Russian female names. Unusual new and forgotten old female names

Origins are the most popular among young parents today. This is no coincidence. The Slavs did not give children random names, but gave them to their children.

Times have passed, but the power inherent in words has not gone away. If you are expecting a baby, then when choosing her name, pay attention to Russian (Slavic) female names.

A girl in the family - happiness in the house

The birth of a child is a great happiness, and especially if God, fate or nature (depending on your faith) gives you a girl. After all, “girl” is a diminutive word for “Virgin,” that is, the holy ancestor of the human race.

How to name the baby so that the name will bring her happiness and good luck? Today, female names of Slavic origin are in fashion, and this is no coincidence. Slavs are a people whose name comes from the word “glorify”. These people had natural and natural wisdom. The names they gave to children were not a simple set of sounds. Each name carried a semantic load and had almost magical powers.

If you don't know, study beautiful Slavic girl names. Melodious combinations of letters will decorate your baby like an elegant necklace.

Slavic female names

The list of names, if presented in this way, would be quite extensive. The fact is that in Rus', when babies were born, they could be given completely unique, one-of-a-kind names. These combinations of letters were selected by witches who, barely looking at the child, could see his fate. The name the child was given strengthened his will, spirit, and health. Some names were so beautiful or so successful that they were repeated many times. For example, words with the component “glory” were very often used.

In this article we will list those names that have survived to our times and explain their meaning.

Slavic today

Female names of Slavic origin have mostly been lost over the centuries. The most popular of them have reached us.

Vladislava - owner of glory. Vladislav may not have strong health, get sick a lot. But at the same time the girl will have a very strong spirit, rod. She can show humility, especially to her beloved man, but still remain unconvinced.

Polina is captivating. Polina has no equal in her excellent sense of humor and ability to see the positive even in very unpleasant situations.

Miloslava is sweet and nice. Calm, even a little meek, Miloslava has influence on those around her. With it, everything stabilizes, people feel harmony and calm.

Yaroslava - bright, sunny, glorious. Yaroslava girls are lively, active, restless. In childhood they will encourage other children to do all sorts of adventures; in adulthood they can lead people along with them. Yaroslava loves children, and therefore will become a caring and wise mother.

"Nice" names

Boleslava - this name means “more glorious than anyone else.” The girl who will be given this name will be quite superstitious and revere religion. Boleslava will be sensitive, with her own worldview on everything.

Preslava is very nice. The girl, if you call her by that name, will be calm and stable in her affairs and moods. The name is bright, and therefore will ensure its owner a kind and calm disposition.

Berislava is the one who asserts herself in her glory. According to the meaning of the name, Berislava will be an active, strong personality. She won't be afraid difficult situations, novelty or risk. A girl, if you give her such a name, will carry through her entire life the fire of passion in her soul, courage and desire to learn. The name is very strong and has a great influence on the owner.

Branislava is the one who protects glory. Despite the fact that the owner of the name has fame, which she seems to need to preserve, Branislava will have an unstable, restless character. At the same time, the girl will not participate in quarrels, showdowns, or disputes.

Velislava - commanding. Strong name, which will make its owner calm, balanced, and sane. Throughout her life, Velislava will feel like a queen sitting on a throne.

Gorislava is bright. The girl, if you give her such a name, will be interested in mathematics, physics or other exact sciences. He can become a serious scientist and receive “bright” fame during his lifetime.

Zvenislava - loud, ringing glory. The girl Zvenislava will become a real businesswoman, as she will skillfully negotiate. At all strong point Zvenislavs - communication skills, ability to build relationships, establish connections.

Names that have become popular among men

Mstislava - defending, rewarding. If you call a girl Mstislava, then she will always see her path, know where she is striving and why. A strong name that will charge you with energy.

Rostislava is the one who increases glory. She may be capricious and flirtatious, but she will be successful and fortunate. A good name that will make its bearer happy and successful.

Svyatoslava is the one who has holy and good power. A girl with this name will have the opportunity to earn a lot and easily, and it will also be easy to manage the funds received. Svyatoslav will be good friend, but married life may not work out due to the fact that not every man will tolerate a strong character.

