ext_294960 ([identity profile] yers.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] learn_russian2006-11-01 11:44 pm

(no subject)


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

*wow*

[identity profile] vashtan.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
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*

[identity profile] vashtan.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
... 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*

[identity profile] yegor.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"of the fisher".
But "Rybakov" os more frequent.

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] vashtan.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 09:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks! And a last one - is there a Russian name associated with "wind", "sky" or "the sun"? In choosing characters' names, I go completely by sound, but I use a lot of eagle/wind/sun/light-associations with that guy.

Any help? Thanks a lot! :)

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] yegor.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Wind - Ветров
Sun - Солнцев
Eagle - Орлов
Light - Светлов
Sky - hmmm, hard to say. There is a surname like Небов, but i doubt it's from "Небо" as "sky"

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] yegor.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, and again - all those are surnames, not names.
alon_68: (Default)

[personal profile] alon_68 2006-11-02 07:39 am (UTC)(link)
Небов? Never heard of such surname. It sounds rather strange for me.

[identity profile] yegor.livejournal.com 2006-11-02 08:42 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, it sounds strange, but there is such surname. Try to search it in Yandex.

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] vashtan.livejournal.com 2006-11-05 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

*makes notes*

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] msk01.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Ветров? Небесный? Солнцев?

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] yegor.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Небесноватый :)

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] inkittenus.livejournal.com 2006-11-10 06:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Ye, and associates with бесноватый - possessed. ;-)

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] steppinrazor.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 09:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I dunno, "of the Gnat" has a kind of delightful irony to it XD

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] vashtan.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 09:20 pm (UTC)(link)
... 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*

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] yegor.livejournal.com 2006-11-01 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Timo? What's that?

Re: *wow*

[identity profile] wolfie-18.livejournal.com 2006-11-02 11:41 am (UTC)(link)
If you recall/have read Dr. Zhivago, you'd know there was a Комаровский there. But it was approrpriate, the guy was a blood sucker. Just thought I'd add.

[identity profile] strelf1.livejournal.com 2006-11-02 12:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe Тимур (Timur) or Тимофей (Timofey) but not Timo.

Timo...

[identity profile] vashtan.livejournal.com 2006-11-02 01:00 pm (UTC)(link)
... erm, yes, of course. I call him Timo. His actual name would be Timofey, but he doesn't like it a lot. He thinks it sound girlish. For whatever reason.

(Yes, my characters talk to me ... and have strong opinions, which is worse).

Re: Timo...

[identity profile] strelf1.livejournal.com 2006-11-02 01:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe, only such as individual nick...

Re: Timo...

[identity profile] arvi.livejournal.com 2006-11-02 04:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Timofey (Тимофей) is a good name for Russian character. Its Orthodox, came from Greece. In Russian its just a sound, like mantra. But means "the one, who respect God" in Greek.

Nothing girlish at all, very strong male name. The short & quick name is Timoha (Тимоха), not Timo. You can use Tim, but its uncommon.

The girlish nickname could be Tima (Тима). If you say Tima to Timofey, he will be aggravated. Even more girlish form is Timochka (Тимочка), that could be correct short & sweet name for Timofey.

Timo is neutral gender and unlikely to be used by Russians. May be Timofey loves French culture and calls himself "timO". But are you sure, you need a gay character? Because its their style.

Re: Timo...

[identity profile] vashtan.livejournal.com 2006-11-05 07:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, his parents/friends would call him Timosha.... cool. Like that better than Timofei.

Also interesting stuff about "Timo" sounding gay. :) Didn't know there were "gay forms" of Russian names. :)

Re: Timo...

[identity profile] arvi.livejournal.com 2006-11-05 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Only if you stress the last syllable. Gays and lesbians usially use French-kind names. For example, from Nina and Natasha it could be: NinO, Ninel', Natali... TimO could be the same kind of playing with names, like VanO (from Vanya).

There are also Vovan, Tolyan — special kind of names Vova and Tolya, used by New Russians and other criminals.

Re: Timo...

[identity profile] unlightened.livejournal.com 2006-11-15 12:48 pm (UTC)(link)
used by New Russians and other criminals.
Not necessarily.