Wikipedia:Romanization of Russian/Harmonization

This page should evolve into a list of common Russian geographical and personal names, so that the standard policy on conventional naming could be evolved. It would eventually be incorporated into Transliteration of Russian into English or given a separate article if deemed appropriate.

Personal names[edit]

The origin of most modern given Russian names lies in Calendar of Saints that mentions various names from Biblical sources, translated/transcribed/transliterated and adopted from Greek, Latin and Hebrew, on a daily basis. These names were forced into use over Old Slavonic (mostly with slav ending which means Slava, glory, and mysl ending for thought) and Varangian names by the Russian Orthodox Church somewhere around the rule of Tsar Ioann IV; the priests would not allow any name not in the Calendar to be registered. Thus, the real Slavic names were treated as pagan and are really rare since then. These names were not reused until the historical works of the 1800s that re-introduced them to the public.

Most Russians did not have any other name than given name; they were usually known as Pashka, son of Ivashka; the ka suffix meant the low social status. Only the noble people were addressed to by applying the patronymic form, and only the noble ones were using surnames – usually, boyars who were named after their udel. In the late 1700s, the ordinary people were given some artificial surnames that reflected the place of their birth, their profession, appearance, social status etc. But creating surnames after the Calendar was not an uncommon practice as well. Even some rarely used names and/or adaptations were used and they survived in family names.

Here's a list of most common modern (1800s) and older notable Russian given names. Since most of the current names are of foreign origin, names that have a common English spelling which sounds similar to the Russian are sometimes anglicized.

Feminine[edit]

Russian	Transliteration	Conventional/Anglicized forms	Diminutive form	origin
Анна	Anna	Anne/Ann	Anya	Hebrew
Александра	Alexandra		Sasha, Shura	Greek
Алла	Alla
Алёна	Alyona	Alena, Elena, Helen		Greek
Алиса	Alisa	Alice
Анжела	Anzhela	Angela
Анастасия	Anastasia	Anastasiya	Nastia	Greek
Антонина	Antonina		Tonya	Greek
Ангелина	Angelina			Latin
Валентина	Valentina		Valya	Latin
Василиса	Vasilisa	Vassilissa		Greek
Варвара	Varvara	Barbra	Varya	Greek
Вера	Vera	Vera	Verochka	Slavonic
Вероника	Veronika	Veronica		Hebrew
Владислава	Vladislava			Slavonic
Виктория	Viktoriya	Victoria	Vika
Галина	Galina		Galya	Greek
Дарья	Dariya, Darya	Daria	Dasha	Slavonic
Евгения	Yevgeniya	Evgenia, Eugenia, Eugeniya	Zhenya	Greek
Евдокия	Yevdokiya	Evdokiya, Evdokia		Greek
Екатерина	Yekaterina	Ekaterina, Catherine	Katya	Greek
Жанна	Zhanna	Joanne
Iya	Ia			Greek
Елена	Yelena	Elena, Helen	Lena	Greek
Елизавета	Yelizaveta	Elizaveta, Elisabeth/Elizabeth	Lisa	Hebrew
Зинаида	Zinaida		Zina	Greek
Зоя	Zoya	Zoia, Xoia (??)		Greek
Инна	Inna			Hebrew (masculine?)
Инга	Inga			Scandinavian
Ирина (Арина)	Irina (Arina)	Iren, Irene	Ira	Greek
Кира	Kira	Kyra		Greek
Клавдия	Klavdia	Klaudia, Claudia	Klava	Latin
Клара	Klara			Latin
Кристина (Христина)	Kristina (Khristina)	Cristina, Christine/Christina	Kris
Ксения	Kseniya, Ksenia	Xenia	Ksyusha	Greek
Лариса	Larisa	Larissa	Lara	Greek
Лия	Lia	Liya		Greek
Лидия	Lidia	Lidiya	Lida	Greek
Любовь	Lyubov		Lyuba	Slavonic
Людмила	Lyudmila	Ludmila	Lyuda, Lyusya	Slavonic
Маргарита	Margarita	Margaret/Margareth	Rita	Greek
Марина	Marina	Marine		Latin
Марианна/Марьяна	Marianna/Mar'yana	Mary Ann, Maryanne. Marianna		Hebrew
Марфа	Marfa	Martha		Hebrew
Мария	Mariya	Maria, Mary	Masha, Manya	Hebrew/Latin
Матрёна (Матрона)	Matryona/Matrona	Matriona, Matrona		Latin
Надежда	Nadezhda	Nadine, Nadeane	Nadya	Slavonic
Нинель	Ninel			Constructed from Lenin, gallicized form of Nina
Наталия	Natalia	Nataliya, Natalya, Nataly, Natalie	Natasha	Latin
Нина	Nina
Нонна	Nonna			Latin
Ольга	Olga	Helga		Varangian
Олеся	Olesya	Olesia, Alexa		Ukraininan, Alexandra
Оксана	Oxana			Ukraininan, Xenia
Прасковья	Praskoviya	Praskovya, Paraskeva		Greek
Полина	Polina	Pauline (same pronounce but another meaning)	Polya	Greek, short form of Appolinaria
Раиса	Raisa	Raissa	Raya	Greek
Римма	Rimma			Latin
Роза	Roza	Rose
Светлана	Svetlana		Sveta	pseudo-slavonic, created by Vasily Zhukovsky
Сюзанна (Сусанна)	Suzanna (Susanna)	Susanne, Susan		Hebrew
София, Софья	Sofia, Sofiya	Sophia	Sonya	Greek
Таисия, Таисья	Taisia, Taisya	Thaïs	Tasya, Taya	Greek
Тамара	Tamara		Toma	Georgian/Hebrew
Татьяна	Tatiyana, Tatyana	Tatiana	Tanya	Greek
Ульяна	Ul'yana	Juliana, Ulyana, Uliana	Yana	Latin
Устинья	Ustin'ya	Justinia		Latin
Фаина	Faina	Phaina	Faya	Greek
Юлия	Yulia	Yuliya, Julia	Yulya	Latin
Федора	Fedora	Feodora, Theodora		Greek