It should be noted that you should choose with caution. Women's options with the “glory” part are not so common here. More often you can meet Yaroslav, Mstislav and Rostislav - guys than girls with similar names.

"Peaceful" names

Many female names of Slavic origin also have the word “peace” at their base. These names will make the girl peaceful and bright. Here are the most popular:

Vladimir is the one who rules the world. Vladimir will be a girl with delicate taste and love for creativity. May become an artist, writer or composer.

Dragomira is the most precious in the world. Dragomira will be different good health and great willpower.

Myrrh is the one that smells fragrant. As you know, myrrh is an incense that has magical properties. The Mirra girl will be persistent, demanding and decisive. At the same time, she will be easy about money and other valuables.

Mira is very peaceful, peaceful. Despite the meaning of the name, the Mira girl will be brave, courageous and courageous. Can occupy leadership positions, as he will become a good manager.

Stanimira is the one who establishes peace. Stanimira will not be afraid to be a “black sheep,” because the most important thing for her is the opportunity to prove the truth and be fair.

It is necessary to remind once again that not all Slavic female names have “survived” to this day. The list, if they could be “restored,” would be very impressive. Meanwhile, these names also remained common in the male version of the sound - the name Vladimir remains the most popular.

Unusual names

What rare Slavic female names can be adopted? Pay attention to these:

Bela (not Bela) - from the word “white”. The Bela girl will have a tendency to lead household, can become an excellent cook and head the housekeeping department.

Bazhena - desired, beloved. A good name that will give the girl a meek and bright disposition.

Rogneda is the one who is equal with everyone (in particular, we were talking about men). A girl with this name will set global goals for herself, not wanting small victories.

Mlada - young or young. Fantasizing and dreaming, Mlada will be an excellent storyteller, and therefore can safely connect her life with teaching or writing.

Milada is sweet and kind. Openness and responsiveness will allow Milada to be a good friend and a person whom others will trust.

And here are some more options: Zlata, Snezhana, Svetozara, Dobrava, Lyubava, Slavyana, Golub, Rada, Militsa, Milana, Cheslava.

And finally

How many customs, rituals, and traditions do you know? Women's names that were common in Ancient Rus', belong to such good traditions. Although many were forgotten due to their very unusual sound, some remained because they sound melodious and pleasant for everyone. modern man. Choose a name for your baby from the rich historical “arsenal” of our ancestors - beautiful Slavic female names are coming back into fashion again.

Russian female names, beautiful and sonorous, are a great asset national culture. The centuries-old history of naming in Rus' has formed a huge nomenclature of magnificent female names that have become an integral part of Russian history.

The origin of Russian names is very different, but their fate is the fate of Russia, a reflection of the great and long-suffering history of the country, the fullness of its cultural existence. In addition, Russian names have been conquering the cultures of other countries for decades, gradually turning from exotic and rare names into common and familiar names. Particularly popular in the West short forms Russian female names - Tanya, Lisa, Sasha and others.

Modern beautiful female Russian names reflect the dynamics of development national culture V modern times, combining, on the one hand, Russia’s openness to the world, the influence of other cultures, but on the other hand, the desire to preserve and strengthen the identity of the national culture, its traditions and customs.

Naming traditions in Russia

The history of naming in Rus' is in many ways similar to the history of naming of all European peoples with one significant difference- Patronymic names are included in the Russian naming system. Thus, complete Russian name consists of a personal name, patronymic and surname. In addition, just like many other peoples, there are short forms of names, nicknames, affectionate diminutive forms, and pseudonyms. In addition to the Russian people, patronymics exist among Belarusians, Ukrainians, Icelanders, Bulgarians and Greeks.

Before accepting Christianity Old Russian names were a conglomerate consisting of a family name, nickname, secret name, so it is sometimes impossible to determine which name is personal.

