Common Russian Diminutives & Pet Names for Men & Women

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Call your loved ones cute & sweet nicknames with this guide

Co-authored by Devin McSween

Last Updated: December 30, 2025 Fact Checked

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Diminutives for Boys

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Diminutives for Girls

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Terms of Affection

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More Russian Names

Giving people nicknames is a super common way to show affection for your loved ones in Russia. Most Russian names have at least 2 shortened forms, called diminutives, that you use among close friends and family. Plus, there are lots of sweet pet names and terms of endearment! Curious what these nicknames are? Keep on reading for an extensive list of popular nicknames in Russian!

What are Russian nicknames for guys and girls?

Almost every Russian name has several diminutives, or shortened nicknames, that friends and family use. For instance, Alexander is nicknamed Sasha or Sashenka, and Maria is nicknamed Masha or Mashenka. There are also many cute pet names and terms of affection, like zayka (“little bunny”) and solnishko (“little sun”).

Section 1 of 4:

Russian Diminutives for Boys

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In Russia, almost every name has a diminutive form, which is a kind of nickname based on the person’s full name. Most names have at least 2 types of diminutives: one that’s used casually among friends, family, and close acquaintances (coworkers, etc.), and one that’s very intimate and affectionate, meaning it’s reserved for partners and close relatives. Here are some common Russian boy names and their diminutives—we listed the casual nickname first, followed by the more intimate nickname.^{[1]
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- Alexander: Sasha, Shura, or Sanya (friends, family, and casual relationships); Sashenka (very affectionate: parents or partner)
- Alexi: Alyosha, Lyosha, or Lyokha; Alyoshenka or Lyoshenka
- Anatoli: Tolya; Tolyenka
- Boris: Borya; Boryenka
- Dmitri: Dima or Mitya; Dimochka or Mityenka
- Felix: Felya; Felyenka
- Georgi: Shora or Gosha; Shorochka or Goshenka
- Grigori: Grisha; Grishenka
- Iosif: Soso; Soselo
- Ivan: Vanya; Vanyechka or Vanyusha
- Konstantin: Kostya; Kostik or Kostyenka
- Lev: Lev; Lyovushka
- Mikhail: Misha; Mishutka or Mishyenka
- Nikolai: Kolya; Kolyenka
- Pavel: Pasha; Pashenka
- Philipp: Philya; Philyenka
- Piotr: Petya; Petyenka
- Rodion: Rodya; Rodyusha
- Roman: Roma; Romochka
- Semyon: Senya; Senyechka
- Sergey: Seryosha; Seryoshenka or Sergunya
- Stepan: Styopa; Stenya or Styosha
- Valentin: Valya; Valyusha
- Viktor: Vitya; Vityenka or Vityok
- Vladimir: Volodya or Vova; Vovochka
- Yakov: Yasha; Yashenka
- Yuri: Yura; Yurochka

Section 2 of 4:

Russian Diminutives for Girls

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Feminine Russian names also have diminutives that serve as nicknames among people you’re close to. Like with masculine names, feminine names have 2 types of diminutives: one you use with casual relationships (friends, family, coworkers, etc.) and one that’s more intimate, which is used with romantic partners and close relatives. Here are popular Russian names for girls, plus their most common diminutives (again, the casual nickname is first, and the intimate one is second):^{[2]
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- Alexandra: Sasha or Shura (friends, family, and casual relationships); Sashenka or Shurochka (very affectionate: parents or partner)
- Alina: Lina or Alya; Alinushka or Linochka
- Anastasia: Nastya; Nastyenka, Nastyona, or Nastyusha
- Anna: Anya or Nyura; Annushka, Anyechka, or Anyuta
- Antonia: Tonya, Tosya, or Nina; Tonyechka, Tosyenka, or Ninochka
- Daria: Dasha; Dashyenka or Dashulya
- Eleonora: Elya or Nora; Elyechka or Norushka
- Galina: Galya; Galyusha
- Irina: Ira; Irisha or Irinochka
- Klavdia: Klava or Klasha; Klavochka or Klashenka
- Larisa: Lara; Lyalya
- Lidiya: Lida; Lidochka
- Maria: Masha, Manya, or Marusya; Mashenka, Mashutka, or Manyechka
- Natalya/Natalia: Natasha; Natashenka
- Olga: Olya; Olyenka, Olyechka, or Olyona
- Oxana: Xenya; Xenyechka
- Polina: Polya; Polinochka or Polinushka
- Raisa: Raya; Rayenka
- Sofia: Sonya; Sonyechka
- Svetlana: Sveta; Svetik or Svetochka
- Tatiana: Tanya; Tanyusha or Tanyechka
- Ulyana: Ulya, Yulya, or Yana; Ulyenka, Yulenka, or Yanochka
- Valentina: Valya; Valyusha or Valyenka
- Valeria: Valera or Lera; Lerochka
- Viktoria: Vika; Vikusha
- Xenia: Xenya; Xyusha
- Yekaterina: Katya; Katyusha or Katyenka
- Yelena: Lena; Lenochka
- Yelisaveta: Lisa; Lisonka
- Zinaida: Zina; Zinochka or Zinulya

Section 3 of 4:

Russian Terms of Affection

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There are lots of sweet terms of endearment and affection for your loved ones in Russian. Lots of these phrases end in suffixes like -chka and -ka, which are common ways to make nouns terms of affection.^{[3]
X
Research source} In theory, you can turn almost any word into a cutesy pet name, but these are some of the most common ones you’ll hear:^{[4]
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- For women:
  - Milaya: “Dear” or “darling.”
  - Lyubimaya: “My love.”
  - Kisa: “Kitty.”
  - Pusik: “Cat.”
  - Zvezda moya: “My star.”
- For men:
  - Miliy: “Dear” or “darling.”
  - Lyubimiy: “My love.”
  - Kotik/Kotionok: “Kitty” or “kitten.”
  - Zaychonok: “Little hare.”
  - Zviozdochka moya: “My little star.”
- Gender-neutral:
  - Zayka: “Little bunny.”
  - Solnishko: “Little sun.”
  - Zolotse: “Golden one.”
  - Lastochka: “Little swallow.”
  - Sladkaya: “My sweet.”
  - Radost moya: “My joy.”
  - Dusha moya: “My soul.”
  - Serdtse moyo: “My heart.”

Section 4 of 4:

More Russian Names

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Want to learn more about Russian names? We’ve got you covered! Check out our articles about Russian Boy Names, Russian Girl Names, and Russian Last Names. Or, use our Russian Name Generator to find a unique name.