Ukrainian names have much in common with Russian and Belarusian ones. This is not surprising, because our peoples have common roots and one history. The intertwining of fates has led to the fact that now in Ukraine they are asked to write down children in the Russian-language form of the name, while in their native language it may sound completely different. What is the peculiarity of Ukrainian names?
Let's look into the past
Now in Ukraine, the fashion is returning to call children Old Slavonic names. So in kindergartens and schools you can meet girls Bogdana, Miroslava, Bozhedana, Velena, Bozena. The boys are named Dobromir, Izyaslav, Lubomir. But these are only modern trends, although they have been observed for almost the entire centuries-old history of the fraternal people.
When Christianity was adopted in Russia, they began to baptize everyone in the church and give the names of the holy great martyrs. This tradition continues to this day. But we still continue to name children exactly as it is written in the certificate? And why is this happening?
It turns out that this phenomenon is more than a thousand years old. Ever since the first Christian years, people who were accustomed to this continued to call their children. And what the church demands from them simply remained on paper. So the names could actually be different. Bogdan was baptized as a child under the banner of St. Zenobius, and Ivan as Istislav.
Examples of names of Christian origin
But the language of the people is great and powerful, so some Ukrainian names were nevertheless borrowed from the Christian faith. Over time, they were changed and adapted to the gentle sound of the colorful language. By the way, there are also native Russian analogues. For example, Elena in Ukraine sounds like Olena, Emilian - Omelyan, Glykeria - Licker (Russian Lukerya).
In the Old Russian language there were no names that would begin with the first letter of the alphabet A. This rule was later transferred to Ukraine, with the exception of the name Andrei (Andriy, although in some villages you can hear Gandriy) and Anton. But Alexander and Alexey, more familiar to us, had the first O and turned into Oleksandr and Oleksiy. By the way, dear Anna in Ukraine sounds like Ganna.
Another phonetic feature of the ancient language is the absence of the letter F. Almost all words with F are borrowed from other countries. That is why the Christian versions of Thekla, Philip and Theodosius turned into Tesla, Pilip and Todos.
Ukrainian male names
It is simply impossible to name all the names suitable for boys and which will be considered primordially Ukrainian. There are a great number of them, and all of them have Old Slavonic roots. We propose to consider the most common Ukrainian male names and their meaning.
Women's names
Many female names are derived from male ones. List of Ukrainian given names in feminine form:
The meaning of Ukrainian names can be understood from the very name. Originally Ukrainian words were used to display their meaning on the character of the child. Therefore, if you read Miloslav, then you mean that this sweet creature will certainly become famous.
How to read Ukrainian names correctly
In the Ukrainian language, almost all letters are similar to Russian. Except for a few. They are especially difficult for people from other countries, because the language requires them to be pronounced smoothly and softly.
So, the letter g is in two versions. The first ordinary is read gutturally, softly, and the second with a tail is more firmly. Besides:
- e is read like Russian e;
- her:
- i - and;
- and - similarly s;
- ї - like "yi"
- yo - like Russian ё.
Features of modern names
Modern Ukrainian names have already lost their uniqueness. Of course, the parents of the western regions and some central regions still preserve ancient traditions, but the rest of the world, and especially large cities, prefer to use Russified forms. By the way, data about a person is written in two languages - national and Russian.
The names that the inhabitants of Ukraine bear are generally close to Russians and Belarusians. However, they have their own specifics, which we will discuss below, analyzing Ukrainian female names in detail.
Proximity to Russians and Belarusians
There is nothing surprising in the fact that the onomasticon of Ukraine is similar to Russian and Belarusian. All three states are heirs of the common East Slavic pagan culture. In addition, they were equally influenced by Christianization with the prevailing importance of Eastern Orthodoxy. Together they made up the USSR, whose cultural traditions were also reflected in the names of all three countries.
