This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: Usage of Russian nicknames, diminutives and pet forms
Sorry if it was misunderstanding, I did not suggest to remove those names, just to add information about their usage.
There were a few topics on the opinion board started by writers who needed Russian full names suggestion, but got Lubochka and Annushka instead. It would be really helpful for people who are seriously interested in Russian names to get information about those names' usage.Lists of rare and archaic names:
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=https://www.waylux.ru/imena_zab_zhen.html
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=https://www.waylux.ru/imena_zab_muz.htmlUnfortunately, there is no trustworthy sources in English, and Google translated some names to their English forms. If you are interested, I may give Russian equivalents.My PNL http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/111792
vote up2vote down

Replies

QuoteUnfortunately, there is no trustworthy sources in English, and Google translated some names to their English forms.
Dictionary of Period Russian Names by Paul Wickenden of Thanet is in my opinion a good source:http://heraldry.sca.org/names/paul/ (in English; scroll down to 'Personal Names' in the table of contents)Obviously it primarily concerns archaic Russian names that are no longer in use today, but the meaning given for them is usually correct.
vote up1vote down
Thank You!
vote up2vote down
Thank you! I’ll have a look through these lists and mark some of the rare names.
vote up1vote down
Hi!The list is great (I'm also searching for a reliable index of Russian names, including the archaic ones), but it seems like there are small mistakes in it;For example, Olesya means "of the forest" (according to some references and, I think it's very possible) or acts as a dim. of Aleksandra. It may be given the meaning "helper" according to the "Alex" part of the name "Aleksandra" but never "manly" or "courageous."Yevfimiya, as a Russian variant of either Euphemia or Euthymia, doesn't have the "holy" meaning as far as I know. The meaning of Yemelyana (Aemiliana; Emiliana) listed on the website seems to be that of Euphemia.& I just wonder if Tselistina or Tselestina (the original form but not listed on that website) is more common in Russia. I know they're both rare but I want to know the relative popularity of both.

This message was edited 10/15/2020, 12:12 PM

vote up1vote down
If you can read Cyrillic, you might be interested in lists of popular, rare and ultra-rare names:https://1000names.ru/reiting_zhenskih_imen_2015
https://1000names.ru/reiting_muzhskih_imen_2015Tselestina is extinct.
vote up1vote down
QuoteThe list is great (I'm also searching for a reliable index of Russian names, including the archaic ones) [...]
You might like the Russian names section at Kurufin.ru:http://kurufin.ru/html/Rus_names/rus_a.html (in Russian)All the names are neatly listed alphabetically, and in tables. If you wish to learn more about a name, simply click on the colourful book icon on the right side of a name. Wherever possible, they provide etymological information, which I find is usually correct.You might also be interested in Dictionary of Period Russian Names by Paul Wickenden of Thanet:http://heraldry.sca.org/names/paul/ (in English; scroll down to 'Personal Names' in the table of contents)As you can see, it is an English source that primarily deals with archaic Russian names that are no longer in use today. It also provides the meaning of a name wherever it can, but in a less detailed manner than the Russian website I just mentioned above. Often it will just tell you the meaning without explaining the etymology, which leaves you no choice but to do some additional research yourself (e.g. figure out yourself if it comes from Greek or Latin). The meaning provided is usually correct, though.
vote up1vote down
Thanks, but these are already on my favourite list, and seem rather reliable to me.
vote up0vote down
QuoteThanks, but these are already on my favourite list, and seem rather reliable to me.
Oh. Your preceding message kind of sounded like as if you had not come across a reliable index of Russian names yet, hence my suggestions. Sounds like you already have that after all! Not sure what these sources are lacking that you're still on the lookout for more indices, though. They seem quite satisfactory to me personally: there's always so much to explore! I feel like I could last years with them. :)
vote up1vote down