Significant changes in naming practices came with the adoption of Christianity, although for a long time not only peasants, but also princes had two names: one of Slavic origin (pagan), the other received at baptism. Until the 15th century, Russian princes wore Slavic names, consisting of two bases - Vladimir, Yaropolk Svyatoslav, Mstislav and others. The words from which princely names were composed most often had meanings associated with the world military glory, valor and honor. Female princely names are also two-part - Pereyaslav, Dobroneg, Yaroslav. Commoners did not have the right to bear princely names, as, however, for a long time they had neither patronymics nor surnames. The first to acquire Christian names as the main name, as well as surname, were princes and boyars, then merchants and the clergy. Peasant surnames are formed only end of the 19th century century.

Origin of Russian female names

With the adoption of Christianity, the name book of Ancient Rus' expanded significantly. According to Orthodox tradition, a person acquired a name only at baptism. For a long time, the church was forced to fight pagan, that is, Slavic names. And, although some ancient Slavic names were present in the calendar, most of them were prohibited. Most interesting example Such a “forbidden fruit” is the female name Svetlana, which arose as a result of the literary quest of Russian romantics. Until now, many do not even realize that it has become so familiar, it has literary origin. However, its organic sound, its phonetics and positive meaning make it almost Old Slavonic. At least, the Orthodox Church refused to include it in the calendar for a long time.

Most of the names of the Orthodox calendar are of ancient Greek and Roman origin. In turn, the ancient Greek civilization is known as a culture that absorbs the experience and traditions of other countries, and therefore ancient greek names absorbed best names from various regions of the Oikumene. The significance of Hebrew names, known to everyone from the Bible, is especially great.

Petrine reforms, cultural interactions with European countries, primarily France, Germany, and Great Britain, also enriched the corpus of Russian names, Russifying many Western European nicknames. For example, Paulina. Thus, by the end of the 19th century, an impressive name book had developed, incorporating hundreds of beautiful Russian variants of words.

The next turning point in the history of Russian naming was October Revolution, marking the transition to the Soviet naming system. The role of the saints in the selection was abolished. Names appear that arise as a result of abbreviation. For example, Vladlena - Vladimir + Lenin.

So, according to origin, Russian female names are divided into:

  • Slavic: Alena, Bogdana, Borislava, Vlada, Darina, Zabava, Zarina, Zlata, Lada, Lyubava, Lyudmila, Mila, Milana, Milena, Miloslava, Miroslava, Rada, Radmila, Snezhana, ;
  • ancient Greek and ancient Roman: Avdotya, Aurora, Aglaya, Agrippina, Akulina, Alexandra, Antonina, Anfisa, Valentina, Valeria, Varvara, Vasilisa, Venus, Veronica, Victoria, Glafira, Diana, Eugenia, Euphrosyne, Larisa, Lydia, Melania, Natalya, Nina, Pelageya, Polina, Praskovya, Raisa, Sofia, Taisiya, Tamara, Tatyana, and others;
  • Hebrew: Anna, Elizabeth, Leah, Martha, Seraphim, Susanna.
  • Soviet: Idea, Iskra, Vilena, Vladlena, Ninel, Oktyabrina, Stalin.

Choosing a beautiful modern female Russian name

Currently, only parents choose the child’s name, and no matter how unusual it may be, the registry office is required to register it.

Modern scientists have found that the determining factor in favor of choosing one option or another is its “beauty.” For Russians, this means: the euphony of the name, harmonious compatibility with the patronymic and surname, pleasant cultural and symbolic associations. As practice shows, more and more Russians, when choosing a child’s name, are guided by Orthodox calendar, leading to the return of many forgotten names. For example, Varvara, Pelageya, Ulyana and others.

An important factor influencing the choice of a name is its popularity and the fashion for the name. This factor has always mattered. There is a widely known example when, thanks to the genius of A.S. Pushkin, the name Tatyana, once considered common, became fashionable and gained popularity among the nobles. What can we say about our time, when the means mass media shape the tastes and preferences of a multimillion-dollar audience.

As the survey showed, for several years now the most popular and, therefore, beautiful female name for Russians has been the name Anastasia. He is followed by: Sofia, Anna, Alexandra, Maria, Daria, Elizaveta, Polina, Elena, Natalya.

