Russian name for a nonRussian boy these days

[Lactosan83]

Hi all, am writing regarding concern I have for my future nephew.

My sis has a husband of Eastern European heritage, and they live internationally, with plans to spend some time in UK in the near future.
They are expecting a baby boy (yey!!), and plan to give him an Eastern European name to honour his father's roots. All peachy and great.

However, I am worried as they seem to have settled on a name that sounds specifically very "Russian". I am afraid what that will do to a baby boy growing up in current political circumstances, and who has no relationship with Russia (his father is Eastern European, but not Russian).
Will he be bullied / discriminated? Will he need to spend his days explaining that he's not really Russian etc?

I believe that confusion is best to be avoided, and hope they can find another EE name that doesn't ring "Russia" to everyone who hears it. Am I wrong? Am I over the top?

Wanted to check with you before I say anything to them. Any input is appreciated.

As long as it's not Vladimir, almost akin to Adolf he'll probably be be OK.

Why on earth would you say anything to them? What would you even say?

This is absolutely none of your business.

I think as long as the name isn't Vladimir you're probably ok!

Voldymyr is essentially Vladimir in Ukrainian though!

How many people really know or will remember Putin's first name, though?
And yes, op, you're over the top...of several very tall mountains! 😂

Don’t be so ridiculous and keep your thoughts to yourself!

My children have Eastern European names. I am english and we live in the UK. Similar reasons to your sister, dad is Eastern European. They are school aged and none have ever been bullied for their names or had to 'explain' or justify them any further. We dont live in an area with a particularly large eastern European community so they are distinctive.

@Villagewaspbyke in the current climate, Volodymyr could be seen as a nod to Zelensky. Arguably the most badass leader the world has seen in a while!

Thank you all for commenting, and thanks to @SecretstorySecretstory especially.

Just to clarify a bit - focus should be on whether you would find the Russian name implication concerning, not on whether I should say something to my sis - we have a lovely relationship and she would be interested in what I have to say (she wouldn't necessarily take it on board, of course), I just don't want to worry her if I'm wrong to be concerned in the first place.

Lovely comments so far, they give me hope in humanity (especially the one where I'm over a few mountains :D).

I teach a boy called Vladimir. It's not a problem. Also Alexei and Ivan.
Not an issue, don't worry about it.

Where I live, 'Russian' names are really popular for boys. Stanislas, Alexis, Sacha, Dimitri (to an extent) and even Vladimir. I think it is less the case in the UK, but I also think that British people are generally very open :) I'd say that Vladimir Putin has been known as an awful person for a long time. It's not a secret that he was the KGB and you'd have to have lived in a hole to not know about Litvinenko, the business in Salisbury etc. So I think that people are able to make the distinction between the government and the people :)

Why do you think peolle will mind? Why do you think it's your business to say something. Do they own no tv, radio or Internet-connecting device?

Find something else to worry about.

Don't be ridiculous. Thankfully most people in the UK realise that not every Russian person agrees with Putin. Just like not every British person was responsible for Tony Blair's crimes.

Sorry but that is ridiculous.

Don't be silly, OP.

Presumably it’s also a name in the father’s country though? So it’s not an issue. They explain the child is half ..whatever nationality.

Plus isn’t it being emphasised over and over how normal Russians are not responsible for what is going on? Are basically under martial law themselves and carted away for mentioning Ukraine…?

I understand your concern. I know an English boy with foreign heritage. His name links him to another country that is not always popular. A relative did mention this at the time. I think now it may have been a mistake.

But what does ‘sounds Russian’ mean? That anything E European ‘sounds Russian’?

Boris ‘sounds Russian’ to me but the reason I have no respect for our PM is nothing to do with his name.

It'll be fine as long as they don't call him Putin. I teach a few Vladimir/Vlad/Vadims/Alexis/Aleksandr-s and as far as I know nothing has been said.

Most people will assume it’s an East European name rather than being Russian.

I don’t see a problem.

Their baby, their choice of name.

Ps. What’s the name?

@Frankley

I understand your concern. I know an English boy with foreign heritage. His name links him to another country that is not always popular. A relative did mention this at the time. I think now it may have been a mistake.

What do you mean by a county which isn't always popular? China because of their human rights recoded? Saudi Arabia? Somewhere else? And even if the name is in some linked to this unpopular country why do you think it's a mistake? Are people thinking the boy is somehow linked to the Chinese or Saudi leadership?

Why does the name sound Russian? Do you think all Eastern European names sound Russian?

I work in a very multicultural university and work with academics from Russia, Ukraine and Poland. Aside from the very obvious Polish names (Bartek and Tomasz), I'm never 100% sure where they're from until I ask them. I don't think anyone will assume the name is Russian.

Anything but Vladimir is fine.