List of Russian federal subject name etymologies

The Russian Federation constitutionally consists of 85 federal subjects, 46 of which are oblasts ("provinces"), 9 are krais ("territories"), 22 are republics (one of them, Crimea, is claimed by Ukraine and not recognised internationally as a part of Russia), four are autonomous okrugs ("districts"), and three are the cities of federal significance (Sevastopol has the same international status as Crimea). The Jewish Autonomous Oblast remains the only example of this type, while other AOs had elevated to republican level in early 1990s.

Most of Russias's oblasts and krais take their names from their administrative center; while autonomous entities (republics, autonomous okrugs and autonomous oblast) received their names from the native peoples they was created for by the Soviet government in 1920s–30s.

Oblasts

All of oblasts′ names in Russian are based on the following model: "name of the central city" (with a few exceptions) + "-skaya" feminine adjective suffix.

English nameRussian nameMeaning and notes
AmurАмурская область, Amurskaya oblast′From the Amur River, which forms the southern border of the region
ArkhangelskАрхангельская область
Arkhangel′skaya oblast′		The region of the city of Arkhangelsk, whose name the inhabitants traditionally associated with a monastery in the area dedicated to the Archangel Michael.
AstrakhanАстраханская область, Astrakhanskaya oblast′The region of the city of Astrakhan, whose name is a corruption of old Turkic Haji Tarkhan. Tarkhan is possibly a Turco-Mongolian title standing for "great khan," or "king", while haji or hajji is a title given to one who has made the Islamic requisite of pilgrimage to Mecca.
BelgorodБелгородская область, Belgorodskaya oblast′The region of the city of Belgorod, literally "white city". Compare: Belgrade
BryanskБрянская область, Bryanskaya oblast′The region of the city of Bryansk, known in medieval times as Debryansk, from Old East Slavic: дъбръ, romanized: dŭbrŭ, lit. 'dense woodland'
ChelyabinskЧелябинская область, Chelyabinskaya oblast′The region of the city of Chelyabinsk. The city (initially a Russian fortress Chelyaba) received its name after a Bashkir locality, whose etymology is disputed.
  • From Turkic title Çelebi
  • From Bashkir siläbe "hollow, depression"
IrkutskИркутская область, Irkutskaya oblast′The city of Irkutsk was named after the Irkut River with -sk suffix used for names of the cities. Its name was derived from the Buryat word for "spinning," and was used as an ethnonym among local tribes, who were known as Yrkhu, Irkit, Irgit, and Irgyt.
IvanovoИвановская область, Ivanovskaya oblast′The city of Ivanovo was previously known as Ivanovo-Voznesensk and was formed as a result of the merger of two settlements:
  • Ivanovo — from given name Ivan with typical -ovo suffix.
  • Voznesensk — from Voznesensky posad, a workers′ settlement named after the near Ascension Church (Russian: Вознесение, romanized: Vozneseniye). This part was discarded in 1932 during anti-religious campaign. According to another version, residents criticized the name for being too long.
KaliningradКалининградская область, Kaliningradskaya oblast′From its center Kaliningrad (Kalinin-city), renamed in 1946 in memory of the recently deceased Soviet leader Mikhail Kalinin. The region itself forms the northern part of former East Prussia.
KalugaКалужская область, Kaluzhskaya oblast′From Old Russian kaluga - "bog, quagmire".[1]
KemerovoКемеровская область, Kemerovskaya oblast′
  • The city of Kemerovo, region's capital, was named after the surname of the first settlers — Kemerov. The ending "ovo" suggests a toponymic transition through a personal name.
  • Another name of the Kemerovo oblast, Kuzbass, made official in 2020, is a short form of Kuznetsk Basin. This coal-mining region is called after Kuznetsk Alatau mountain range, which was named after Shors, a native people known archaically as Blacksmithing Tatars (Kuznetskiye Tatary), to distinguish these mountains from other Alataus.
