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?

Nottonight - my mum thought about calling me Anastasia but my Dad vetoed it - he was the Russophile but wanted a short name for us because we had a long surname.

I like Ekaterina the best (but not Catherine). I was considering that if I ever had a girl but it wasn't to be.

Russian girls names are lovely

Glad you’re not going with Con as nn, Constantin (nickname Misha ) is cute

I love Constantin. Mikhail will get pronounced Michael and then there's the risk of Mick or Mike as a nicname, far less cute than Misha

There is also a sexy Konstantin (with a K) on Killing Eve you have a dodgy taste in men

Constantin is gorgeous!!

Without giving too much away, I have a son with the same name but with an e at the end to make the pronunciation ine instead of een. We haven't shortened it much yet, but my other dc has started calling him Cossie and it's very cute 😍

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?

In Russian that "t" is soft, more like a "tu"so I'd say Constanteen, but I don't think either is wrong as such. You can't fully replicate the sound in English.

I like Con as a nickname and it’s a bit more culture/ country neutral a nickname if your husband prefers that.

I really don’t think people will call Mikhail, Michael. And if so, you just say no it is mikhail.

Con is not a great nickname - A con as in a trick or deceipt?

I like Mikhail.

I would think that Mikhail would verfy likely end up as Mike, though.

Nicknames are out of your control remember!

For that reason I would go with Constantin.

Stefan is totally boring in the UK.

I would go with Constantin and nn him Misha!

Though I’ve never had a nickname and neither have my DC, is it inevitable? I never even considered nn issues until MN.

Love Milkhail/Misha!

Mercedes diminutives of names are a huge thing for Russians, just about everybody ends up with one. I am often baffled by people planning their kids' nicknames on here, but in this case I think it's only sensible!

Constantin

if you're worried about spelling, Mikhail might be a bit more tricky.

I love Dmitri but from your final three, I'd go with Constantin

Constantin is a lovely name

Oh yes, I know. I was referring to nicknames in general.

I've never had a nickname either, or at least not one that my parents lovingly decided upon before I was born. There were a couple of insulting ones when I was a teen, based on the fact that I had acne and bad hair, though. That's the thing with most nicknames - you can try to insist that your child is called Arabella, known as Bella for short, but if she has the misfortune to have spots, she could very well end up being called Pizza Face for the rest of her school life.

Anyway, that's a derail. Congratulations on little Constantin, OP - it's very distinguished.

Agreed about the nicknames, but they're a big thing in Russia! For example, the Sasha I mentioned upthread is an Alexander but their parents didn't like Alex or Ali, so spent years training the surrounding Brits to call the child Sasha... much to the confusion of many! So I think it's something worth considering with longer names. With Emma, Lily, Anna etc i wouldn't bother.

Haha, thanks! Anomaly scan later this week so will report back...

GEtting my girl vote in though. I am in the Ekaterina camp and would go Kitty a la Anna Karenina for nn.

I think Alexei was vetoed earlier but now Anna K has entered my head, I have remembered how much joy the idea of shouting Alexei gives me as you were.

I've only ever heard of Mischa as a female name, nice, but not for a boy. Stefan is lovely, so is Anton.

It’s a Russian male name!

Katya for Ekaterina ppllleeeaassseeee I love it