochka, Galenka, Galyushka, Galchonok

Inna (Ina)
Innochka, Innoulya, Innoulenka, Inusya, Inok, Innessa

Irina (Irene)
Ira, Irinka, Irishka, Irinchik, Irinochka, Irunchik, Irisha

Yulia (Julie)
Yulenka, Yulka, Yulchik

Ksenia
Ksyusha, Ksyushka, Ksyushenka

Larisa
Lara, Larochka

Lilia (Lilian/Lily)
Lilechka, Lilya

Ludmila (Lucy/Lucille)
Lyuda, Mila, Milochka, Lyusya, Lyudochka

Lyubov
Lyuba, Lyubonka, Lyubasha, Lyubochka

Margarita (Margaret/Margo)
Rita, Margaritka, Ritochka, Ritulya

Maria (Mary)
Masha, Mashenka, Mashusha, Mashunya

Marina
Marisha, Marinochka, Marishka

Nadezhda
Nadia, Nadenka, Nadyusha, Nadyushka

Natalia (Natalie)
Natashenka, Natshechka, Natusenka, Natusik, Natasha

Nina
Ninochka, Ninok, Ninulya, Ninushka

Oksana
Oksanochka, Ksyusha, Ksyushenka, Ksana

Olesya (Alyssa)
Lesya, Lesenka

Olga
Olya, Olenka, Olyushka

Polina (Polly)
Polya, Polinka

Roza (Rosa/Rosie/Rose)
Rozochka, Rozita, Rozi

Sophia (Sophie)
Sonya, Sonechka, Sophochka

Svetlana
Sveta, Svetochka, Svetlanka, Svetik

Tamara (Tammy)
Toma, Tomochka, Tamarka

Tatyana
Tanechka, Tanyushenka, Tanyusha, Tanyushka

Valentina
Valya, Valyusha, Valyushka, Valenka, Valechka,

Valeria (Valerie/Val)
Lera, Lerchik, Lerunchik, Lerusia, Lerok, Lerunia

Vera
Verochka, Verok

Veronika (Veronica)
 Nika

Victoria (Vicky)
Vika