Russian Royal Baby Names

Aleksandra is the preferred spelling in many Eastern European languages and cultures, but for English-speakers it's ironically more confusing if also perfectly phonetically clear.

Russian, Belarusian, Romanian and Bulgarian form of Andrew

Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.

Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential.

Worldly, artistic and attractive Slavic version of the name of the Greek god of fertility and farming.

See GABRIEL.

Spelling it with a double I -- GEORGII -- makes it ultradistinctive, and less a generic Georgie.

Musical association with Igor Stravinsky, but also Dr. Frankenstein's right-hand man.

Irina is a Russian ballet-inflected classic, one of the Three Sisters in the Chekhov play. While some Americans will pronounce this like Irene with three syllables, the pronunciation used throughout Europe, where it's widely used, starts with a short i as in it or if and a strong emphasis on the second syllable.

Though such cognates of Kira as Keira, Kyra, and Ciara are evermore popular throughout Europe and in the U.S., this Cyrus relative has a different root. Variations include Keera, Kiera, Kierra, Kirah, Kiri, Kiria, Kiriah, Kiro, Kirra, Kirrah, Kirri, Kirya, and Kyra.

Strong and attractive form of Cyril.

This pretty sea-born name was used to dramatic effect by Shakespeare in his play Pericles for the virtuous princess who says she is "Call'd Marina, for I was born at sea."

Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian form of the classic Maria sure to cause a lifetime of spelling questions and pronunciation mistakes.