How does the Russian naming system work?

Russian names are structured as [first name] [middle patronymic name] [SURNAME]. E.g. Igor Mihajlovich MEDVEDEV (male) or Natalia Borisovna PAVLOVA (female). Address people using their first name (casual) or first name and patronymic name (formal). The patronymic name is never used alone.

What is patronymic?

Definition of patronymic : a name derived from that of the father or a paternal ancestor usually by the addition of an affix.

What does Smirnoff mean in Russian?

Variants of transliteration: Smirnoff, Smirnow or Smyrnov. Smirnov (Russian: Смирнов) is derived from an adjectival nickname smirnyj (Russian: смирный; in archaic form smirnoy, Russian: смирной), that means “quiet, still, peaceful, gentle”.

What is patronymic family?

(of family names) derived from the name of a father or ancestor, especially by the addition of a suffix or prefix indicating descent. a patronymic name, as Williamson (son of William) or Macdonald (son of Donald). a family name; surname.

What countries use patronymic names?

Historical and current use

• Ethiopia and Eritrea. Main article: Naming conventions in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
• Kenya. Some Kenyan communities used patronyms.
• Mozambique. Patronymic naming is very common in parts of Mozambique.
• Nigeria.
• Somalia.
• South Africa.
• China.
• Taiwan.

Which countries use patronymic?

How do you make a patronymic name in Russian?

The patronymic is formed by a combination of the father’s name and suffixes. The suffix is – ович (-ovich) for a son, – овна (-ovna) – for a daughter. For example, if the father’s name was Иван (Ivan), the patronymic will be Иванович (Ivanovich) for a son and Ивановна (Ivanovna) for a daughter.

What does the name Smirnova mean in Russian?

Her first name is obvious- the Russian form of Katherine. But what about the other two: Ivanovna means “daughter of Ivan”. The male version is “Ivanovich”- “son of Ivan”. The technical term is Patronymic . Smirnova is the feminine form of Smirnov, a very common Russian surname.

What are Eastern Slavic naming customs?

Eastern Slavic naming customs are the traditional way of identifying a person’s given name and patronymic name in countries formerly part of the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union . They are commonly used in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and to an extent in Kyrgyzstan and Georgia.

What are the suffixes in Ukrainian surnames?

Surnames of Ukrainian and Belarusian origin use the suffixes -ко (-ko), -ук (-uk), and -ич (-ych). For example, the family name Писаренко ( Pisarenko) is derived from the word for a scribe, and Ковальчук ( Kovalchuk) refers to a smith.