The History of Russian Names

Russian names can be difficult to understand, mainly because of the several different dimunitives. (ie: Anastasiya can also be Nastya, Stasya, Tasya, Nastenka, etc.)

Russian given names are most often taken from the names of saints, and most often from the Russian Orthodox Religion, which is also Greek but very similar to Catholicism.

When a child is named they are given a first name, a patronymic, and a family name, in that particular order.