Thread: Need a Russian last name meaning "dust"

Hello,

I'm writing a story, and I have a Russian character whose last name I want to be based off the Russian word for dust. (Like in the Christian saying, "ashes to ashes, dust to dust.")

I've been doing my best with online English-to-Russian dictionaries, but I don't completely trust them. Here are two Russian words for "dust" that I found:
pil' / пыль
prah / прах

My best guess was Prakhov (hence my username). Does that work? I'm afraid it loses the meaning of "dust."

Thanks!

Originally Posted by prakhov

Hello,

I'm writing a story, and I have a Russian character whose last name I want to be based off the Russian word for dust. (Like in the Christian saying, "ashes to ashes, dust to dust.")

I've been doing my best with online English-to-Russian dictionaries, but I don't completely trust them. Here are two Russian words for "dust" that I found:
pil' / пыль
prah / прах

My best guess was Prakhov (hence my username). Does that work? I'm afraid it loses the meaning of "dust."

Thanks!

In Russian In that saying the word прах is used indeed. And surname Прахов does really exist. Though I do not think that it has an effect you want.

I suggest Пыльников (I know a guy with such surname).

Thanks for the replies!

I like Прахов because it directly refers to the Biblical passage. Why might it not have the effect I want? If Прахов doesn't work, Пыльников looks like a good choice.

Пылевский, Пыльный, Пыльнов, Пылеванов, Пылев, Пыльняк, Пылич, Пылько, Пыльков, Пыльчук, Пылевой, Пылянов, Пылищев, Пылишников, Пылянский, Пыльник.

Пылепрахов, Прахопылев.

А есть и фамилия Прах.

dust лучше звучит как "пыль", всё-таки. Пыльников - хороший вариант.