Down to final three - Russian boys names

[Goostacean]

Thanks to everyone for their help on my other thread, still mulling over options!

I'm down to:
Mikhail (Misha)
Constantin
Anton

And just missing out from the shortlist are: Stefan, Artyom and Fyodor (Freddie). We live in the UK so name needs to be pronounceable, spell-able, etc!

What do you think?

I LOVE constantin. It's be Stan for short for me.

Constantin definitely

Yes, Pasha is short for Pavel, which I don't like... And I definitely want a "proper" full name, not a nickname-as-a-name. I like Ilya as a pp suggested, but I think the others win out, although not for any reason aside from taste.

I think DH will be given a choice: Constantin or Mikhail, and it'll be up to him! I'll report back eventually, once we're decided.

I agree that Mikhail & Constantin are both the best names. Misha is my preferred diminutive name although Constantin is my preferred first name. I'm not much help am I?

Misha is my preferred diminutive name although Constantin is my preferred first name

YES! Same.

Mikhail is lovely! I also love Misha as a shortening.

They are both lovely! Think about how the name will look among your family names. Try putting them both down with a full name. What would be easier to spell? They are both not very popular in Russia at the moment which makes them even more attractive. With Mikhail it's easier to come up diminutives and pet names (Russian style), for Constantin it's just Kostya really

Mikhail is my favourite (my DGFs name) followed by Anton. But I’d not go with Anton if it has associations with your ex as that would spoil the name for you perhaps. I do really like Constantin too but am biased re Mikhail.

Family's names are a real mix- English, Russian-ish, and Spanish. DS1 has a VERY Spanish name, which was a tradition for one side of the family, but I want something different this time. Constantin will go much better with the surname, but I'm not too bothered about that (but it will probably sway DH though).

The more I think about it, the more I'm sold on Constantin- but I do really like Misha... but im imagining a little toddler Misha, and then a cute 8yo or something. But professionally, for example, Mikhail McSpaniard is going to sound very odd indeed.

As an aside I really don’t understand the assumption that a name will be anglicised. Mikhail sounds different to Michael, Guillaume sounds different to William and surely the baby will just be introduced as Constantin, pronounced the way that YOU pronounce it so others will do the same.

I have a foreign name and people usually ask, but if I introduce myself then they know how it is said (accepting a slightly difficult pronunciation in my case with a rolled r). Ds3 is the only one with a name that people pronounce slightly differently as when it originates in other countries the emphasis is on a different syllable, but it still sounds like/clearly is the same name.

If someone said, ‘hi I’m Mikhail’ I wouldn’t call him michael.

Love Constantin! Others are nice but for me this would be the one! Also lots of nice shortenings.

I think Constantin is fairly well known because of Konstantin Khabensky. Anton is nice too.

Definitely Anton! Love it!

Constantin is nice. It's pronounced Con stan teen?

I like Mikhail/Misha. But I love Fyodor (and Dostoevsky!). However, being from Saaf Laandon it does sound like me as a teenager saying Theodore.

It's pronounced Con stan teen
Yep!

Well I pitched both (and the rest of the shortlist) to DH tonight over dinner, and he prefers Constantin, nn Cos or Con.

Interestingly, he prefers not to give any definitively Eastern European name, prefers something more culture/heritage-agnostic. Be that as it may, I think we're decided. So thanks very much, lovely MNers! 😍 (Now I just need to find a girl's name...!)

I like Constantin, just wouldn't like the nickname Con.

I dated a Russian opera singer for a couple of weeks when I was younger. He was one of the sexiest guys I’d ever met. He was an Anton. (Those were the days....!) Meanwhile, I also love Constantin and Mikhail!!!

Hurrah for Constantin for the win! I did like Stan as an alternative nickname as well but Con/Cos is good too.

Unfortunately we're of the age where Stan for me is the crazy psycho from an Eminem track who commits a murder-suicide due to his infatuation with the rapper..! So it won't be Stan. Also less keen on Con for obvious reasons, so will stick with Cos initially and see what evolves.

There is also a sexy Konstantin (with a K) on Killing Eve but they pronounce his name as it's spelt, i.e. con-stan-tin not with the teen sound at the end. Have they got that wrong? I know the actor playing him isn't actually Russian so just wondered.