Masculine[edit]

Russian middle names are patronymics (son of) which were originally used as families. Every person had name of his father (or some other male name) applied to his given name, usually constructed by adding ov or yev. When the current families were created, they became indistinguishable from patronymics (old: Nikolay Nikolayev); to distinguish them, a suffix is applied to what was an original patronymic, usually ich in masculine form and na in feminine form (modern: Nikolay Nikolayevich). This creates even more controversy because in old patronymics (and most modern family names) the accent was on the same syllable as the name, but in modern use the accents often separated. Note that many Slavic families are also ending with ich (or Ç, Č, Ĉ).

Russian	Transliteration	Conventional/Anglicized forms	Old Patronymic	Modern patronymic (masculine/feminine)	Diminutive form	Origin
Авдей	Avdey		Avdeyevich/Avdeyevna			Hebrew
Александр	Aleksandr	Alexander	Alexandrov	-ich/-na	Sasha, shurik	Greek
Альберт	Albert		modern	Albertovich/-na	Alik	Germanic
Андрей	Andrey	Andrei	Andreyev	-ich/-na	Andryusha	Greek
Анатолий	Anatoly		Anatoliyev	-ich/-na	Tolya	Greek
Анастас/Анастасий	Anastas/Anastasy		extinct	Anastasiyevich/-na	Stas	Greek
Алексей	Aleksey	Alexey	Alexeyev	-ich/-vna	Alyosha	Greek
Аристарх	Aristarkh	Aristarch	extinct	Aristarkhovich/-na		Greek
Аркадий	Arkady	Arkadiy, Arkadi	extinct	Arkadiyevich/-na	Arkasha	Greek
Артём	Artyom	Artiom	Artyomov	ich/na	Tyoma
Артур	Arthur	Artur	modern	Arthurovich/-na		English
Арсений	Arseny	Arseniy	Arseniyev	-ich/-na		Greek
Архип	Arkhip		Arkhipov	-ich/-na		??
Афанасий	Afanasy		Afanasiyev	-ich/-na		Greek
Борис	Boris		Borisov	-ich/-na	Borya	Slavonic
Бенедикт	Benedikt	Venedikt, Benedict	Benediktov	-ich/-na	Benya	Hebrew/Latin
Богдан	Bogdan		Bogdanov	-ich/-na		Slavonic (from Greek)
Бронислав	Bronislav		extinct	Bronislavovich/-na	Slava	Slavonic
Валентин	Valentin	Valentine	extinct	Valentinovich/-na	Valya	Latin
Валерий	Valery	Valeriy, Valeri	Valeriyev (rare)	-ich/-na		Latin
Вадим	Vadim		Vadimov	-ich/-na	Vadik
Василий	Vasily	Vasily, Basil	Vasiliyev	-ich/-na	Vasya	Greek
Виктор	Viktor	Victor	Viktorov (rare)	-ich/-na	Vitya	Latin
Владислав	Vladislav	Vladislaviyev (rare)	Vladislavovich/Vladislavovna	-ich/-na	Vladik	Slavonic
Вениамин	Veniamin	Beniamin, Benjamin	Veniaminov	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Вилен	Vilen		extinct	Vilenovich/-na		Constructed from Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Владлен	Vladlen		extinct	Vladlenovich/-na		Constructed from Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Владилен	Vladilen			Vladilenovich/-na		Constructed from Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Владимир	Vladimir		Vladimirov	Vladimirovich/-na		Slavonic
