View Message

[Facts] Varinka (Russian female name)
I’m reading “Lost Roses” by Martha Hall Kelly, which takes place during the Russian Revolution.There is a character Varinka, a peasant girl.The name has the sound of a diminutive but I couldn’t guess for what. Came on BtN and can’t find it at all.Also, her family calls her “Inka” as a nickname. But wouldn't that be the pet name suffix.So I guess my questions are 1) Is Varinka a real
Russian name? 2) What is it a diminutive of, if anything? And 3) Are suffixes Inka and Ushka and the like used as nicknames in Russian?
vote up1vote down

Replies

This is a Russian diminutive of Varvara, the Russian form of Barbara.There is no reason why a "pet name suffix" can't itself become an everyday short form. Etta is derived from names like Henrietta, after all.
vote up2vote down
The Varvara explanation makes sense, thanks!As to the 2nd (Inka, Etta) - I know we do that in English - just didn’t know if it was done in Russia.
vote up1vote down