If you make a list of the most beautiful modern Russian female names and their meanings, you will get the following:

Alexandra – protector, reliable;

– noble;

– favor;

Anastasia - resurrected;

Antonina - from the Antoniev family;

Valentina – strong;

Valeria – healthy, strong;

Varvara is a foreigner;

Vasilisa - regal;

Faith - faith;

Veronica - on the personal name of Ptolemy’s wife Ferenice;

– winner;

Galina – calm, serene;

– great fire;

Evgeniya – noble;

Catherine – true, pure;

– solar;

Elizabeth – worshiper of God;

Zhanna – given by God;

Zinaida – divine;

Zlata – golden;

Zoya - life;

Inna - a stormy stream;

Irina – peaceful;

Karina – sweetheart;

Carolina – from male name Charles;

Kira – mistress;

– Christian;

Ksenia is a wanderer;

Lada - on behalf of Slavic goddess love and beauty;

Larisa – seagull;

Love is love;

Lyudmila - dear to people;

Margarita is a pearl;

Marina - sea;

Miroslava - glorious in peace;

Hope - hope;

Even before the birth of a child, future parents are puzzled by the issue of choosing a name for the baby. Slavic names for girls have now once again reached the peak of their popularity. The latter were practically forced out of use by the Byzantine and Greek variants of names that replaced them. What Slavic names are popular among modern newborn girls? And what should you consider when choosing a female name?

How to choose a name for a girl

Modern methods of choosing children's names are somewhat different from those practiced in ancient times.

A little history. In Rus', even before the sacrament of infant baptism, it was customary to call by names that characterize personal qualities or a person's appearance. This is how the Molchans, Kudryavs, Krasavs, etc. appeared. With the adoption of Christianity, the names of newborns began to be included in the church calendar. Already in the 14th century, children began to be called Christian names. A little later, Russian surnames, formed from names (Petr - Petrov) and so on, began to join them.

IN modern world When choosing a name for the baby, parents take into account various factors: relevance, combination with surname and patronymic, meaning of the name, personal preferences. The church calendar has not lost its relevance - the tradition of choosing a name according to the calendar. The original zodiac calendar, which compares names with the zodiac circle, is also gaining increasing popularity. According to him, the name is matched to a specific zodiac sign. In this case, it is best that the name and sign are endowed with the same or similar characteristics.

Table of correspondence between female name and zodiac sign

Beautiful Old Slavonic names for girls

Old Church Slavonic names for girls are mostly beautiful and sweet-sounding. It's no surprise that some parents want to give them to their daughters.

Names of this type are divided into several varieties:

  1. Originating from natural or flora: Akulina - eagle, Azalea - blooming, etc. Such names are recognized as symbolic, because the ancient Slavs loved and revered nature and everything connected with it.
  2. Reflecting the character of the baby (Arsenia – courageous, Varvara – wild). The choice of names of this type should be approached very carefully and carefully, because many experts are sure that it is this name that determines the character and future fate person.
  3. Derived from the names of deities (Lada - the deity of beauty, Mara - the goddess of the night). As in the case of the calendar, such a name, according to the beliefs of the Slavs, brought the person named by it closer to the deity of the same name.
  4. Dibasic: Lyubomila, Svetozara, Svyatoslav, Yaroslav, Miroslav.

This is interesting. Since ancient times, the Slavs have developed the custom of calling newborn girls with double names. Our ancestors were sure that a name is a secret key, and it should only be owned by its owner and no one else. Therefore, the first name became publicly available to people, while the second was kept strictly secret. It was believed that in this way the girl could be protected from the evil eye and words. The first name, which for people was usually not distinguished by its beauty and pleasant sound: Dobrogneva, Zloba, etc. It was believed that the bearer of such a dissonant name was reliably protected from evil people. The girl received her middle name when she reached a certain age, usually adolescence. It was much more euphonious than the first.