Slavic pagan names
The first category of names is associated with ancient national culture. These are the original Slavic variants that were in use before Prince Vladimir initiated the policy of Christianization in Russia. These Ukrainian female names consist of familiar roots and almost never require translation. They are distinguished by a special melody and national color, and therefore are easily recognizable from the general mass. Unfortunately, after Christianity was established in Russia, and paganism fell into decline, many Slavic names fell out of wide use. Some of them are very rare, while others have been completely lost.
Eastern Christian names
The political orientation of the principalities, on whose territory modern Ukraine is located, led to the fact that it was the Eastern Christian tradition that was established on their lands, that is, Orthodoxy, which is not in communion with Rome. With regard to the nomenclature, this was reflected in the fact that the inhabitants began to be baptized with names that were characteristic mainly of the Greeks. So, many Ukrainian female names are adaptations of original Greek names. There are among them, however, both Latin and Semitic variants.
Western Christian names
But the religious life of Ukraine is not limited to Orthodoxy alone. The geographical location and proximity to other states have made it a meeting place for a wide variety of cultural and religious traditions. Being throughout the history of its existence the arena of political games between Russia and neighboring Western European states, Ukraine has absorbed a considerable layer of Western European culture. Despite the dominant Orthodoxy, the influence of Catholicism in these lands was and remains quite significant, and therefore, unlike Russia, Ukrainian female names include many European - Latin, Germanic and other variants.
History of names in Ukraine
Initially, many residents of Ukraine bore two names - Slavic pagan and Christian. This was especially popular during the period of dual faith, when people, still adhering to paternal traditions, were already involved in the orbit of Christianity. The Christian name in the minds of people provided them with the protection and patronage of the saint of the same name - a kind of heavenly patron and patron. The pagan name in a similar way made it possible to count on the mercy and help of the gods. In addition, it served as a kind of amulet given by the parents, the essence of which was revealed in its meaning. Over time, the names from the church calendar became familiar and began to be perceived as native. Gradually, they almost completely replaced the original forms.
Pronunciation specifics
Accepting the Ukrainians, however, often changed their sound, so that they actually became Ukrainianized. Ukrainian female names were especially subject to this process.
For example, the church and Jewish Anna began to be pronounced as Hanna. Similar processes occurred whenever the name began with "a". This is due to the fact that the Ukrainian language retains an ancient rule that does not allow a word to begin with this sound. Therefore, they began to either precede it with an aspirated "g", or change it to "o". So Alexandra became Oleksandra. Although there are exceptions. For example, Antonina is most often used with "a", although a variant with "o" also exists, but is extremely rare.
Another interesting point is that in ancient times there was no “f” sound. Because of this, the names that have it in their composition began to sound in a new way.
Some Ukrainian female names and their meanings correlate with other names from which they come, but they are still independent forms. This became possible with the help of, for example, a diminutive suffix added to the original form. Thus, for example, the name Varka appeared, which has the name Varvara as its source. But officially they are two different names.
Ukrainian female names. List
Now we give a small list of female names as an example. Of course, this list cannot claim to be complete. It contains mainly the rarest Ukrainian female names, as well as the most beautiful ones, in our opinion.
Chakluna. This which can be translated by the word "charming".
Chernava. So they called the girls, distinguished by dark hair. It, in fact, means "dark-haired."
Svetoyar. This is a Slavic name that literally means "light of the sun". It can also be translated simply as "sunny".
Lyubava. Means "beloved"
Beautiful. It does not require translation, because its meaning is already obvious - “beautiful”.
Radmila. It translates as "very cute."
Lubomila. Again, does not require clarification in meaning.
Luchezar. It translates as "radiant".
Ladomila. The name of the goddess Lada includes many ancient Ukrainian female names. Beautiful in sound, they differ in the depth of meaning, and therefore it is difficult to express them in one word. You can translate this name as "merciful", and as "kind and sweet", and as "sweet and harmonious."
Dobrogora. Means "bearer of good".
Oksana. This is very not only in Ukraine, but also in all CIS countries. It is a Ukrainianized form of the Greek name "Xenia", which translates as "hospitable".
