(no subject)

[yers.livejournal.com]

Top 10 Russian surnames, and what they mean:

1 Смирнов — Smirnov, “of the meek one”*
2 Иванов — Ivanov, “of Ivan (John)”
3 Кузнецов — Kuznetsov, “of the blacksmith”
4 Попов — Popov, “of the priest”
5 Соколов — Sokolov, “of Falcon”*
6 Лебедев — Lebedev, “of Swan”*
7 Козлов — Kozlov, “of Goat”*
8 Новиков — Novikov, “of the newcomer”
9 Морозов — Morozov, “of Frost”*
10 Петров — Petrov, “of Pyotr (Peter)”

*presumably from a nickname

A longer list: 50 most common Russian surnames

Comments

*wow*

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Thanks a ton! I might have to change the name of one of my characters in the current novel, though. "of Gnat" is not very... heroic. :)

Re: *wow*

[yers.livejournal.com]

Not at all. It's technically "mosquito", I kind of made it more "Saxon" to reflect the speech of Russian villagers... but the name is quite euphonious and neutral. In Russian (and other languages too, I guess), you often go without noticing the meaning of a surname completely if that meaning doesn't stick out too much.

Re: *wow*

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

... hm, true. I just really liked the sound. :) (And my character is related to some serious heroes ... with the same name) *cough*.

May I ask whether you know what Rybakin means?

Re: *wow*

[steppinrazor.livejournal.com]

I dunno, "of the Gnat" has a kind of delightful irony to it XD

Re: *wow*

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

... well, the guy in question is a mage/interrogator of the Russian interior ministry in around 2070 - and bonkers. Shizophrenic. But he's the hero - because the "evil guys" are just plain much much worse.

Hm. Timo Komarov, the mosquito-boy. Oy... *sniggers*

[shogun-kub.livejournal.com]

5 Соколов — Sokolov, “of Falcon”*
6 Лебедев — Lebedev, “of Swan”*

There were such _names_, but they're very ancient.

[raventhourne.livejournal.com]

There is a lawyers firm that has the name Sokolov here in the US. So, the name is used somewhere at least.

[yegor.livejournal.com]

"Sokolov" as name? Like, Sokolov S. Doe? Awesome.

[tisoi.livejournal.com]

I've heard of Sokoloff here.

[arvi.livejournal.com]

> 5 Соколов — Sokolov, “of Falcon”*
> 6 Лебедев — Lebedev, “of Swan”*

> There were such _names_, but they're very ancient.

There were never such names. Its classical family names, very common among Russians. There are also common family names Орлов (Orlov, of Eagle) and Сидоров (Sidorov).

[shogun-kub.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's classical surnames. But there were such names as Falcon and Swan in very ancient times, before 9-th century, in pagan russia...

[steppinrazor.livejournal.com]

Do you happen to know what Shvyryev means? And also if there's another "nickname" for Mikhail aside from Misha? :F

Just curious x] Thanks :)

[yers.livejournal.com]

Something associated with throwing or hurling... one of those surnames that sound very abstract, but perhaps meant something more definite in their day. And no, I can't think of another diminutive of Mikhail, except some elaborating on Misha, like Mishenka or Mishutka.

[kusin.livejournal.com]

Mikha

[megilla.livejournal.com]

usually - Mishka

[shogun-kub.livejournal.com]

>And also if there's another "nickname" for Mikhail aside from Misha?
I don't think so. It's my name ;) and I don't know another common nickname... As for me, I am called "Мишган" or "Михон", but it's very, very informal.

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

Whoa that's really interesting... Ivanov basically is the same as Johnson then...

[mozgglaz.livejournal.com]

Kuznetsov → Smith

[nataxxa.livejournal.com]

of archpriest .

[mytza.livejournal.com]

Hehe, thanks!!
I have two more names that I wonder about their origin - Kozyrev and Tolkach...
And what about Yeltsyn and Putin? :)

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

Путин - of the path.

Remember Grigory Распутин? Of the lost path/strayed from the path. Interestingly enough - this was a man who loved his orgies with several women while not having bathed in months creating body odor only a *insert smelly animal* could stand.

[llill.livejournal.com]

Tolkach - Pusher
Kozyrev - of Kozyr, Kozyr - Trump
Yeltsyn - of Yeltsa, Yeltsa - Little yel, Yel - Firtree, so Yeltsyn - of a Little Firtree
Putin - of Putya, Putya - nickname for Pytyata, Putyata - a very 'auld' slavic name, given to a child born in a trip, on a way.

[maksa.livejournal.com]

Top ten surnames in Moscow:

1. Ивано´в (sometimes Ива´нов)
2. Кузнецо´в
3. Смирно´в
4. Попо´в
5. Но´виков
6. Петро´в
7. Васи´льев
8. Соколо´в
9. Во´лков (Volkov, “of wolf”)
10. Козло´в

[arvi.livejournal.com]

> sometimes Ива´нов

Never met (I live in Moscow). But there is a town Ива´ново, nor far from Moscow.