KirovКировская область, Kirovskaya oblast′The city of Vyatka was renamed to Kirov soon after the assassination of Sergei Kirov, a high Soviet official who was born in the region.
KostromaКостромская область, Kostromskaya oblast′The city of Kostroma received its name from the river it stands on.[2] Its etymology is uncertain:
KurganКурганская область, Kurganskaya oblast′From the city of Kurgan. Its name is taken from a burial mound close to the original settlement. The word itself has Turkic origin.
KurskКурская область, Kurskaya oblast′The city of Kursk was named after Kur River. The name relates to a dialect word kur'ya ("long and narrow river bay"),[3] while city's coat of arms with three partridges shows a folk etymology version of the origin of the name (Russian: куропатка, romanized: kuropatka "perdix")
LeningradЛенинградская область, Leningradskaya oblast′The city of Leningrad (Lenin-city) was renamed back to St. Petersburg following the 1991 referendum, but Leningrad Oblast retained its name.[4]
LipetskЛипецкая область, Lipetskaya oblast′From Lipetsk, literally "Linden city"
MagadanМагаданская область, Magadanskaya oblast′From its capital, Magadan, which etymology is uncertain:
  • Even word "mongodan" — marine sediment
  • "mongot" — a dried tree, then "mongodan" is a plural of it
  • Even nickname Magda — "rotten hemp"[5]
MoscowМосковская область, Moskovskaya oblast′
  • Moscow Oblast is the region surrounding Russia's capital Moscow. See Moscow below.
  • Its unofficial name Podmoskovye[6] (Russian: Подмосковье) literally means "under Moscow"
MurmanskМурманская область, Murmanskaya oblast′Murmansk, region's capital, is named for the Murman Coast (Murmanskiy bereg), which is in turn derived from an archaic term in Russian for "Norwegian".
Nizhny NovgorodНижегородская область, Nizhegorodskaya oblast′Nizhny Novgorod literally means "Lower New Town". The prefix "lower" is used to disinguish it from Veliky Novgorod ("Great New Town") and Novhorod-Siverskyi ("New Town in Severia"). Russian name for this oblast is Nizhegorodskaya (literally "of Lower Town"), and not Nizhne(-)novgorodskaya as one might expect.
NovgorodНовгородская область, Novgorodskaya oblast′Literally "Region of New Town", after its capital Veliky Novgorod, which means "Great New Town" as stated above. In Soviet times this city was known as just Novgorod because Nizhny Novgorod was named Gorky.
NovosibirskНовосибирская область, Novosibirskaya oblast′Literally "Region of New Siberian Town"
OmskОмская область, Omskaya oblast′The name of Omsk city is derived from the Om River which in turn is probably originates from the Baraba Tatar om "quiet".[7]
OrenburgОренбургская область, Orenburgskaya oblast′The city of Orenburg (Or River + German: Burg "castle") was founded near the meeting of the Or and Ural rivers, but was later moved down the Ural. The initial place of the fortress became known as Orsk.
OryolОрловская область, Orlovskaya oblast′From Oryol, literally "eagle"
PenzaПензенская область, Penzenskaya oblast′City of Penza is named after Penza River, whose name possibly comes from
  • Mordvin for edge, end, border or muddy, swampy
  • Proto-Mari for stream[8]
  • an ancient Mordovian male given name Piyanza.[9]
PskovПсковская область, Pskovskaya oblast′The name of the main city, originally Pleskov (historic Russian spelling Плѣсковъ, Plěskov), may be loosely translated as "[the town] of purling waters".
RostovРостовская область, Rostovskaya oblast′The city of Rostov on Don originates from a fortress named for Dimitry of Rostov, a metropolitan bishop of the old northern town of Rostov the Great. The word "Rostov" is usually associated with a personal name Rost (lit. "growth"). Compare: Rostislav
RyazanРязанская область, Ryazanskaya oblast′The region was named after its capital, which was initially known as Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky and officially took the name of ancient city of Ryazan in 1778. The original Ryazan, the capital of medieval principality, was devastated by Mongols in 1237.
