Most Popular Baby Names in (pick your country, si man)

[slim 1,514]

what scares me more than those names is when she calls me and says "Solneeshko, My sooooollllllllneeesko, Garozha......" OH NO!!!!!!!!!

Seriously she has never called me a bad name (at least not that I know of ) and rarely argues or "makes a scandal", very rare.

If you do even half the things you post on here (starting her car, adding chemicals, etc.) it's no wonder you're never called any names. Who'd mess that up?

[visaveteran1 33]

With some names, I wish the Russians would make up their mind. Example, Alexi, Alexei, Alexey. I can see some serious passport and document issues with that one.

[eekee 182]

With some names, I wish the Russians would make up their mind. Example, Alexi, Alexei, Alexey. I can see some serious passport and document issues with that one.

I don't think that's the Russians' fault, really.

[slim 1,514]

With some names, I wish the Russians would make up their mind. Example, Alexi, Alexei, Alexey. I can see some serious passport and document issues with that one.

The Russian spelling stays the same though.

When I was in Korea back in 2000 they were changing the "official" transliteration of their alphabet so instead of "World Cup 2002 Japan/Korea" it would be "World Cup 2002 Corea/Japan." Instead of peoples' names changing from Kwan Duk to Cwan Duk, they just kept them the same and waived it off as "the government being silly in competition with Japan."

Russia still does funny stuff with their transliterations. As ONA pointed out in her post, the licenses are "French" and the other IDs are "English." Some are even "English" English and that's how you get Alexi, Alexei, Alexey. When my wife and I got married her middle name (patronymic) had to be translated and there was no "official" way because all her documents showed it as an initial. I sounded it out and put it as "ayeva" instead of "aeva" since folks here are going to take one look at her name and butcher it anyway. At least with that y in there they have a chance.

[eekee 182]

German transliterations are the absolute worst. ч turns into tsch, щ to schtsch.

[visaveteran1 33]

I don't think that's the Russians' fault, really.

Yeah...you're right. I can think of some similar English name variations too. Just so happens my wife's son is Alexey. During the whole visa process I was constantly checking how I spelled his name. Glad that's over.

Edited August 15, 2011 by visaveteran1

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

With some names, I wish the Russians would make up their mind. Example, Alexi, Alexei, Alexey. I can see some serious passport and document issues with that one.

That isn't the Russians, it is when they try to transliterate. There really is no "correct" way and it gets spelled how someone thinks it should be. They are used to it. No matter how hard we tried Sergey/Sergei/Sergii ended up gping to his interview with 3 different names on his documents. No problems.

It is the same reason you see Arabic names spelled 14 ways from Sunday.

[eekee 182]

There are actually different official transliteration systems, and when you translate, you select a system that is suited for the type of document you're using. And German and French, like it was said earlier, have their own systems that are suited to aid the pronounciation of Russian words/names for German and French speakers. There are charts and explanations on wikipedia if you care.

These official documents aren't transliterating any old way. They are following the official system chosen for that type of document. And is Sergii maybe a Ukrainian version of Sergei or something because that doesn't even make sense.

Edited August 16, 2011 by eekee

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

There are actually different official transliteration systems, and when you translate, you select a system that is suited for the type of document you're using. And German and French, like it was said earlier, have their own systems that are suited to aid the pronounciation of Russian words/names for German and French speakers. There are charts and explanations on wikipedia if you care.

These official documents aren't transliterating any old way. They are following the official system chosen for that type of document. And is Sergii maybe a Ukrainian version of Sergei or something because that doesn't even make sense.

And his name is spelled three different ways on documents. Nice explanation but I do not think whoever is doing these documents has access to wikipedia. Yes, "Sergii" is the Ukrainian version of "Sergei" or "Sergey" The problem in Ukraine has also been that the government has changed the "official language" and now it is in flux, or better, confusion. Plus they started to go back and change old documents to the new spellings. It is a total cluster f**k and the reason that the consulate will accept "any reasonable spelling" After we carefully made sure all his documents were translated/transliterated to the same spelling the Ukrainian government gave him a new passport just before he got his visa in a different name spelling and that is what has ended up on his visa and green card. They did the same to Pasha, after making sure everything was "Pavel" we got him his own passport after he got the green card and they spelled his name "Pavlo" #######!!!!!!! It seems impossible to get everything in order. Of course that was when Yushenko was President, now that Yanukovich is President they can use either language/spelling and Alla just last week paid a 200 UAH bribe to get his name changed back to Pavel (and she got the new passport the next day! In case anyone wonders what the current bribe is for changing/getting passports quickly...about $27)

When Alla translates she asks the client which spelling they prefer but tells them that for visa purposes it should match the international passport.

PS... Ukraine now actually has an official expedited passport fee/expedite process. It is more than $27 The clerks are not about to let that little bonus escape them so they are undercutting their employer. You just GOTTA love Ukraine!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

There are actually different official transliteration systems, and when you translate, you select a system that is suited for the type of document you're using. And German and French, like it was said earlier, have their own systems that are suited to aid the pronounciation of Russian words/names for German and French speakers. There are charts and explanations on wikipedia if you care.

These official documents aren't transliterating any old way. They are following the official system chosen for that type of document. And is Sergii maybe a Ukrainian version of Sergei or something because that doesn't even make sense.

Alla does a lot of translations and I could make a long list of the names and how they appear on passports

Tatyana, Tatiana

Sergei, Sergey, Sergii

Oksana, Oxana

Pavel, Pavlo

Svitlana, Svetlana

Viktoria, Victoria

Nataliia, Natalia, Natalya...etc.

These are all official documents (passports) from official government agencies and they cannot seem to spell the names the same twice.

[eekee 182]

No, I mean they would be handed a paper that outlines ISO:9 1995 or whatever. I meant that if you wanted to check it out, it's there on wikipedia, not that the Consulate does--although they DO use wikipedia in RUB.

Even when doing academic work, I have to choose one system and stick with it throughout the whole work.

And the difference between "Svitlana" and "Svetlana" and "Pavel" and "Pavlo" are language issues, not transliteration ones. Also, the chosen standard changes from time to time.

Edited August 16, 2011 by eekee

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Also, the chosen standard changes from time to time.

I love Ukraine!

[ONA 133]

Nataliia, Natalia, Natalya...etc.

Those can actually be for different names. there is Наталья and there is Наталия. Kind of the same, but different.

[eekee 182]

Those can actually be for different names. there is Наталья and there is Наталия. Kind of the same, but different.

I've always wondered about that... I tutored a little girl whose name was Наталия and I wasn't sure what the deal was.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Those can actually be for different names. there is Наталья and there is Наталия. Kind of the same, but different.

Of course! It can be a different name, the same name, the same name only different and a different name only the same. All on one document!