Викентий	Vikenty	Vickentiy, Vikenty	Vikentiyev (rare)	-ich/-na	Kesha	Latin
Виталий	Vitaly	Vitaliy	Vitaliyev (rare)	ich/-na	Vitalik	Latin
Всеволод	Vsevolod		extinct	Vsevolodovich/-na	Seva	Slavonic
Вячеслав	Vyacheslav	Viacheslav	extinct	Vyacheslavovich/-na	Slava	Slavonic
Гарри	Harry	Garri	extinct	Harryevich/-na		English
Гавриил	Gavril	Gavriil, Gabriel	Gavrilov	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Геннадий	Gennady	Gennadi, Gennadiy	extinct	Gennadiyevich/-na	Gena
Георгий	Georgy	Georgi, Georgiy, George	extinct	Georgiyevich/-na	Zhora
Григорий	Grigory	Grigori	Grigoriyev	-ich/-na	Grisha
Герасим	Gerasim		Gerasimov	-ich/-na
Глеб	Gleb		Glebov (rare)	-ich/-na		Slavonic
Герман	Herman	German	Hermanov (rare)	-ich/-na		Latin (not to be confused with Hermann)
Даниил	Danil		Danilov	-ich/-na	Danya	Greek
Дмитрий	Dmitry		Dmitriev	-ich/-na	Dima	Greek
Давид (Давыд)	David (Davyd)		Davidov (Davydov)	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Демьян	Demiyan	Demyan	Demiyanov	-ich/-na		Latin
Денис	Denis	Dennis	Denisov	-ich/-na	Denya	Latin
Егор	Egor	Yegor	Egorov	-ich/-na
Евгений	Yevgeny	Evgeny, Yevgeny, Eugene	Yevgeniyev (rare)	-ich/-na	Zhenya	Latin
Емельян	Emelian	Yemeliyan, Emilian	Emelianov	-ich/-na	Yemelya
Ефим	Efim	Yefim	Efimov	-ich/-na	Fima
Ефрем	Efrem	Yefrem, Ephraim	Efremov	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Захар/Захарий	Zakhar (Zakhary)	Zachary	Zakharov (Zakhariev)	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Зиновий	Zinovy	Zinovi	Zinoviyev	-ich/-na
Иван	Ivan	Ioanne, John (loosely)	Ivanov	-ich/-na	Vanya	Greek
Игорь	Igor		Igoryev (rare)	-ich/-na		Varangian
Илларион	Illarion		Illarionov	-ich/-na		??
Иосиф	Iosif	Joseph	extinct	Iosifovich/-na		Hebrew
Иннокеннтий	Innokenty	Innokentiy	Innokentiyev	-ich/-na	Kesha	Latin
Ипполит	Ippolit	Ipplolet	extinct	Ippolitovich/-na
Исай	Isay	Isaiah	Isayev	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Исак (Исаак)	Isak (Isaak)	Isaac	extinct	-ich/-na	Izya	Hebrew
Илья	Iliya	Ilya, Elia, Elijah	Iliychyov (rare)	Iliych/Iliynichna	Ilyusha	Hebrew
Ким	Kim		extinct	Kimovich/na		Constructed from Comintern
Кир	Kir	Kyr	Kirov (rare)	-ich/-na		Persian
Кирилл	Kirill		Kirillov	-ich/-na
Кузьма (Козьма)	Kuzma (Kozma)	Kosma	extinct	Kuzmich/Kuzminichna
Константин	Konstantin	Constantine	extinct	Konstantinovich/-na	Kostya
Климентий (Климент)	Klimenty (Kliment)		Klimentiyev (Klimentov)	-ich/-na	Klim	Latin
Лаврентий	Lavrenty	Lavrentiyev		-ich/-na		Latin
Лавр	Lavr	Lavrov		-ich/-na		Latin
Лев	Lev		Lvov	-ich/-na	Lyova	Slavonic
Леонид	Leonid		Leonidov	-ich/-na	Lyonya	Latin
Леонтий	Leonty	Leonti	Leontiyev	-ich/-na		Latin
Лука	Luka	Luc	extinct	Lukich/Lukinichna		Latin
