Understanding Russian Names in Literature
How to Keep Track of Patronymics and Nicknames in Russian Novels
Jul 19, 2009
English readers interested in the great novels of Russian literature can feel overwhelmed. Aside from the sheer size of books such as War and Peace or The Brothers Karamazov, many struggle with the confusing form and variations of the Russian names of the novels' characters.
To help keep things straight, translators often provide a list of dramatis personae at the beginning of English-language editions of Russian novels. But without an explanation of the way Russian names and nicknames work, readers can still get lost and frustrated.
The Structure of Russian Names
Traditional Russian names come in three parts. These are the given name, patronymic, and family name. For instance, the full names of the great Russian novelists Dostoevsky and Tolstoy are
Fyodor (given name) Mikhailovich (patronymic) Dostoevsky (family name)
and
Lev (given name) Nikolaevich (patronymic) Tolstoy (family name).
The patronymic is based on the first name of a person's father, adding either a masculine (-vich or -ich) or feminine (-na) ending. Thus siblings (with the same father) will have the same patronymic. One good example from Russian literature is the Rostov family from Tolstoy's War and Peace. One of the main characters is Nikolai Ilyich Rostov, while his sister is Vera Ilyichna Rostova (their father's name, therefore, is Ilya).
The respectful way to refer to a Russian is by first name and patronymic, not by title and last name, as in other European languages. For example, Dostoevsky's antihero of Crime and Punishment, Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, would be politely addressed as Rodion Romanovich, not Mr. Raskolnikov.
Common Russian Nicknames in Literature
Another confusing element in Russian literature is the profusion of nicknames. However, this is not too far from English, which has a number of standard nicknames for common names – Will, Bill, or Billy for William; Jack or Johnny for John; Beth, Betty, or Liz for Elizabeth; and so on.
Common Russian nicknames include Vanya for Ivan (as in Anton Chekhov's play Uncle Vanya), Sasha for Alexander, or Tanya for Tatiana. Many nicknames are also diminutives: Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov (the youngest of Doestoevsky's Brothers Karamazov) is called Alyosha, Alyoshka, Alyoshenka, and many other affectionate variations in the novel, names which are usually suitable for children or one's juniors.
French names also appear in nineteenth-century Russian literature, as French (the language of culture and diplomacy of the time) was spoken by the Russian aristocracy. Thus Count Pyotr Kirillovich Bezukhov, another key figure in War and Peace, is usually referred to as "Pierre," the French version of Pyotr (or Peter).
Coming to Understand Russian Names in Literature
Once readers understand the three-part nature of Russian names, and the way each part is used in formal or informal settings, they can keep better track of the many characters in Russian novels. If the most common nicknames are learned as well, it becomes much easier to enjoy and appreciate the masterpieces of nineteenth-century Russian literature.
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