Russian name - Ukrainian name? Passport problem
In Soviet times, the names of residents of the Union republics were recorded in passports in two languages - Russian and the national language of the republic. At the same time (in the case of Ukraine and Belarus), the name and patronymic were not transcribed, as is customary throughout the civilized world, but were replaced by the corresponding analogues: Pyotr Nikolaevich - Petro Mikolayovich, Nadezhda Vladimirovna - Nadia Volodimirivna. The nationality of a person had no influence: the Ukrainian Petro in the Russian-language documents still appeared as Peter, and the Russian Nadezhda in the Ukrainian-language documents as Nadia.
In modern Ukrainian legislation, this practice is theoretically abolished: according to the Constitution, a citizen has the right to a transcribed record of the name and surname in accordance with their national traditions. However, in reality, in order to achieve the desired spelling of the name, people have to overcome many bureaucratic obstacles. The same thing happens with the entry of the name on the birth certificate. For a long time, parents who wanted to name their daughter Anna encountered stubborn resistance from registry office workers who claimed that there was no such name in the Ukrainian language, but there was Hanna (which is blatant illiteracy: the Anna variant has existed in the Ukrainian language for many centuries). Lately, the resistance has subsided, not least because legally savvy parents have begun challenging these actions at the highest levels.
How to pronounce Ukrainian names
The Ukrainian alphabet is very close to Russian, but there are several differences between them:
e reads like Russian uh;
є - like Russian e:
і - like Russian and;
and- as an average between Russian s and and;
ї - how " yi"
yo- like Russian yo after consonants: Stas yo- Stas yo(but not Stasio).
yo- like Russian yo at the beginning of a word or after hard consonants.Unlike the Russian yo, which is always stressed, Ukrainian yo/yo may be unfortunate.
Letter " G" denotes a voiced guttural or posterior lingual fricative (as in the Russian literary pronunciation of the word Bo G)
letters s,b,yo,uh not in the Ukrainian alphabet. Instead of a separating hard sign, an apostrophe is used ( ’ ).
Unstressed vowels in Ukrainian are pronounced as clearly as they are under stress (unlike in Russian, where unstressed o usually turns into a, and e into i: k a row, t and l and background).
O in a closed syllable in Ukrainian often turns into і , hence the paired variants of names arise: Anton and Antin, Tikhon and Tikhin. But both options are inclined the same way: Anton,Anton,Anton,Tikhon,Tikhon, Tikhon.
Ukrainian male names ending in - about, are inclined according to the second declension: Danilo-Danila, Danila, Danil, Petro-Petra,Peter, Peter.
Ukrainian female names have been formed over many centuries, reflecting the history of everyday life, beliefs of Ukrainians and their interaction with other peoples. Nowadays, the basis of female Ukrainian names is made up of Christian names of the church calendar, and the first names come from the pagan period.
Origin
Old Slavonic
Christian
With the advent of Christianity, women began to be called by Christmas time. The new names were Greek (Vasilisa, Antonina), Latin (Varvara, Valentina), Germanic (Alice, Inga, Irma), and Jewish (Anna, Martha). For a long time, two names were used in parallel - church, given at baptism, and pagan, used in everyday life.
Coming from Europe
As a result of the interaction of peoples, the Catholic names of the West Slavic countries were borrowed:
- Wanda.
- Theresa.
- Power.
- Ruzhen.
- Kvitoslav.
From other cultures came names that began to be pronounced in the Ukrainian manner: Zlata, Darina.
Borrowings in the 20th century
In Soviet times, under the influence of Western culture, the following names entered the Ukrainian language:
- Snezhana.
- Karina.
- Angelica.
- Angela.
- Diana.
- Camilla.
- Caroline.
- Kristina.
Modification
Christian names were alien to the Ukrainian ear, and did not carry meaning for people.
Over time, sounds that were uncomfortable for pronunciation were crowded out or changed to others:
Some forms of calendar names became independent: Oksana (from Xenia), Alena (from Elena), Arina (from Irina). At the same time, the changed names retained their meanings.
How to name a girl - features of choice
In ancient times
The name laid down the qualities that they wanted to see in the child. A female Ukrainian name was usually more beautiful than a male one, and served as an adornment for girls, along with jewelry and clothes. The names emphasized the qualities that were valued in women - softness, tenderness, beauty.
