Names, Patronymics, Nicknames and Name Days

[Olga Maria]

Well, my father's name is Pavel. If I & my brother were born in Russia, our patronymics would have been Pavlovna and Pavlovich. But in Bulgaria, our patronymics are Pavlova (for me) and Pavlov (for my brother). So, you see, there is difference...

So, that's how it is...Thank you for that understandable explanation, Tina.

[Tina Laroche]

Well, my father's name is Pavel. If I & my brother were born in Russia, our patronymics would have been Pavlovna and Pavlovich. But in Bulgaria, our patronymics are Pavlova (for me) and Pavlov (for my brother). So, you see, there is difference...

So, that's how it is...Thank you for that understandable explanation, Tina.

You're welcome. I'm happy you understood it, 'cause sometimes I write really confusing explanations.

[Olga Maria]

Me, too. It's just because English is not our native tongue. Nobody's perfect . (",)

[Forum Admin]

The Imperial Family actually did NOT have "last names".  While the Dynasty was the Romanov Dynasty, once Mikhail Romanov became Tsar he and his descendants ceased to have a family name of Romanov.

Nicholas II was simply Nicholas Alexandrovich. His eldest daughter simply "Grand Duchess Olga Nicholaievna" etc... When Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich left Russia, he actually had no last name and so he chose "Ilinsky" after his family estate "Ilinskoe".  After the Revolution, as an insult, the Bolsheviks referred to Nicholas as "Citizen Romanov"...

[Olga Maria]

Wow.New thing for us, Sir. Why is that so?
I also notice Princes William and Harry use Wales as surname, not Windsor. Is it another story or the same?

[Tina Laroche]

The Imperial Family actually did NOT have "last names".  While the Dynasty was the Romanov Dynasty, once Mikhail Romanov became Tsar he and his descendants ceased to have a family name of Romanov.

Nicholas II was simply Nicholas Alexandrovich. His eldest daughter simply "Grand Duchess Olga Nicholaievna" etc... When Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich left Russia, he actually had no last name and so he chose "Ilinsky" after his family estate "Ilinskoe".  After the Revolution, as an insult, the Bolsheviks referred to Nicholas as "Citizen Romanov"...

Oh, I see... didn't know that. Thanks for leading me out of the darkness Although, I was right about the patronymics...

[Selencia]

Thank You everyone who helped in explaining the name situation. The whole "no last name" scenario kind of makes sense because I was reading Massie's "THe Romanovs:The Final Chapter" and he was discussing the Mikailovichi and the Vladimirovichi...I actually had heard the name Nicholaievna before and I thought it would be a good baby name for either a girl or a boy. But now that I am more educated it seems like there would be 2 problems with naming a boy that...one he is not the daughter of a Nicholas and two he is not a daughter. I think I have to give up on the baby Nicholaievna dream.

[nena]

Nicholaievna -- a female patronymics. NII's daughters.
Nicholaievich -- a male patronymics. Aleksei.

Mikhailovichi and Vladimirovichi are plural, which means the whole Mikhailovich/Vladimirovich family, a family lines from Nicholas I. Also, for female members Romanova is correct surname.

Welcome at AP, Selencia. 

[Forum Admin]

Wow.New thing for us, Sir. Why is that so?
I also notice Princes William and Harry use Wales as surname, not Windsor. Is it another story or the same?

That is the same as with the Romanov dynasty.  Notice they only use "Wales" for their military service and University enrollment, where a "surname" would be required. Technically they have no last names.  They are His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales and His Royal Highness Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales. Their father is HRH Prince Charles of Wales. Their Grandother is Queen Elizabeth II...etc,

[Olga Maria]

Thank you, Sir. Mountbatten-Windsor is only a name for their dynasty, not a surname (now I know).

[Valmont]

If I'm not mistaken Prince Philip comes from the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Gluksburg but adopted the Mountbatten last name (which originally was Battenberg). So their last name should be Mountbatten, but I believe it was Churchill's idea to adopt the Windsor surname in the best interest of the British monarchy... but that is subject for the Windsor thread...

Arturo Vega-Llausás

[Olga Maria]

If I'm not mistaken Prince Philip comes from the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Gluksburg but adopted the Mountbatten last name (which originally was Battenberg). So their last name should be Mountbatten, but I believe it was Churchill's idea to adopt the Windsor surname in the best interest of the British monarchy... but that is subject for the Windsor thread...

Arturo Vega-Llausás

You're correct about it, Valmont.

[rkonnoff]

These names are mainly called by family, or close friends. Some nicknames can be insulting if you do not know the person. Example, Misha is common, but if you called a person Miska then they can take it as insult.Olga was often called 'Olya' by her sisters I think
Tatiana was 'Tatia' or 'Tanya'
Maria was 'Mashka', "Masha" or 'Marie'...and even sometimes 'Littlie Bow Wow' (her sisters made this one up, I'm sure)  - Masha is more common, Mashka used generally among family
Anastasia was 'Nastya' or "Shvizvik" (spelling?) Shvizik - its like saying joker
Alexander III was called 'Sasha' (This nickname was/is also used as a nickname for Alexandra) Shura is more common for female, Sasha is generally for males

Nicholas' siblings:

Alexander = Can be either "Sandro" or "Sasha"
George= "Georgy" or "Goggie"
Xenia= "Malenkaya" perhaps by MF.
Michael= "Misha"
Olga = "Olya" or "Olishka" perhaps.


[/quote]

[Tina Laroche]

Anastasia was 'Nastya' or "Shvizvik" (spelling?) Shvizik - its like saying joker

It's Shvibzik - it means 'imp' in Russian. : )

[Sarushka]

[/i]Olga was often called 'Olya' by her sisters I think
Tatiana was 'Tatia' or 'Tanya'

It's possible that they may have used these nicknames when speaking to each other, but I've never seen any written evidence that the Big Pair went by Olya, Tatia, or Tanya. In the IF's own letters and diaries they either used Olga and Tatiana's full names or their initials. However, there are a very few letters by Alexandra from 1909 and 1910 which are addressed to "Olenka" and "Tatianochka."