  • The name of the city is an Old Russian possessive adjective Рѣзань (Rězan′), related with archaic male given name Rezan, which is a short form of rezanny "[child] cutted from [the womb]"[10]
  • The city possibly retained its name after the surrounding region, which in the Middle Ages was allegedly "cut off" from another Rus' lands by dense forests and swamps.
  • Vladimir Minorsky connected Ryazan with Arthania.[11]
SakhalinСахалинская область, Sakhalinskaya oblast′This region received its name from its largest island, which name is supposed to originate from Manchu Saghalien ula anga hata "island in the mouth of Black River." Thus Sakhalin is "Black"
SamaraСамарская область, Samarskaya oblast′Regional center Samara is named after Samara River, which etymology is uncertain:
SaratovСаратовская область, Saratovskaya oblast′From Turkic Sary Tau "Yellow Mountain", russianized as Saratov (meaningless Sarat + -ov suffix) or Sar Atau "Boggy Island".
SmolenskСмоленская область, Smolenskaya oblast′From the city of Smolensk on Smolnya River (smola "resin" or smol′ "black soil")
SverdlovskСвердловская область, Sverdlovskaya oblast′Regional center Ekaterinburg was known as Sverdlovsk in 1924–91 after the early Soviet leader Yakov Sverdlov.
TambovТамбовская область, Tambovskaya oblast′The name "Tambov" originates from Moksha "томба" (tomba) meaning "abyss",[13][14] or "deep pool".
TomskТомская область, Tomskaya oblast′The city of Tomsk is located on the bank of the Tom River, which name derives from Ket words tom "river" or tuma "dark, black"[15]
TulaТульская область, Tul′skaya oblast′Etymology of Tula
TverТверская область, Tverskaya oblast′The name of the city of Tver is of Finno-Ugric origin, Tiheverä[16] while folk etymology traces it back to Old Russian tverd′ "fortress" (compare Polish twierdza)
TyumenТюменская область, Tyumenskaya oblast′In 1586, a fortress was constructed on the site of the former Siberian Tatar town of Chingi-Tura ("city of Chingis"), also known as Tyumen, from the Turkish and Mongol word for "ten thousand"[17] – tumen.
UlyanovskУльяновская область, Ulyanovskaya oblast′The city of Simbirsk was renamed Ulyanovsk in 1924 since it was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin, leader of October Revolution and founder of the Soviet Union, whose actual last name was Ulyanov.
VladimirВладимирская область, Vladimirskaya oblast′The city of Vladimir was founded by the Grand Prince Vladimir II Monomakh. See Vladimir (name)#Etymology
VolgogradВолгоградская область, Volgogradskaya oblast′Volga River + -grad "town/city" = Volgograd
VologdaВологодская область, Vologodskaya oblast′From Old Veps valgeda (modern vauged) "white"[18][19]
VoronezhВоронежская область, Voronezhskaya oblast′
  • from the hypothetical Slavic personal name Voroneg[20]
  • from voron- (Proto-Slavic vorn) in the meaning of "black, dark" and the suffix -ezh (-azh, -ozh). In the 8th - 9th centuries it allegedly marked a vast territory covered with black forests (oak forests) and the main "city" of the early town-planning complex could repeat the name of the region.[21]
YaroslavlЯрославская область, Yaroslavskaya oblast′The city of Yaroslavl was founded by the Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise and named after him with addition of -l′ suffix.

Krais
English nameRussian nameMeaning and notes
AltaiАлтайский край, Altaiskiy krayAfter Altai Mountains. The name comes from two words: al "gold/reddish/yellowish" in Mongolic language, and -tai "mountain" in Turkic languages too; thus, literally, the "Golden Mountain".
