Names, Patronymics, Nicknames and Name Days

Oh, I see. I will use Shvipsik from now on : ) - but I really have no clue what "Schwibs" could mean; I'll be sure to ask my German teacher tomorrow if there's such a word.

I think "Shvipsik" is just a variation in transliteration. Anastasia herself spelled it Швыбзик in her wartime letters to Nicholas, which transliterates literally to "Shvybzik."

"Schwibs" is likewise probably a variation of the shortened version, Швыбз/Shvybz, which Olga Nikolaevna used in her letters and diaries.

At any rate, it isn't the Russian word for imp, impish or playful or anything like that - not even Russian as far as I know. Didn't Anastasia have a dog called Shvibzig first of all? Then she started getting called that name? Maybe the dog's behaviour was a bit 'tipsy' and maybe Anastasia's behaviour similar and so the name stuck? Getting very speculative though.

No, I know the constellation of the names:)  I meant names like Anisja, Tamara, Galina, Arkadi, Lidija, Jefim, Lawrentij and so on (not the prettiest names, I know  ) I didn't find such names in the IF or the "upper class" (never or not as often as Olga, Maria etc). Why there are no grandduchesses or princes with such names? Thats, what I don't understand.

I can only repeat: tradition, fashion and personal taste. You can hardly ask my parents why they named my brother Jan....

[Please, everyone - continue saving our planet. Help the environment. Go green!]

I can only repeat: tradition, fashion and personal taste. You can hardly ask my parents why they named my brother Jan....

LOL That's probably off-topic, but my cousin's name is Jan. And yes, I guess it was probably matter of tradition and personal taste. One of my best friends is called Tamara - Russian name - but she hasn't got any Russians in the family...

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Does Alexandra call Maria “Mashenka”?

I got this from a Russian biography of Maria which I translated using Google Translator. This is the very famous letter of Alexandra to Maria so don’t mind the grammar that Google translator made.
"My dear Машенька.
Your letter I am very saddened. A pretty child, you must promise me never to stop to think that nobody loves you. As in your head has such an unusual idea? Quickly run it from there. We are all very dearly love you; and only when you are too rasshalishsya, raskapriznichaeshsya and do not listen, you scold, berate but does not mean not to love. On the contrary, it is done so that you can correct your weaknesses and become better, you are usually kept away from others, think that you disturb them, and remains one of Trinh, instead of being with them. They imagine that you do not want them to be. Now you become a big girl and you better should be more with nimi. Nu, I do not think more about it and remember that you are exactly the same way we, as the remaining four, and that we love you with all my heart. It is you loving old mother. "

I can’t read Russian that’s why I will not be able to put the exact Russian text but here’s the link: http://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/biblio/tzar/pedagogy/glava9_4.html

[Never let us being parted!]

Does Alexandra call Maria “Mashenka”?

It seems she did, looking at that letter.

Since Mashenka is a very commonly used nickname for Marias in Russian I would say "definitely"

[Never let us being parted!]

Indeed, diminutives are very common in using in Russia.  :-) (for example, Olenka, Alyosha, Mashenka..)

When the IF was in captivity, how were they called by the guards? name and patronymic, maybe?

[Never let us being parted!]

'Citizen Romanov', nicknames 'Nikolasha', 'Former...Grand Duchess', and that is. Rudely.