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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

International-sounding name for a Russian baby girl

111 replies

JuliaEf · 30/01/2017 07:53

Hello, everyone!
I need your advice.
We live in Russia and are choosing a name for our baby girl who is soon to come.
We certainly have some typically Russian names on the list, but also consider more international-sounding names.
What do you think of the names below:

  1. Leoncia
  2. Leontia (almost the same like No.1, but more Russian version of it)
  3. Silvia
  4. Emilia (in Russian, it is Emilia, not Emily)
Do you have any negative associations with any of these names? Maybe they sound funny or outdated? Would you be surprised if you met a typical Russian girl with such a name? Thank you for your contributions!
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originalmavis · 31/01/2017 18:50

How would you pronounce Vera? Ages ago I worked with a man whose Latvian wife was a Vera and it sounded lovely the way he said it (but I can't remember how he said it!).

Secretspillernamechange · 31/01/2017 18:48

I think you should go with Sylvia or Vera. I love Svetlana but would worry about teasing.

Mrsknackered · 31/01/2017 18:39

Please don't go with Tatiana like PP's have suggested! It means something very different to a lot of young people now.
Russian girls with lovely (translatable) names have been:
Katarina (Katya)
Alexandra (Sasha)
Anya (but she used to go by Anna mostly)
I think these are all really pretty but I like your first and second suggestions too.
Emilia is very boring in my honest opinion.

EduCated · 31/01/2017 18:35

I think you should go with Leontia as well. I think it would travel, even if it's not already well known internationally.

SallyInSweden · 31/01/2017 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Trollspoopglitter · 31/01/2017 12:53

I don't like svetlana shortened to sveta because in some Eastern European languages that means female form of "blessed". And it would sound wrong and confusing, like if you called a girl "blessed"... Blessed is happy. Blessed is hugry. Confused

Russian diminutive for Helena can be Lena but what about Ilka? Pronounced same soft L like in Ilya? I knew a lady called that but it was a dialect, not "proper" Russian, so I'm not sure how common that diminutive is where you live.

Kr1stina · 31/01/2017 12:36

The most international names are the ones you have ruled out already because they are too popular or you have relatives with that name.

You are trying to find a name which travels well AND is very unusual. I think these things are mutually exclusive so you need to choose one or the other. Which is more important to you ? Or perhaps the question is - which will matter more to your daughter ?

Original poster
JuliaEf · 31/01/2017 09:45

Dear all, thank you so much for your opinions! I believe I now have a clearer picture in my head. The important point from our discussion for me is that it is almost an impossible task to find a "one-size-fits-all" name that would sound absolutely identical, easy and beautiful throughout the world and would be liked by everyone. This way or that, you need to tell people how your name should be pronounced correctly. Good example is my simple and wide-spread name Julia. In Russia it is Yuliya, in Spain they pronounce it like Hooliya, in the English-speaking world - ʹdʒu:ljə. Already at least 3 variants!
So I hope we will make up our minds quite soon. If anybody cares or interested, I may write what we have chosen in about 1 month's time:)

OP posts:
JaneA1 · 31/01/2017 09:28

Anna or Alexandra?

Natsku · 31/01/2017 08:14

I'm always going to vote for Natasha as I'm one (Natsku being the Finnish diminutive) but also like Katya and Valentina.

Emilia, Silvia and Vera would all work fine, but if you prefer Leoncia/Leontia then go for it, don't let fear of mispronunciation stop you from using a name you love.

handonhip · 31/01/2017 07:56

Oh crabb, I love Veronica!!

JuliaEf, Leontia is my favourite and I think it would travel well. Also love many of the names you've ruled out--Marina, Aleksandra, Larissa, Victoria. Silvia is nice. Good luck choosing!

ladamanera · 31/01/2017 01:27

Anouschka?

crabb · 31/01/2017 01:18

About Vera - it is pronounced Vee-ra in English, but would it not be Vay-ra or V-air-ah in Russian? Would that be a problem? It's quite an older lady name in English although perhaps due for revival!
(Whatever you do, don't name her what my Russian parents named me - they liked Vera but it was too old-fashioned when I was born - so I ended up with Veronica. I hate it 🙁)

Katielou75 · 31/01/2017 00:47

Russian names are amazing; I have a Lara- who may well have been Anastasia if I had been braver!

RebelRogue · 30/01/2017 21:00

Or Lydia(one pd my favourites) or Olesya?

RebelRogue · 30/01/2017 20:59

What about Liliana? Not sure if russian enough,but it is eastern european,and would travel well as Lilly,Liana

ChequeredPasta · 30/01/2017 20:57

What about Eva?
Very international, and quite trendy at the moment. And lovely!

Foureyesarebetterthantwo · 30/01/2017 20:55

If you like the name 'Leontia' then go for it! You asked for opinions on what an international name might be, and although 'Leontia' isn't a name I've heard before, it's fine to say it, and people will learn how you like it said. I have lots of students from all around the world and frequently have to make the effort to say new names, also among our friends (where there is an Elena, Theodora, Anna, Sofia). Even if you recognize the name, it doesn't mean you are saying it like that person would do! Pronunciation differs across the world anyway.

The most important thing is that you and your husband like the name, not whether it is incredibly international and said the same in all languages (which names often aren't).

TronaldDump · 30/01/2017 20:50

I think Nadezhda is beautiful and Nadia is recognised in the UK and much of Europe too so she could go by the diminutive.

Valentina/Valya is so pretty too, although the only Russian ones I know are middle aged. So funny how names sound when you have fewer associations vs growing up with them!

Original poster
JuliaEf · 30/01/2017 20:29

We thought about Ulyana, it perfectly fits our names - Julia and Ilia. All the three would sound so similar. But my main concern was that it is not quite international, so would be difficult to pronounce. Do you really know the name Ulyana and think it is nice?
Nina and Marina are our moms' names:))) Matilda is usually used in jokes and has a comic touch to it (in Russian).
The names you mention were extremely common in 1970-s - 1980-s, that is why I say that we were 5 Julias in the class. There was no Internet at that time, and people just used a limited set of names, so they were highly repetitive. And of course it was impossible to use a name from another culture/country, because the Soviet Union had an iron curtain, you know. Now we have a greater choice.
TOP-10 in Russia right now are: Sofia, Anastasia, Darya, Maria, Anna, Viktoria, Polina, Elizaveta, Ekaterina, Ksenia.

OP posts:
MoreProseccoNow · 30/01/2017 20:05

How about Saskia?

Of all the names mentioned, Emilia, Katya & Lila are the nicest.

AlmostNQT · 30/01/2017 19:42

I had a Russian friend who's name was spelt "Aleksandra" I've always loved the spelling!

user1473882712 · 30/01/2017 19:33

How about Nina??? Or Marina?? Both lovely Russian names.

I think Matilda has a real international jet-setting feel to it & would be easy to pronouce in Russia?

What are the current trends in Russia? Every Russian I know is either Tatiana, Julia, Anna, Elena, Svetlana, Maria or Oksana....(& they say all their relatives/friends have the same names) was it common in Russia at one time to name after family members?

znaika · 30/01/2017 19:21

Ulyana. Smile

drinkyourmilk · 30/01/2017 18:27

I love Vera. Just my two pennies worth from a northern brit.