The tradition of double naming gradually disappeared; many of the second, beautiful names are still popular today:

  • Darina – gift giver;
  • Dobrava - kind;
  • Eupraxia is the creator of good deeds;
  • Agnes - chaste;
  • Agnia – pure;
  • Ariadne - sleeping;
  • Beatrice - blessing;
  • Bogdana – given by god;
  • Vasilisa - regal;
  • Ada is a decoration.

Modern Russian female names

At all times, there has been a certain “demand” for names given to newborns. The Moscow Civil Registry Office has established interesting statistics on names for 2016. According to her, modern popular Russian names for women are as follows: Anna, Elizaveta, Victoria, Polina, Anastasia, Maria, Daria.

Numerous Orthodox names are undeniably popular.

Forgotten and rare names

Although relevant in one era, many women's names were forgotten in subsequent years. Gradually returning to oblivion, they again took off on the crest of a wave of popularity, and this continues to this day.

Rare and beautiful names of our time include the following list:

  • Bella – beautiful;
  • Venus – love;
  • Ida - fruit-bearing;
  • Oya – violet;
  • Liliana - lily;
  • Olympics - Olympic;
  • Stella is a star;
  • Junia – in charge of marriage and love;
  • Palmyra - palm tree.

Orthodox Russian female names - saints

The tradition of naming newborns after saints has come to us since ancient times, namely, after the adoption of Christianity. Choosing a name for a newborn church calendar, people believed that they were paying a kind of tribute to the saint revered in the family, after whom the child was named. In the modern world, not all parents are guided by piety when choosing a name according to the calendar - most often this choice is dictated by the desire to name the child an unusual, euphonious name.

When determining a name according to the calendar, the baby’s date of birth is usually taken into account, compared with the name of the saint commemorated on that day. An alternative option is possible: the baby is named after the saint on the 8th day after birth. If during this time suitable name was not found, in the old days they chose the name of a saint that fell on the 40th day after the birth of a child. It was believed that it was at this time that the baby should be brought to the temple where the sacrament of baptism took place. In some cases, as an exception, it was possible to name a baby in honor of any saint revered in a particular family.

It should be noted that most of the names in the calendar are male. For this reason, it is acceptable to call girls by the female equivalent of the names of male saints, if one exists. For example, if the birth of a baby occurred on the day of remembrance of Victor, Valery or Evgeniy, the girl, accordingly, can be named Victoria, Valeria or Evgeniya. The girl's patron is a saint who shares her name.

Unusual Slavic names

But not all parents are guided by considerations of the relevance of the name or its prevalence. Some, on the contrary, are ready to give the child the most intricate and rare name.

Fans of unusual names will certainly like the options Ustinya, Aurora, Leya, Malvina, Lyubava, Vesna and others.

Along with rare variants of names, parents are increasingly choosing unusual ways name your daughters. Most of the names sound unusual to the ears of a Russian person, however, you can be sure that the baby’s name will not appear among the majority of her girlfriends in the future. According to personal statistics, the most rare names over the past 5 years, Russia, Legend, Joy, Byzantium, Moon, Oceana, etc. are considered.

Advice. Rare and unusual sounding name- this is certainly original and unusual. However, in pursuit of atypical options, parents should not forget about moderation. So, the name should be harmoniously combined with the baby’s surname and patronymic. In addition, it would not be superfluous to inquire about the meaning that each specific name has.

Parents generally want only the best for their children. According to many specialists and esotericists, you can make a small (and in the future a large) person happy by choosing a suitable name for him. To do this, you can use modern Russian and foreign nominal options or refer to the list of names popular since the times of the ancient Slavs. When choosing a name, you should think about the compatibility of the latter with the surname and patronymic. You should also pay attention to the sound and ease of pronunciation of the name - too long and cumbersome, it is unlikely to properly decorate the girl’s life in her life.

Video on the topic

After the introduction of Christianity in Rus', children at birth began to be given names according to the Orthodox calendar in honor of Orthodox saints. The child receives the heavenly protection of the chosen saint, and a close spiritual connection is created between them. The saint becomes for the child his guardian angel for life.