Лукьян	Lukian	Lukiyan, Lucian	Lukiyanov	-ich/-na		Latin
Макар	Makar		Makarov	-ich/-na		Greek (from Hebrew)
Марк	Mark	Marc	Markov	-ich/-na		Latin
Марлен	Marlen		modern	Marlenovich/-na		Constructed from Marx and Lenin
Марклен	Marklen		modern	Marklenovich/-na		Constructed from Marx and Lenin
Мартын (Мартин)	Martin		extinct	Martinovich/-na		Latin
Матвей	Matvey	Matthew	Matveyev	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Максим	Maxim		Maximov	-ich/-na	Max	Latin
Максимилиан	Maximilian		extinct	Maximilianovich/-na	Max	Latin
Михаил	Mikhail	Michael	Mikhaylov	-ich/-na	Misha	Hebrew
Модест	Modest		extinct	Modestovich/-na	Modya	Latin
Нестор	Nestor	Nester	Nestorov	-ich/-na
Николай	Nikolay	Nikolai, Nicholas	Nikolayev	-ich/-na	Kolya	Greek
Никита	Nikita		Extinct	Nikitich/Nikitichna
Никон	Nikon		Nikonov (rare)	-ich/-na
Олег	Oleg	Helgu	extinct	Olegovich/Olegovna		Varangian
Осип	Osip	Iosif, Joseph	Osipov	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Пётр	Pyotr	Petr, Piotr, Peter	Petrov	-ich/-na	Petya	Greek/Latin
Платон	Platon	Plato	Platonov	-ich/-na		Greek
Прокофий (Прокопий)		Prokofy (Prokopy)	Prokofiyev (Prokofiyev)	ich/-na
Прохор	Prokhor		Prokhorov	-ich/-na
Родион	Rodion		Rodionov	-ich/-na	Rodik	Greek
Павел	Pavel	Paul	Pavlov	-ich/-na	Pasha	Latin
Роберт	Robert		extinct	Robertovich/-na		Latin
Роман	Roman		Romanov	-ich/-na		Latin
Ролан (Роланд)	Rolan/Roland		modern	Rolanovich/-na (Rolandovich/-na)		Latin
Ростислав	Rostislav		extinct	Rostislavovich/-na	Slava	Slavonic
Руслан	Ruslan		Ruslanov	-ich/-na		Latin
Савва	Savva		extinct	Savvich/-na		Hebrew
Савелий	Savely	Saveli	Saveliyev	-ich/-na		Greek
Святослав	Svyatoslav		extinct	Svyatoslavovich/-na	Slava	Slavonic
Сергей	Sergey	Sergei, Serge	Sergeyev	-ich/-na	Seryozha
Семён	Simeon	Semyon	Simeonov	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Станислав	Stanislav		extinct	Stanislavovich/-na	Slava	Slavonic
Степан	Stepan	Stephan	Stepanov	-ich/-na	Styopa
Тарас	Taras		Tarasov	-ich/-na
Тимофей	Timofey	Timothy	Timofeyev	-ich/-na
Тихон	Tikhon		Tikhonovich/Tikhonovna
Терентий	Terenty	Terentiy, Terence	Terentiyev	-ich/-na		Latin
Тит	Tit	Titus	Titov	-ich/-na		Latin
Феликс	Felix		modern	Felixovich/-na		Latin
Фёдор	Fyodor	Feodor, Fiodor, Theodor	Fyodorov	-ich/-na	Fedya	Greek
Фрол	Frol	Flor	Frolov	-ich/-na		Latin
Фома	Foma		extinct	Fomich/Fominichna		Arameic
Филипп	Philip	Filipp, Philipp	Philippov	-ich/-na		Latin
Харитон	Khariton		Kharitonov	-ich/-na		Greek
Юрий	Yuri	Yuri, Georgy (loosely)	Yuriyev	-ich/-na	Yura	Greek
Юлий	Yuly	Yuliy, July, Julius, Julian	extinct	Yuliyevich/-na	Yulik	Latin
Яков	Iakov	Yakov, Iacob, Jacob	Iakovlev	-ich/-na		Hebrew
Ярослав	Yaroslav		modern	Yaroslavovich/-na	Slava	Slavonic
Эдуард	Edward	Eduard	modern	Edwardovich/-na	Edik	English