KamchatkaКамчатский край, Kamchatskiy krayFrom Kamchatka Peninsula, which etymology is disputed:
  • From Kamchatka River, which got its name from the 17th-century explorer Ivan Kamchaty.[22] His surname has derived from archaic name for silk — kamchataya tkan′. He was allegedly involved in collecting yasak from indigenous peoples and was later found dead along with his colleagues. Kamchaty's campaign gave birth to the legend among the Itelmens about the glorious warrior Konshat.
  • From dialectal kamchat "big beaver" (probably derived from Tatar kama ).[23]
  • From Yakut khamsa/kamcha "smoking pipe" or kham-sat "to waver".[24]
KhabarovskХабаровский край, Khabarovskiy krayFrom the city of Khabarovsk, named after 17th-century explorer Yerofey Khabarov.
KrasnodarКраснодарский край, Krasnodarskiy krayFrom the city of Krasnodar. See Krasnodar#Name
KrasnoyarskКрасноярский край, Krasnoyarskiy krayFrom the city of Krasnoyarsk. It was founded as a fort and named Krasny Yar ('red steep-riverbank') a literal translation of Yarin (a dialect of Khakas) name of the place, Kyzyl Char.[25]
PermПермский край
Permskiy kray		From the city of Perm. See Perm, Russia#Etymology
PrimorskyПриморский край, Primorskiy krayLiterally "Littoral Region" denoting its location on the coast of the Sea of Japan.
StavropolСтавропольский край, Stavropol′skiy krayFrom the city of Stavropol which name is a Russian rendering of the Greek Stauropolis (Greek: Σταυρούπολις "City of the Cross").
ZabaykalskyЗабайкальский край, Zabaikal′skiy krayLiterally "Transbaikal Region", despite modern Zabaykalsky Krai has no access to the lake in contrast with imperial Transbaikal Oblast. In 1934–2008 the region was known as Chita Oblast after its capital, Chita.

Republics
English nameRussian nameNative nameTitular nationalityMeaning and notes
AdygeaРеспублика Адыгея, Respublika AdygeyaAdyghe: Адыгэ Республик, Adygæ RespublikAdyghe
AltaiРеспублика Алтай, Respublika AltaiAltai: Алтай Республика, Altay Respublika
Kazakh: Алтай Республикасы, Altaı Respýblıkasy		Altai
  • From Altai Mountains. See Altai Krai above.
  • The name Gorny Altai (Russian: Горный Алтай), literally "Mountainous Altai" is also used to distinguish it from Altai Krai, which is mostly plain.
BashkortostanРеспублика Башкортостан, Respublika BashkortostanBashkir: Башҡортостан Республикаһы, Bashqortostan RespublikahyBashkirsFrom the endonym of Bashkirs bashqort with adding of -stan suffix. Unofficial name Bashkiria (Russian: Башкирия) is also frequently used.
BuryatiaРеспублика Бурятия, Respublika BuryatiyaBuryat: Буряад Улас, romanized: Buryaad UlasBuryats
ChechnyaЧеченская Республика, Chechenskaya RespublikaChechen: Нохчийн Республика, romanized: Nokhchiyn RespublikaChechens
ChuvashiaЧувашская Республика, Chuvashskaya RespublikaChuvash: Чӑваш Республики, Chovash RespublikiChuvash
CrimeaРеспублика Крым, Respublika KrymUkrainian: Республіка Крим, Respublika Krym
Crimean Tatar: Къырым Джумхуриети, Qırım Cumhuriyeti		noneSee Crimea#Name
DagestanРеспублика Дагестан, Respublika Dagestansee herenoneTurkic dağ "mountain" + Persian -stan "land".