Currently
Today, parents call girls based on personal preferences, trying to choose a beautiful name that is consonant with the surname. To choose a name with good energy, they pay attention to the fate of the women who wore it.
fashion influence
Fashion for names is cyclical and depends on politics, music, literature, public figures. Recently, the popularity of simple names (Elena, Anna, Marina) has been replaced by the revival of ancient Christian ones (Pelageya, Martha, Evdokia).
At the beginning of the 21st century, there was an interest in the ancient Slavic names (Bratislava, Lubomila, Miroslava). Fashion trends bring European and American names to the Ukrainian language: Adele, Joanna, Monika. Currently, people are again turning to simple familiar Ukrainian female names.
By value
When choosing a name, every parent wants their daughter to be happy. When choosing a name, be sure to study its meaning, which can affect the character and fate of the girl.
Alphabetical list of options and their meaning
Ukrainian female names are distinguished by their special beauty and sincerity. To select a name, you can use lists of female Ukrainian names. It is important to evaluate not only the sound, but also the translation and meaning of the name.
Popular
It is usually easier for girls with popular Ukrainian names to go through life. They are harmonious, understandable and familiar, favorably accepted by society. Common names give more freedom to their bearers, the opportunity to choose their own path. The popularity of the name changes over time, but there are the most commonly used and beloved Ukrainian female names.
- Alexandra (Greek)- protector, courageous. The contradictory character combines masculine strength and femininity.
- Alena (Greek)- radiant, sunny. Cheerful, cheerful, has a high self-esteem.
- Alina (lat.)- different from others. Proud, stubborn, with a good memory and creative abilities.
- Anastasia (Greek)- resurrected, resurrected. Sincere and sympathetic, at the same time strong-willed and principled.
- Anna (Heb.)- God's mercy. Kind, independent, has an analytical mindset.
- Antonina (Greek)- opposing, competing. Cheerful, good-natured, with good organizational skills.
- Bela (glor.)- white, clean. Sweet, soft, emotional nature, prone to the exact sciences.
- Bogdan (fam.)- Given by God. Kind, soft, sensitive and sentimental.
- Valeria (lat.)- strong, healthy Complex, impulsive, erratic.
- Barbara (Greek)- foreigner, foreigner Closed, slow, with a strong intuition and a penchant for creativity.
- Faith (Greek) faith, service to God. Smart, truthful, practical, has organizational skills.
- Veronica (lat.)- bringing victory. Sociable, emotional, loves comfort and beautiful things.
- Victoria (Greek)- goddess of victory. Combines perseverance, stubbornness with kindness and shyness.
Vlad (famous)- possessing glory. Combines practicality and good imagination, material and creative.- Galina (Greek)- calm, serene. Sociable, kind, knows how to find the golden mean in everything.
- Dana (glory) given, gifted. Contradictory, modest and persistent, with good intuition.
- Daria (Greek)- rich, wealthy. Artistic, decisive, easily adapts to new conditions.
- Evgenia (Greek)- high-born, noble. Passionate, unrestrained, with high intelligence and artistic taste.
- Catherine (Greek)- immaculate, pure. Smart, ambitious, with a good imagination.
- Elena (Greek)- sunny, radiant Cheerful, smart, with a rich inner world.
- Elizabeth (Hebrew)- worshiping God. Domineering, capricious, direct in communication.
- Jeanne (Heb.)- God's grace. Stubborn, resourceful, with high self-esteem and leadership qualities.
- Zinaida (Greek) belongs to Zeus. Assertive, arrogant, smart, with penetrating abilities.
- Gold (Heb.)- golden, valuable. Serious, modest, tactful, a good hostess.
- Zoya (Greek)- life. Balanced, with a strong will and leadership abilities.
- Inna (lat.)- stormy stream. Lightweight, reliable, flexible, analyst-minded.
- Irina (Greek)- peace, peace. Sensitive, strong-willed, smart, loves a busy life.
