# Forum Learning Russian Language Resources for Studying Russian Russian Names  Valentina - Diminutive/familiar/nickname & meaning?

## rockzmom

Since I learned so much about the diminutive/familiar/nickname of Dmitri, would you please be kind enough to educate me about the diminutive/familiar/nickname for *Valentina*? 
It is my understanding that the name is derived from the Latin word “valentia” which means force, power, and strength. If it has a different meaning in Russian, please let me know. 
Also, if the nickname is very different from the name and you know any background as to why, that would be great. 
Once again, please respond in English. 
Thanks, 
Rockzmom

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## Waterlaz

Well the diminutive forms would be 
Val'a (This one is normal and common among friends)
Valechka, Valen'ka ( Only between close people. One girl could call the other Valechka if they were friends. A man or a boy could call his girlfriend/wife or a sister like this.)

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## gRomoZeka

> It is my understanding that the name is derived from the Latin word “valentia” which means force, power, and strength. If it has a different meaning in Russian, please let me know.

 It doesn't have any different meaning in Russian, as only names of Slavic origin have an obvious meaning for Russian speaker, since they derive from Slavic/Russian words. 
For example there are Nadezda (dim. is Nadya) - "hope", Vera (dim. is the same: Vera) - "Faith", Lyubov' (Lyuba) - "love", Svetlana (Sveta) - "light", Vladimir (Volodya, Vova, etc.)  ~ "owner/ruler of the world", Svyatoslav (Slava) ~ "holy glory", etc. (sorry for spelling, I have no idea how some of the Russian sounds should be spelled in English).  

> Also, if the nickname is very different from the name and you know any background as to why, that would be great.

 Most of the diminutive forms are very different from the full name. I have no idea why. Why William turns into Bill? Richard into Dick?  :: 
BTW, the thing I hate is when in foreign movies and books they name Russian female characters by the diminutive forms of MALE names (Misha, Grisha, Vasya, etc.). It sounds ridiculous. I wish those writers would do their homework before writing about another country.  ::

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## rockzmom

> [BTW, the thing I hate is when in foreign movies and books they name Russian female characters by the diminutive forms of MALE names (Misha, Grisha, Vasya, etc.). It sounds ridiculous. I wish those writers would do their homework before writing about another country.

 gRomoZeka, that is exactly why I am begging for help on these forums!!!! So I can learn and not make those mistakes   ::  It was only because I have always liked the name Dmitri that I started down this Russian path. Of course he could just have that name because his parents liked it and leave it at that ... But then my daughter would have a boring book to read.

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## translationsnmru

> Well the diminutive forms would be 
> Val'a <..snip...> Valechka, Valen'ka...

 Well, in English, that would be Valya, Valechka and Valenka, respectively. It may be alright to use an apostrphe in a sort of phonetical transcription to show that a certain consonant is "soft", but the OP is interested in forms she can actually use in her book, not in a phonetical transcription. 
And I think I could add Valyusha to the list of pet forms  ::

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## kalinka_vinnie

Rockzmom, 
Diminutives exist for all Russian names and they usually can be predicted.  
For example, one simple diminutive form can easily be guessed: -a/-ya
Valentina - Valya
Dimitry - Dima
Nedezhda - Nadya
Viktor - Vitya
Svetlana - Sveta
Boris - Borya
Ekaterina - Katya 
Another very common dimituive is -sha
Mikhail - Misha
Dariya - Dasha
Alexander - Sasha
Mariya - Masha 
To test your newfound knowledge of Russian diminutives, try these and report your results here!   ::  
Olga - ?
Pavel - ?

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## rockzmom

> To test your newfound knowledge of Russian diminutives, try these and report your results here!   
> Olga - ?
> Pavel - ?

 kalinka_vinnie,  
Thank you so very much! I am not certain about my results though. That is why my grammer school French teacher had a nervous breakdown and I have been married 17 years to a native Spanish speaker and still don't know Spanish   ::   
But here goes...
Olga - Olya (  ::  now this one was not fair to give me. The name is only four letters long and ends in an 'a')
Pavel -Pavya

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## Lampada

> ...Pavel -  ...

 P*a*sha

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## rockzmom

> P*a*sha

 Pasha?????  
I even asked my 12 year old for help!!!  And she is good with languages, she is fluent in both English and Spanish.  
kalinka_vinnie, how many languages do you speak??? I am asking because I noticed your signature line about your spelling. And my daughter likes your Spanish one!

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## Rtyom

Find a wall to lean at, rockzmom, because Pavlya is also possible (with “l”).   ::

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## rockzmom

> Find a wall to lean at, rockzmom, because Pavlya is also possible (with “l”).

 My daughter is laughing hysterically. You've made her day.

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## gRomoZeka

> Find a wall to lean at, rockzmom, because Pavlya is also possible (with “l”).

   ::  Everything is possible in this world, but Pavlya sounds weird, never heard anybody to call himself like that. _Pavlik_ on the other hand is common.

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## Оля

> Everything is possible in this world, but Pavlya sounds weird, never heard anybody to call himself like that.

 +1

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## kalinka_vinnie

> Originally Posted by Lampada  P*a*sha   Pasha?????  
> I even asked my 12 year old for help!!!  And she is good with languages, she is fluent in both English and Spanish.  
> kalinka_vinnie, how many languages do you speak??? I am asking because I noticed your signature line about your spelling. And my daughter likes your Spanish one!

 Pasha, Pasha... don't worry, once you get the hang of it, one day you will also think Pavya sounds weird!  :: 
But Olya was entirely correct!!! Woot! In fact, we have one on this forum and, in fact, that is the very name of the person one post above me!  ::  
I speak three languages, and can be rude in four (the fourth is spanish).

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## Rtyom

> In fact, we have one on this forum and, in fact, that is the very name of the person one post above me!

 Are you sure? Who?   ::    
Well, maybe I made a mess of it, but Pavlya is one of the characters of Viktor Dragunsky stories.

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## rockzmom

For all of you who helped with this question, I want to thank you and let you know that my daughter has selected the winning Diminutive/familiar/nickname for the character Valentina and it is.......... Valya.   
She said it reminds her the most of Valiente which means brave in Spanish. 
So, now I have Dima and Valya as their Diminutive/familiar/nickname's, except that Valya will call Dmitri "D" as she is a young American girl and I believe her character would do this. I have already rewritten a part in the book where he mentions to her that she is the only person who has ever called him "D" and blah, blah, blah... 
I never would have been able to accomplish this without your assitance  ::  
Rockzmom

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## Waterlaz

You are welcome. It would be interesting to read your novel once it is finished.

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