Ancient forms[edit]

Russian	Transliteration	Modern form
Гаврила/Гаврило	Gavrila/Gavrilo	Gavril (undistinguishable in Romanization)
Данила/Данило	Danila/Danilo	Danil (undistinguishable in Romanization)
Дамиан	Damian	Demiyan
Сампсон	Sampson	Samson
Димитрий	Dimitri	Dmitry
Добрыня	Dobrynya	extinct
Дионисий	Dionisiy	Denis
Егор	Yegor	Georgiy
Валериaн	Valerian	Valery
Иоанн	Ioann	Ivan
Михайло	Mikhailo	Mikhail
Макарий	Makary	Makar
Никола	Nikola	Nikolay
Симеон	Simeon	Semyon
Елисавет	Elisavet	Yelizaveta
Параскева	Paraskeva	Praskoviya
Марья	Mariya	Mariya (undistinguishable in Romanization)
Наталья	Nataliya	Nataliya (undistinguishable in Romanization)
Христиана	Khristiana	Kristina
Павлина	Pavlina	Paulina
Артемий	Artemy	Artyom
Сергий	Sergiy	Сергей
Софья	Sofiya	Sofiya (undistinguishable in Romanization)

Foreign surnames[edit]

Surnames and names of foreign origin should basically follow Romanization rules for their respective languages. Adding Russian version is advised if doesn't follow standard practices for Romanizing or the person specifically chose to adopt a similar Russian surnname and/or name and patronymic combination (a practice common in XVI-XX centuries).

Russian	Transliteration	Conventional/Anglicized forms
Хакамада	Khakamada	Hakamada
Чарторыйский	Chartorysky	Czartoryski
Каподистрия	Kapodistriya	Capodistria
Тольятти	Toliyatti	Togliatti

Russian	Transliteration	Conventional/Anglicized forms
Москва	Moskva	Moscow
Санкт-Петербург	Sankt-Peterburg	St Petersburg
Архангельск	Arkhangelsk	Archangel
Курск	Kursk
Ульяновск	Ulyanovsk	Ulyanovsk
Петергоф	Petergof	Peterhof

Proposals[edit]

Based on case-by-case review of common Russian and borrowed, names, in addition to the rules defined Transliteration of Russian into English, the following guidelines are proposed in order to maintain phonetic English spelling:

If a name is borrowed from ancient Greek, Latin or Hebrew, the transliteration should avoid unnecessary complications and take into account its rendition in English if it sounds alike to the Russian one spelling and does not create any confusion – e.g. Maria, Tatiana, Sophia, Maxim, Alexander, Lidia, Xenia, Feodor, Simeon etc. A specific list should be provided in the article.

Reasons: Many borrowed names were originally written using exact transliterations, but they were simplified through the everyday use by adopting conventions of Slavic languages, and by numerous Reforms of Russian orthography. These alterations are commonly accepted today; however, they are mostly about writing but the spelling stays very close to original adaptations of 16th century. Because these differences in spelling are often impossible to perceive in English writing, the originals should be preserved if possible. This does not apply to names that were significantly changed in both spelling and writing.

The name borrowed from modern Latin-based languages should be written the way it's written in this particular language – e.g. Harry, Angela, Paulina, Jeanne, Roland, Victor, Victoria etc. The same applies to foreigners whose names were customarily adopted into their Russian equivalents (most of them are not problematic though – e.g. Adam,Robert, Albert, Adolf, Karl). A specific list should be provided in the article.

Reasons: obvious.

Soft sign should be replaced with i in front of the vowels, and ignored in any other place.

Reasons: Many soft-sign modifications of Western names are now considered folk as opposed to official which use И (Ма́рья vs Мари́я, Со́фья vs Софи́я ; И́лия vs Илья́ is the exception). Trying to universally substitute J or Y gives results inconsistent with English spelling.

Hard sign should be ignored at the end of words. In the middle it could be customarily replaces with hyphen or apostrophe if necessary.

Reasons: there's no other simple ways to indicate palatalization in English.

Short I (Й) at the end of the words (ей, ай, яй, уй, ой, юй, эй) should be transliterated with 'i, with the only exception of ий/ый when both vowels are represented with single i or y when it's common.

Reasons: The use of Y at the end of words contradicts many common English spellings, especially ей and эй which are to be transliterated with ey which is assumed to be long i in many end-of-word cases, and ay (ай) would often be incorrectly spelled as in way.

In a special case of ИЯ, the Y in ya should be dropped both in the middle and at the end of words.

Reasons: IA is unlikely to be confused with ИА, ИЯ or ЬА because these combinations are unconventional in modern Russian due to various simplifications, but IA is very conventional in English transliterations of Hebrew names.

In a special case of ЬИ (Ильич), the soft sign should be indicated with Y instead of I

Reasons: Conventional and unlikely to be confused with something else.

External links[edit]

Category:Romanization Category:Russian language Category:Cyrillic alphabets