Russian Dog Names: Puppy Name Ideas for a Dog with Slavic Heritage

Many popular dog breeds originated in Russia, including the Borzoi, Caucasian Shepherd, Samoyed, and Siberian Husky. If you’re looking for Russian dog names to reflect your pup’s heritage or your own culture, you can’t go wrong with classic Russian names or cool words from that language. Without further ado, let’s look at the examples.

Popular Russian Names You Can Give Your Dog

There are many beautiful Russian dog names that will fit a pup of any gender. In fact, human names in Russia are often shortened to create nicknames that can be used for both sexes. For example, the full name Alexander can become Sasha. Here are some ideas for your pet:

• Dima (from Dmitry, meaning ‘follower of Demeter’);
• Lev or Lyev (meaning ‘lion’);
• Luka (meaning ‘light’);
• Masha (from Maria, meaning ‘of the sea’ or ‘beloved’);
• Misha (from Mikhail, meaning ‘who’s like God?’);
• Sasha (from Alexander or Alexandra, meaning ‘defender of men’);
• Slava (from names like Stanislav or Yaroslava, meaning ‘glory’);
• Tolia (from Anatoly, meaning ‘sunrise’);
• Vanya (from Ivan, meaning ‘God’s gift’);
• Yuri (meaning ‘the light of God’).

These names are all short and sweet, making them perfect for a puppy. If you want something longer, you can always use the full human name or add a diminutive ending like -ka (for female names) or -sha/-shenka (for male names).

Fun Fact 🔍

Male diminutives ending in -a are not commonplace in all Slavic languages. For example, in Polish, the ending -a is typically reserved for female names, with a few exceptions like Kuba and Seba. It may be a strange concept to people whose native language is English, but it just goes to show how diverse and interesting languages can be!

Female Russian Dog Names on the Unique Side

The names we listed earlier may not be too popular in the United States, but you’ll definitely hear them a lot in Slavic communities. If you’re looking for a more unique and feminine Russian name for your female dog, try one of these:

• Aleandra (‘defender’);
• Alyona (‘bright, shining light’);
• Bogdana (‘gift from God’);
• Darya (‘wealthy’);
• Irina (‘peace’);
• Kira (‘lady’);
• Nadia (meaning ‘hope’);
• Oksana/Oxana (‘hospitality’);
• Tatiana/Tatyana (‘honorable’);
• Yekaterina (‘pure’).

These Russian dog names are all beautiful and unique, perfect for the furry lady in your life. And they all have great meanings, too! Do you think your pup will live up to a name meaning ‘defender’ or ‘honorable?’

Male Russian Dog Names With a Masculine Sound

If you have a rambunctious boy pup, he needs a name to match his personality. The following ideas aren’t too popular, either, so you’ll be giving your dog a one-of-a-kind name.

• Aleksey (‘defending men’);
• Bogdan (‘gift from God’);
• Boris (‘wolf’);
• Kirill (‘lord’);
• Konstantin (‘firm, constant’);
• Leonid (‘lion strength’);
• Stepan (‘crown’);
• Timur (‘iron’);
• Vadim (‘ruler’);
• Valentin (‘strong’).

These Russian dog names all have a strong and masculine sound. They’re perfect for a little warrior pup who’s always ready to take on the world! Do you think any of these names suit your boy?

Editor’s Note 🪶

Russian surnames can also work as dog names if you like the /v/ sound. Smirnov, Petrov, Popov, and Volkov are all common Russian last names that have two syllables and are perfect for a pup. Just make sure to pick one that has a meaning you like, too! For example, Volkov comes from the work volk, meaning ‘wolf.’

Russian Words That Make Great Names for Dogs

All the ideas we’ve listed so far were human names, which you may want to avoid if you’re looking for something truly unique (and if you live in a predominantly Russian community). If that’s the case, try one of these twenty Russian words instead:

• Bozhi (‘godly’);
• Bystry (‘fast, swift’);
• Cherny (‘black’);
• Dikoy (‘wild’);
• Gorod (‘city’);
• Gorokh (‘pea’);
• Igolka (‘needle’);
• Kostya (‘bone’);
• Les (‘forest’);
• Medved’ (‘bear’);
• Nebo (‘sky’);
• Noch’ (‘night’);
• Ogon’ (‘fire’);
• Pokoy (‘peace’);
• Radost’ (‘joy’);
• Solntse (‘sun’);
• Tigr (‘tiger’);
• Volk (‘wolf’);
• Vostok (‘east’);
• Zemlya (‘earth’).