Every day Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of a saint, sometimes several saints. On these days of remembrance, corresponding to their names, people celebrate name days.

You can choose a name for your child based on the Orthodox calendar (saints). It contains full list Orthodox names for both girls and boys. When choosing a name, they usually focus on the date of birth. The calendar provides a list of months and the days they contain. For each day, the names of the saints whose memory is honored on a particular day are indicated.

If for some reason the parents are not satisfied with the names suitable for the child, you can choose names from other days or the eighth day from the moment the child is born. Our ancestors named babies on the eighth day after birth. If names intended for the birthday or the eighth day are not suitable, you can name the baby with a name that falls on the fortieth day after birth.

Every year Orthodox calendars names are updated. The 2018 calendar includes more male names than female ones. In this regard, girls are often called female names derived from male ones, for example, Alexander, John, Eugene. Then a male patron saint is chosen for the girl.

The choice of name depends largely on the time of year in which the child was born.

  • Girls born in winter are physically and mentally strong, purposeful, assertive and have a strong will. Therefore, they try to give softer names in order to give the girl more femininity and tenderness.
  • In the spring, girls are born who are selfish, vulnerable, timid, and afraid of change. In the future, these girls often find it difficult to arrange their personal life. They are given names such as to give the child confidence and decisiveness in character.
  • Summer children have a bright temperament and love adventure. Such girls usually become leaders in any team. They are recommended to be given calm names to balance their choleric temperament.
  • Autumn girls are endowed with such character traits as integrity, independence, and coldness. Usually there is no sense of tact. To compensate for the missing softness and femininity, gentle names are chosen.

What is better: rare church ones or Russian women's ones of today?

There are many beautiful female names, both familiar Orthodox ones and non-standard, rare ones that came from antiquity.

Most of the names that are used today in everyday life appeared in Russian culture from antiquity. Many of them have no Slavic origin. Female Russian names appeared as a result of the development of ancient Slavic culture, associated with the customs, life, and faith of the ancient Slavs.

When choosing a name for a girl, you need to imagine how comfortable the child will feel with it in life and in society. Sometimes, in pursuit of originality, parents choose pretentious names, because of which their children suffer in the future. The name must correspond to the traditions of the area and belong to the culture in which the girl lives.

The key factors when choosing a name are its melody and harmony, as well as consonance with the surname and patronymic. The name should emphasize the baby’s individuality and endow the girl with beauty and femininity.

In ancient times, the meaning of a woman’s life was motherhood and maintaining the family hearth, so the meaning of many names contained the purpose of a woman - creating a family and its well-being.

A significant part of the ancient church names have Greek origin, for example, Inessa, Evdokia, Veronica. Although they are considered ancient, they can often be heard in society, so they can be safely chosen for a child.

Today, many parents are returning to their roots and Russian culture, so today you can often hear old names. Especially often they use such names as Zlatotsveta, Vera, Dobromila, which do not hurt the ears and are positively perceived by society.

However, many ancient church names can be difficult to understand. A name that is too complicated can lead to the fact that in the future it will be difficult for the child to get along with the children's team.

Most people choose familiar and modern Russian names:

  • Catherine.
  • Elena.
  • Xenia.
  • Daria.
  • Elizabeth.
  • Sophia.

The choice depends on the preferences of the parents, the degree of religiosity and cultural values.

Selection with values

Thanks to our selection, you will be able to choose the best Russian female name for your child, with a very beautiful, unusual, rare sound, especially if it is an old church name.

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid are mystics, specialists in esotericism and occultism, authors of 14 books.

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Forgotten Slavic names

Ancient Slavic female names and their meaning

Previously, there were a lot of names in the Slavic name book. Currently, most Slavic names are completely forgotten.

Old Slavic names- this is not only a return to one’s roots, to one’s origins, but it is also an opportunity to improve one’s family. After all, the vibrations of a name influence a person’s character, his destiny, his future offspring.

The name plays a very important role not only in the life of an individual person, but also of all humanity, the entire Earth.

Our new book"Name Energy"

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid

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