IngushetiaРеспублика Ингушетия, Respublika IngushetiyaIngush: ГӀалгӏай Мохк, Ghalghai mokhkIngushSee Ingushetia#Etymology
Kabardino-BalkariaКабардино-Балкарская Республика, Kabardino-Balkarskaya RespublikaKabardian: Къэбэрдей-Балъкъэр Республикэ, Qeberdei-Baĺqêr Respublike; Karachay-Balkar: Къабарты-Малкъар Республика, Qabarty-Malqar RespublikaKabardians and Balkars
KalmykiaРеспублика Калмыкия, Respublika KalmykiyaKalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч, Hal′mg TaŋghchKalmyks
Karachay-CherkessiaКарачаево-Черкесская Республика, Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya RespublikaKarachay-Balkar: Къарачай-Черкес Республика, Qarachay-Cherkes Respublika
Kabardian: Къэрэшей-Шэрджэс Республикэ, Qereshei-Sherjes Respublike
Nogai: Карашай-Шеркеш Республика, Karashay-Sherkesh Respublika		Karachays and Cherkess
KareliaРеспублика Карелия, Respublika KareliyaKarelian: Karjalan tazavaldu; Finnish: Karjalan tasavalta; Veps: Karjalan TazovaldkundKarelians
KhakassiaРеспублика Хакасия, Respublika KhakasiyaKhakas: Хакас Республиказы, Khakas RespublikazyKhakas
KomiРеспублика Коми, Respublika KomiKomi: Коми Республика, romanized: Komi RespublikaKomi-Zyrians
Mari ElРеспублика Марий Эл, Respublika Mariy ElMeadow Mari: Марий Эл Республик, Mariy El Respublik
Hill Mari: Мары Эл Республик, Mary El Respublik		MariEl is "country, region" in Mari.
MordoviaРеспублика Мордовия, Respublika MordoviyaMoksha/Erzya: Мордовия Республикась, Mordoviya Respublikas′Mokshas and ErzyasThe two native peoples of the region are usually summarized as Mordvins
North Ossetia–AlaniaРеспублика Северная Осетия — Алания, Respublika Severnaya Osetiya — AlaniyaOssetian: Республикӕ Цӕгат Ирыстон — Алани, Rêspublika Tsagât Iryshton — ÂlâniOssetiansForms the northern part of Ossetia, divided by Caucasus Mountains. Alternative name Alania was made official in 1994. The breakaway republic of South Ossetia did the same in 2017 to indicate its ethnic unity with the North.
SakhaРеспублика Саха (Якутия), Respublika Sakha (Yakutiya)Yakut: Саха Өрөспүүбүлүкэтэ, romanized: Sakha ÖröspüübülüketeYakutsYakut endonym Sakha was made official name of the region in 1990s. In Russian Yakutia is still used more widely.
TatarstanРеспублика Татарстан, Respublika TatarstanTatar: Татарстан Республикасы, Tatarstan RespublikasyTatarsTatars + -stan. Alternative name Tataria (Russian: Татария) became much less common since the fall of the Soviet Union.
TuvaРеспублика Тыва, Respublika TyvaTuvan: Тыва Республика, romanized: Tyva RespublikaTuvansTuvan name Tyva was made official in Russian in 90s, but Tuva is still widely used.
UdmurtiaУдмуртская Республика, Udmurtskaya RespublikaUdmurt: Удмурт Республика, Udmurt RespublikaUdmurtsSee Udmurtia#Name

Autonomous okrugs and oblasts
English nameRussian nameNative nameTitular nationalityMeaning and notes
ChukotkaЧукотский автономный округ, Chukotski avtonomnyi okrugChukot: Чукоткакэн автономныкэн округ, Chukotkaken avtonomnyken okrugChukchiChukchi, Russian exonym for the native people of the land, has derived from Chukot word chauchu "rich in reindeer".