These Russian names for dogs are all cool and different, perfect if you want your pup to stand out from the pack. And they all have great meanings, too! Naming your dog ‘bear’ or ‘wolf’ in a cool-sounding language is always a good idea.

Funny Names for Your Russian Puppy

Russians are known for their sense of humor and unbelievable antics, so it’s only fitting to name your dog something funny in Russian. If you want to make your friends laugh, try one of these:

• Babushka (‘grandma’);
• Bychok (‘bull calf’);
• Bzdun (‘fart’);
• Chert (‘devil’);
• Dura (‘stupid’);
• Gopnik (‘low-class man’);
• Gorbaty (‘hunchbacked’);
• Gryaznoy (‘dirty’);
• Kapusta (‘cabbage’);
• Kolbasa (‘sausage’);
• Koshka (‘cat’);
• Kotyonok (‘kitten’);
• Kotleta (‘cutlet’);
• Malysh (‘baby’);
• Suka (‘bitch’).

These Russian names for dogs are sure to get a laugh out of your friends (and maybe even some strangers, too). But beware – some of these are considered offensive words in Russian, so use them at your own risk!

Name Ideas for Each Russian Dog Breed

Now that you’ve seen some general ideas for Russian dog names, it’s time to get breed-specific. It’s only fitting to name a dog from cold Siberia something related to snow, or to call a powerful-looking dog a ruler. If you have a certain type of dog in mind, check out these recommendations.

• Borzoi: Pukh (‘fluff’), Snegovik (‘snowman’), Veter (‘wind’);
• Caucasian Shepherd: Gigant (‘giant’), Grom (‘thunder’), Tsar;
• Russian Black Terrier: Chernyy (‘black’), Temnyy (‘dark’), Ugol (‘coal’);
• Samoyed: Belyy (‘white’), Pero (‘feather’), Sneg (‘snow’);
• Siberian Husky: Buran (‘snowstorm’), Snegurochka (‘snow maiden’), Volkodav (‘wolfhound’).

Of course, there are more dog breeds with Russian roots. If you have a rare pup with Slavic heritage, we’ll leave the naming to you – after all, you know your dog best! To find the perfect name for your dog, think of one quality that makes your pet unique and look up the Russian word for it. Chances are, it will sound cool.

Have You Found a Delightful Name for Your Dog?

Do you have a dog with Slavic heritage? What about a pup who just looks like he belongs in Russia? If so, any of the Russian dog names on this list would be perfect for him. And if you’re still not sure, try experimenting with different combinations of Russian words until you find something that feels just right. Or, you could name your pet after a famous Russian whom you admire.

Do you have any other ideas for Russian names for dogs? Share them with us in the comments below!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Pet Names Do Russians Use?

Russians use a variety of pet names, if you mean terms of endearment. They might call a girlfriend milaya (‘darling’) or a son solntse ‘sun.’ Here are some other options that can be used as dog names:

• Kroshka (‘poppet’);
• Rybka (‘little fish’);
• Zayka (‘bunny’);
• Pchelka (‘bee’);
• Luchik (‘sunbeam’);
• Masik (‘clover’).

What do you think about these names?

What Is a Very Russian Name?

A very Russian name is Dimitry, Ivan, Yekaterina, or Olga. There are also many other options like Natasha, Sergei, Anton or Svetlana. All of these are traditional Russian names that have been used for centuries. They can be used as perfect dog names too!

What Russian Name Means Wolf?

Volkov or Volkova is a Russian last name that means ‘wolfish’ or ‘of a wolf.’ It can also be used as a first name and make an interesting choice for a pet! Boris is another name that can be translated as ‘wolf.’

What Russian Name Means Love?

Lyubov is a female given name that means ‘love’ in Russian. If you’re looking for a name that conveys love and tenderness, this could be the perfect choice!

What Is the Prettiest Russian Name?

In my opinion, the prettiest Russian name is Tatyana, which is often translated as ‘fairy princess.’ It comes from the Latin name Tatianus and is derived from the Greek name Tatius. Other beautiful names include: Anastasia, meaning ‘resurrection,’ Evgeniya, meaning ‘noble,’ Svetlana, meaning ‘light’ and Ekaterina, meaning ‘pure.’

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