- Karina (lat.)- dear, dear. Purposeful, capable, easily finds a common language with people.
- Christina (lat.)- a Christian. Capable, sociable, thoughtfully makes decisions.
- Xenia (Greek)- hospitable. Attractive, sociable, with developed intuition and high intelligence.
Lera (lat.)- strong, healthy Bright, authoritarian, freedom-loving, self-confident.- Love (glor.)- love. Companionable, straightforward, with an analytical mindset.
- Ludmila (famous)- dear to people. Emotional, active, attached to home and family.
- Marina (Greek)- marine. Bold, freedom-loving, with developed imagination and intuition.
- Mary (Heb.)- desirable, serene. Active, dynamic, critical, loves freedom.
- Hope (Greek)- hope. Independent, bright, does not accept restrictions.
- Natalia (lat.)- born on Christmas, Christmas. Stubborn, straightforward, gifted in many areas.
- Nina (Hebrew)- great granddaughter. Proud, tactful, well-read and responsible.
- Oksana (Greek)- a foreigner, a foreigner. Sensitive, calm, loves children.
- Olesya (Ukrainian)- girl from the forest, forest. Independent, eccentric, yet soft and affectionate.
- Olga (Scand.)- wise, holy. It has a strong will, high intelligence and great capacity for work.
- Polina (Greek)- solar, dedicated to the god of the sun. Determined, active, kind and sympathetic.
- Rada (glor.)- joyful, beautiful. Energetic, responsible, leader by nature, humanitarian mindset.
- Ruslana (Turk.)- a lioness. A mixture of energy and strength with doubt and caution.
- Svetlana (famous)- the light of the earth, luminous. Accurate, persistent, spiritual, with a subtle intellect.
- Snezhana (glor.)- winter, snow. Sensitive, vulnerable, receptive to other people's opinions.
- Sophia (Greek)- wise, prudent. Active, inquisitive, loves to be the center of attention.
Taisia (Greek)- fertile. Decisive, independent, active, with developed intuition.- Tatiana (Greek)- Founder, organizer Wayward, unpredictable, independent, loves order.
- Ulyana (lat.)- owned by Julia. Energetic, strong, open to people, defends justice.
- Julia (Greek)- curly, wavy. Sociable, changeable, with creativity and intuition.
- Yana (Heb.)- God's mercy. Combines indecision and confidence, mind and intuition.
Ukrainian women are famous not only for their beauty, but also for their complaisant disposition. Would you like to raise a smiling and sociable daughter who will become not only the soul of the company, but also a good housewife? Study Ukrainian female names - a gentle name will be an excellent foundation for raising a benevolent character.
Ukrainian national flag
Search jewelry for all times - Ukrainian female names
The search for an interesting and harmonious name for a girl, sooner or later leads to Ukraine. Common Slavic roots and the similarity of mentalities make their names quite suitable for women living in the CIS. Russian, Belarusian, Lithuanian and Estonian surnames often pair well with popular Ukrainian names.
Popular names - Search harmony
A beautiful name should not make a girl an outcast - it is useful to start the search with the most common names. The list of popular Ukrainian names is headed by:
Ideal for raising wise and balanced girls who are destined for a great destiny. The aristocratic name is popular in Russia and Great Britain with royal roots, and the people of Kiev especially appreciate its Orthodox component. Girls will believe in good, always hope for the best, sincerely love, if you call them Sophia.
- Zoryana
An inspiring name that pushes you to achieve dizzying success in life. Zoryans delight their parents with diligence and hard study, in adulthood they become active and often achieve heights in their careers. It is customary to name the desired daughters, who lit up the lives of their parents with their birth.
- Darina
A popular name among creative people - suitable for any surname, helps to raise a sociable, purposeful and somewhat wayward girl. One of the most famous representatives of the name is the director and animator Darina Schmidt, who gave the children the universe of Luntik.
- And bath
The tender name is deservedly included in the list of the most popular, especially in western Ukraine. Ivankas are known for their open hearts, gentle nature, and traditional family values. They are willingly married, because such wives are given by God for happiness!