Khanty-MansiХанты-Мансийский автономный округ
Khanty-Mansiyski avtonomnyi okrug		Khanty: Хӑнты-Мансийской автономной округ
Ȟănty-Mansiyskoi avtonomnoi okrug
Mansi: Ханты-Мансийский автономный округ
Hanty-Mansiyski avtonomnyi okrug		Khanty and MansiAlternative name Yugra (official since 2003) is an archaic collective name for lands and peoples between the Pechora River and the Urals
NenetsНенецкий автономный округ
Nenetski avtonomnyi okrug		Nenets: Ненёцие автономной ӈокрук
Nenyotsiye awtonomnoi ŋokruk		Nenets
Yamalo-NenetsЯмало-Ненецкий автономный округ
Yamalo-Nenetski avtonomnyi okrug		Nenets: Ямалы-Ненёцие автономной ӈокрук
Yamaly-Nenyotsiye awtonomnoi ŋokruk		NenetsNenets people + Yamal Peninsula
JewishЕврейская автономная область
Yevreiskaya avtonomnaya oblast′		Yiddish: ייִדישע אװטאָנאָמע געגנט
yidishe avtonome Gegnt		JewsThe Russian name for Jews yevrei is a cognate of the modern English word Hebrew (See Hebrew#Etymology).

Federal cities
English nameRussian nameMeaning and notes
MoscowМосква
Moskva		From the Moskva River. See Etymology of Moscow
St. PetersburgСанкт-Петербург
Sankt-Peterburg		Named by Emperor Peter the Great after his patron saint (German: Sankt "saint" and Burg "fortress"). Soviet-era name Leningrad is still retained in the name of the surrounding oblast.
SevastopolСевастополь
Sevastopol′		Greek sebastos "venerable" and polis "city"

References
  1. E.M. Pospelov, Geograficheskie nazvaniya mira (Moscow: Russkie slovari, 1998), p. 181.
  2. N. A. Zontikov "Kostroma": origin of the city′s name
  3. E.M. Pospelov, Geograficheskie nazvaniya mira (Moscow, 1998), p. 232.
  4. Что и почему переименовывали в Ленинградской области. Общая газета Ленинградской области (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  5. A. M. Biryukov Magadan: Photo album, 1989
  6. Molnet.ru (May 29, 2006). "Московскую область назвали официально" (in Russian). Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2007.
  7. E.M. Pospelov, Geograficheskie nazvaniya mira (Moscow, 1998), p. 310.
  8. "Река Пенза. - Пенза, которой нѣтъ". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  9. M. S. Poluboyarov. World of Ancient Toponyms // Antiquities of the Penza region in the mirror of toponymy. Moscow, 2003, p. 148—150.
  10. Max Vasmer. Russisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. Moscow, 1987, Vol. 3 p. 537
  11. Древнерусское государство и его международное значение. Moscow, 1965, p. 417-418.
  12. "Топография крепости Самара 1586-1706 гг., этимология и предшествующие упоминания топонима в письменных источниках (Topography of the Samara fortress, etymology and preceding mentioning of the toponim in the written sources)". www.academia.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. Мокшанско-русский словарь / НИИЯЛИЭ при Совете Министров Правительстве Республики Мордовия; Под редакцией Б. А. Серебрянникова, А. П. Феоктистова, О. Е. Полякова - Москва: Русский язык: Дигора, 1998.
  15. Воробьёва И. А. (I. A. Vorobyova) Язык Земли. О местных географических названиях Западной Сибири (The Language of Earth. About local geographical names of Western Siberia) — Западно-Сибирское книжное издательство, 1973, p. 15.
  16. Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG. Diocese of Tver. Künker Auktion 130 - The De Wit Collection of Medieval Coins, 1000 Years of European Coinage, Part II: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, Hungary, Silesia, Poland, Baltic States, Russia and the golden Horde. "Numismatischer Verlag Künker".
  17. E.M. Pospelov, Geograficheskie nazvaniya mira (Moscow: Russkie slovari, 1998), p. 427.
  18. Трапезников В. Н. Наш край. — Вологда: Издание Вологодского общества изучения Северного края, 1918. — С. 74.
  19. Трапезников В. Н. Jalo Kalima, cand. phil. Die ostseefinnischen Lehnvorter in Russischen. Akademische Abhandlung. Helsingfors. 1915. 265 стр. // Известия Вологодского общества изучения Северного края: Выпуск IV. — Вологда: Типография Союза Кооперативов Северного Края, 1917.
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