60 Russian Dog Names

Whether you have Russian blood flowing through your veins or just admire Russia for its rich history and culture, Russian dog names can be an excellent choice for your new puppy or adult dog.

Additionally, Russia is the birthplace of many dog breeds. Some are more familiar like the Black Russian Terrier, Borzoi, Samoyed and Siberian Husky, while others quite rare like the Central Asian Shepherd Dog, Karelian Bear Dog, Russian Toy and Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka. If you own a Russian breed, a Russian name is all the more fitting.

Top Russian Dog Names

Some names are just quintessentially Russian. Whether your dog is a boy or girl, consider one of these traditional Russian names. 

• Alexei (a variation of Alexander, meaning “defender of mankind”)
• Anastasia (resurrection)
• Annika (grace)
• Boris (wolf)
• Demetrius (follower of Demeter—the Greek goddess of fertility and farming)
• Dimitri or Dmitry (a variation of Demetrius)
• Irina (peace)
• Katya (pure)
• Michail (follower of god)
• Natasha (Russian form of Natalie, meaning “born on Christmas day”)
• Nikolai (victory of the people)
• Oksana (praise be to god)
• Sacha (defending warrior)
• Sergei (servant)
• Svetlana (luminescent)
• Viktor (conqueror)

Tips for Choosing Russian Dog Names

When thinking of Russian dog names, consider the many unique and interesting things native to this country, like the geography, architecture, food, historical figures, famous landmarks and even common Russian names for people, places or animals. 

The list of Russian-themed dog names is nearly limitless, but we’ve compiled a few lists with 60 great Russian dog names to get you started. 

Russian Boy Dog Names

Whether you like the sound of these masculine Russian names or their meaning, here are some classic Russian dog name ideas for male dogs:

• Aleksandr (defender of mankind)
• Alek (short for Aleksandr)
• Anatoly (sunrise)
• Andrei (Russian form of Andrew, meaning manly)
• Artem (healthy, sound, wholesome)
• Feliks (Russian form of Felix, meaning “lucky”)
• Fyodor (gift of god)
• Grigory (watchful) 
• Igor (warrior of peace)
• Ivan (god is gracious)
• Konstantin (constant, steadfast)
• Luka (Russian form of Lucas or Luke, meaning “light”)
• Misha (a form of Michael, which means “who is like the Lord.” In Russian, Misha also means bear cub)
• Nikolai (a form of Nicholas, meaning “victorious” or “conqueror of the people”) 
• Oleg (holy)
• Pyotr (Russian form of Peter, meaning “rock”)
• Vladimir (of great power, ruler of the world)

Russian Girl Dog Names 

Russian names for girl dogs are feminine and beautiful. Many female Russian names are variations of names you know well, but with a Russian twist. Here are just a few options:

• Adelaida (noble)
• Aleandra (defender of man)
• Calina (snowball tree)
• Doroteya (god’s gift)
• Evgenia (Russian form of Eugenia, meaning “noble”)
• Galina (calm, tranquil)
• Katerina (Russian form of Katherine)
• Kira (ruler)
• Lada (name of the Slavic goddess of beauty)
• Lidia (Russian form of Lydia, meaning “woman from Lydia”)
• Manya (Russian form of Mary, meaning “sea of bitterness”)
• Margosha (Russian form of Margaret, meaning “pearl”)
• Nadia (dew, generous)
• Olga (blessed, holy)
• Sonia (Russian form of Sophia)
• Svetlana (luminescent)
• Tanya (praiseworthy)
• Yelena (Russian form of Helen, meaning “shining light”)

Russian Dog Names Inspired by Famous Russians

Russia is home to many well-known ancient and modern rulers, authors, musicians, athletes and more. Check out these Russian dog name ideas:

• Gorbachev (after Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union)
• Ivan (after Ivan the Terrible, the first first tsar of Russia)
• Rasputin (after Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, mystical adviser in the court of Czar Nicholas II)
• Sharapova (after tennis star Maria Sharapova)
• Stalin (after Joseph Stalin, former ruler of the Soviet Union)
• Tchaikovsky (after Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who composed the music for the ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker). 
• Tolstoy (after Leo Tolstoy, novelist who wrote Anna Karenina and War and Peace)
• Vladimir (after Vladimir Putin, Russia’s most popular leader)
• Yuri (after astronaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, the first man to travel into space)

For more dog name ideas, check out:

• 35 Black and White Dog Names
• 47 Sled Dog Names
• 75 Spanish Dog Names