- Milan
The search for the sweetest Ukrainian name inevitably ends with gentle and compliant Milans - they are loved for their balanced character, sensitivity, and natural receptivity. Milanes create an atmosphere of mystery and inexhaustible femininity around them. The name is suitable for people who value spiritual depth and want to raise a daughter who deeply understands the essence of things.
- Mariana
Many bright Maryan can be found in western Ukraine. They are distinguished by liveliness of mind and inexhaustible passion. Suitable for girls with an explosive temperament - the emotionality of the name Mara (Marianna) can balance restrained surnames.
- Solomiya
An extremely popular name in Western Ukraine, immortalized by the great opera singer Solomiya Krushelnytska. A great option for raising peaceful girls who create an atmosphere of calm around them. It is always joyful next to little Solka, and adult Solokhas impress with their prudence - they are often involved in resolving conflicts in women's groups.
- Martha
A third of the brightest Lviv beauties are proud of the name Marta - they are inspired by the homeliness of the name. Many Marthas are extremely organized in solving everyday issues, they are able to create absolute comfort in any life circumstances, they appreciate home comfort. They are also distinguished by loyalty to partners and accepted ideals, so the name is popular among spiritual, intellectual people.
- Miroslava
Soft Miroslavs grow up either very domestic, or real queens who know their own worth. They are distinguished by the presence of unshakable life principles, the desire for a high standard of living and a peaceful disposition. Suitable for people in business and politics who want to raise a daughter who will become an adornment of high society.
Carriers of popular Ukrainian names usually do well in life. In their youth, they are surrounded by enthusiastic fans and a flock of girlfriends, and in their mature years they easily create strong families or achieve professional success. When choosing a Ukrainian name, you should pay attention to the meaning - each name has a certain influence on the formation of fate. Study the fate of the most famous bearers of the name in order to understand what future awaits the daughter named by him.
Popular names are the key to a favorable attitude towards the girl in society. Often they are extremely harmonious, intuitive and easy to hear. However, you should not limit your search to hackneyed paths - rare names can decorate well-known surnames. Creative individuals, as well as successful businessmen or politicians, should not call their daughters banal names. Secret female names that have been preserved in Ukrainian culture since ancient times become a real find!
Search rare name - the triumph of originality!
Not all people are satisfied with typical names, the search for a bright destiny for their children often leads to a deep immersion in traditional culture. Less common names sound outlandish and extremely original. Interesting results are obtained by searching among the rarest and most beautiful Ukrainian names. Choose a name not only for its bright sound, but also for its semantic meaning - your daughter will be grateful for an unusual name that will help her become extraordinary!
- Chacluna
The name has a mysterious, charming character. Suitable for raising dreamy girls who are prone to mysticism and a deep connection with nature. Most often found in the Transcarpathian region, where long-haired beauties still go out into the mountains at night to dance around fires and sing folk songs with sweet voices.
- Lyubava
The happiness of a woman is in love. The name Lyubava will help you find true happiness and will always remind its owner of family values. Lyubavas are always loved by their husbands, they are valued for their boundless kindness and the ability to sincerely forgive.
- Orisya
Little Orisi, like angels, inspire with a peaceful disposition, delight parents with a calm character. The name was popular during the time of Panteleimon Kulish, now it is rare. Orishi do not like conflicts, willingly compromise, therefore they become excellent wives. They are valued for their gentle approach to solving the most controversial situations, as well as for their kindness and developed intuition.
- Ladomila
Inspired Ukrainian parents willingly call their daughters the old name Ladomila, wishing to bring more mercy and kindness to the world through it. The name disposes girls to benevolence; in adulthood, such women often devote themselves to volunteer projects and charity.
To complete the search for a suitable female name is to study the fate of the people who wear it. It is not enough to choose a beautiful name, consonant with the surname, more important is its deep meanings, which will form the character of the girl. Ukrainian names prophesy a glorious fate, because they always have positive origins, spiritual roots, so the search for a soulful name for a girl inevitably leads to Ukraine.
