Russian Baby Names With Meanings

Russian names are typically composed of a given name and a patronymic. The given name is the personal name, while the patronymic is derived from the father’s first name and is used as a middle name. For example, if a man named Ivan has a father named Alexei, his full name would be Ivan Alexeevich, with Alexeevich being the patronymic.

Russian surnames, on the other hand, are generally derived from the father’s first name, an occupation, a nickname, or a place name. For example, the surname Ivanov means “son of Ivan”, while the surname Petrov means “son of Peter”. Other common Russian surnames include Sokolov, meaning “falcon”, and Volkov, meaning “wolf”.

It’s worth noting that the use of surnames in Russia was not widespread until the 18th century, and even then, it was primarily used by the nobility. Prior to that, most Russians only had a given name and a patronymic