175+ Russian Girl Names and Their Meanings

Plus, naming expert Natalie Mulholland shares her favorite Russian names for girls

If you’re an expectant parent who has Russian heritage or someone who’s a big admirer of Russian history and culture, you might be looking for a Russian name for your future daughter. We talked to naming expert Natalie Mulholland to help us compile a thorough list of all the best Russian names for girls, including common, rare, cute, powerful, and beautiful options. Keep reading to find the perfect name for your little princess!

Popular Russian Girl Names and Meanings

Naming expert Natalie Mulholland suggests names like Kalina and Mila. Other options include:

  • Anastasia: “Resurrection.”
  • Katya: “Pure” or “perfect.”
  • Liliya: “Lily.”
  • Natasha: “Born on Christmas Day.”
  • Oksana: “Praise to God.”
  • Svetlana: “Shining star.”
  • Tatiana: “Fairy queen.”
Section 1 of 5:

Common Russian Girl Names

  1. Pick one of these popular Russian names if you want a sure thing.
    These names are a bit more common, which means they’re classic and well-loved. They’ve withstood the test of time, so you can rest assured that they won’t go out of style! Here are some of our favorite options:
    • Aleksandra: “Defender of the people.”
    • Alina: “Beautiful.”[1]
    • Alisa: “Great happiness” or “joy.”
    • Anastasia: “Resurrection.”
    • Anya: “Grace.”
    • Darya: “Possessing goodness.”
    • Dasha: “Possessing goodness.”
    • Elena: “Moon.”
    • Evelina: “Life.”
    • Irina: “Peace” or “peaceful.”
    • Ivana: “God is gracious.”
    • Ivanka: “God is gracious.”
    • Kalina:[2] “Viburnum” or “Guelder rose.” This rose bush symbolizes beauty and love in Russian folklore.
    • Karina: “Pure” or “chaste.”
    • Katerina: “Pure.”
    • Katya: “Pure” or “perfect.”
    • Liliya: “Lily.”
    • Marina: “Of the sea.”
    • Mariya: “Beloved” or “drop of the sea.”
    • Mischa: “Who is like God?”
    • Nadia: “Hope.”
    • Natalya: “Birthday of Christ.”
    • Natasha: “Born on Christmas Day.”
    • Oksana: “Praise to God.”
    • Polina: “Small” or “humble.”
    • Sofiya: “Wisdom.”
    • Sonya: “Wisdom.”
    • Svetlana: “Shining star.”
    • Tanya: “Honorable.”
    • Tasha: “Christmas Day.”
    • Tatiana: “Fairy queen.”
    • Tiana: “Princess.”
    • Vanya: “God is gracious.”
    • Viktoriya: “Victory.”
    • Yelena: “Shining light.”
    • Yulia: “Youthful” or “young.”[3]
    • Zoya: “Life.”[4]

    Meet the wikiHow Expert

    Natalie Mulholland is a naming expert from Athens, Georgia. Since 2023, she’s also been a content creator focused on sharing the origin of names, plus what they mean and interesting people who’ve had that name before.

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Section 2 of 5:

Cute Russian Girl Names

  1. Choose one of these short, bouncy names if you want a cute option.
    Your little girl’s name doesn’t have to be super long or imposing! A short name with an adorable energy could be totally perfect for her. Here are some of our favorite cute Russian names for girls:
    • Alya: “Lion.”
    • Anja: “Graciousness.”
    • Ania: “Gracious.”
    • Anna: “Grace” or “favor.”
    • Dina: “Judgment.”
    • Eva: “Life.”
    • Faina: “Shining” or “crown.”
    • Gala: “Calm.”
    • Ilya: “The lord is my God.”
    • Inga: “Guarded by Ing.”
    • Inna: “Rough stream.”
    • Ira: “Peace.”
    • Kira: “Young.”
    • Klara: “Clear” or “bright.”
    • Lana: “Shining” or “light.”
    • Lara: “Citadel.”
    • Lena: “Bright” or “beautiful.”
    • Liza: “God is my oath.”
    • Luda: “Love of the people.”
    • Masha: “Star of the sea,” “beloved,” or “wished for child.”
    • Mila:[5] “Loved by the people,” “gracious,” or “dear one.”
    • Misha: “Who resembles God?”
    • Nata: “Christmas Day.”
    • Nika: “True image.”
    • Nina: “Little girl.”
    • Olga: “Holy.”
    • Rada: “Happy” or “willing.”
    • Raya: “Friend.”
    • Rita: “Pearl.”
    • Vera: “Faith.”
    • Yana: “Youthful.”[6]
    • Yeva: “Life.”
    • Yula: “Little bear.”
    • Zina: “Hospitable” or “to shine.”
Section 3 of 5:

Beautiful Russian Girl Names

  1. Pick a name as gorgeous as your future daughter.
    These names have super feminine, graceful energies, making them totally perfect for a little princess in training. Here are some of the most gorgeous Russian names for girls out there:
    • Albina: “Bright” or “white.”
    • Algaya: “Splendor” or “beauty.”
    • Alyona: “Bright and shining light.”
    • Anastasiya: “Resurrection.”
    • Anfisa: “Flower.”
    • Antonia: “Highly praiseworthy.”
    • Ariadna: “Most holy” or “pure.”
    • Arina: “Peace,” “harmony,” or “tranquility.”
    • Avrora: “Dawn.”
    • Diana: “Divine.”
    • Dinara: “Wealth.”
    • Dominika: “From the Lord.”
    • Doroteya: “Gift of God.”
    • Eleonora: “Ancient north.”
    • Elizaveta: “God is my oath.”
    • Emiliya: “Rival.”
    • Feodora: “Divine gift.”
    • Feodosiya: “Gift of God.”
    • Galina: “Calm” or “tranquil.”
    • Glafira: “Smooth.”
    • Innessa: “Chaste” or “purity.”
    • Iolanta: “Violet flower.”
    • Kamilla: “Attendant at a religious ceremony.”
    • Lada: “Goddess of beauty.”
    • Lidiya: “From Lydia.”
    • Margarita: “Pearl.”
    • Mariyana: “Star of the sea.”
    • Milana: “Gracious” or “dear.”
    • Milena: “Gracious” or “dear.”
    • Ofeliya: “Help.”
    • Olene: “Bright one,” “torch,” or “shining light.”[7]
    • Susanna: “Lily” or “lotus.”
    • Raisa: “Easygoing” or “rose.”[8]
    • Tamara: “Date palm tree.”
    • Yulianna: “Jupiter’s child.”
    • Zarya: “Dawn” or “daybreak.”
    • Zhanna: “God is gracious.”
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Section 4 of 5:

Powerful Russian Girl Names

  1. Go for one of these names to surround your little girl with strength.
    If you want something with a strong, commanding energy, these are the names for you. They either have powerful sounds or meanings (or both!), which makes them ideal for your little warrior!
    • Alesya: “Defender of the people.”
    • Aleksandrina: “Defender of the people.”
    • Alexandra: “Man’s defender” or “protector of man.”
    • Amaliya: “Brave.”
    • Apollinariya: “Strength” or “father light.”
    • Asya: “Resurrection.”
    • Avgusta: “Sacred” or “majestic.”
    • Elmira: “Of great nobility,” “commander of the country,” or “electrification of the world.”[9]
    • Izolda: “Ice battle.”
    • Karoleva: “Queen.”
    • Kira: “Leader of the people.”
    • Larisa: “Fortress” or “citadel.”
    • Manya: “Sea of bitterness” or “beloved.”
    • Marfa: “The lady” or “master.”
    • Marta: “Lady of the house.”
    • Marusya: “Of the sea,” “beloved,” “wished-for child,” or “rebellious.”
    • Nastasya: “Resurrection.”
    • Nasya: “Immortal” or “resurrection.”[10]
    • Nikita: “Winner” or “victor.”
    • Olimpiada: “Mount Olympus.”
    • Roksana: “Bright” or “shining.”
    • Sanya: “Defender of the people.”
    • Sasha: “Leader of men” or “defender of mankind.”[11]
    • Stefaniya: “Crown” or “wreath.”
    • Valentina: “Strong” or “healthy.”
    • Varya: “Foreign.”
    • Valeriya: “To be strong.”
    • Vasilisa: “Queen” or “royal.”
    • Veronika: “Victory bringer.”
    • Vlada: “To rule” or “power.”
    • Vladislava: “Glory.”
    • Zinaida: “The life of Zeus” or “god-like.”[12]
Section 5 of 5:

Rare Russian Girl Names

  1. Opt for one of these rare Russian names for a more unique choice.
    If you want your little one to have some serious star quality, consider one of these slightly less common names. Going with a rarer option makes it less likely that your daughter will share a name with another child in her class, which means she’s sure to stand out in the crowd!
    • Agafya: “Good.”
    • Agnia: “Chaste.”
    • Agnessa: “Chaste.”
    • Agrafena: “Feet first.”
    • Alevtina: Variation of “Valentina.”
    • Anoushka: “Grace” or “favor.”
    • Anzhela: “Angel.”
    • Anzhelina: “Angelic.”
    • Ekaterina: “Pure.”
    • Evgenia: “Well-born,” “noble,” or “aristocrat.”
    • Fedora: “Gift of God.”
    • Gennadiya: “Noble” or “generous.”
    • Irinushka: “Peace.”
    • Katiuska: “Pure,” “clean,” or “clear.”
    • Klavdiya: Russian form of “Claudia.”[13]
    • Ksana: “Praise be to God.”
    • Lubov: “Love” or “beloved.”
    • Ludmila: “Beloved of the people.”
    • Lyubov: “Love.”
    • Lyudmila: “People’s favor.”[14]
    • Miroslava: “Peaceful glory.”
    • Motya: “Nimble” or “quick.”
    • Nadenka: “Hope.”
    • Nadezhda: “Hope.”
    • Noyabrina: “November.”
    • Sonechka: “Wise.”
    • Taisiya: “Clever” or “witty.”
    • Ulyana: “Youthful.”
    • Yanina: “God is gracious.”
    • Yekaterina: “Pure” or “innocent.”
    • Yelizaveta: “Consecrated to God.”
    • Yeseniya: “Palm tree” or “flower.”
    • Varvara: “Foreign woman.”
    • Zhenya: “Well-born.”
    • Zlata: “Golden.”
    • Zoyechka: “Life.”
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References

  1. ↑ Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://www.parents.com/russian-baby-names-5085323
  4. ↑ https://www.thebump.com/b/zoya-baby-name
  5. ↑ Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://www.parents.com/russian-baby-names-5085323
  7. ↑ https://www.thebump.com/b/olene-baby-name
  8. ↑ https://www.parents.com/russian-baby-names-5085323
  9. ↑ https://www.thebump.com/b/elmira-baby-name
  1. ↑ https://www.thebump.com/b/nasya-baby-name
  2. ↑ https://www.parents.com/russian-baby-names-5085323
  3. ↑ https://www.thebump.com/b/zinaida-baby-name
  4. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/first-name-meaning/klavdiya
  5. ↑ https://www.thebump.com/b/lyudmila-baby-name

About This Article

Natalie Mulholland
Co-authored by:
Natalie Mulholland
Naming Expert
This article was co-authored by Natalie Mulholland and by wikiHow staff writer, Annabelle Reyes. Natalie Mulholland is a naming expert and content creator based in Athens, Georgia. With a lifelong interest in names, Natalie started creating content around this passion in 2023. She brings a linguistically focused approach to her content, sharing a name’s origin, meaning, category, notable people, and more. She is expecting to receive her bachelor’s degree in human development and family science from the University of Georgia in 2025. This article has been viewed 1,224 times.
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Co-authors: 4
Updated: December 11, 2025
Views: 1,224
Categories: Creating Characters for Writing | Naming a Baby
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,224 times.

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