This list includes 65 Russian boy names that start with M, from “Magniy” to “Mustafa”. They range from common modern names to traditional and regional variants influenced by Slavic, Greek, and Turkic languages. You can use this collection for choosing a baby name, writing character names, or tracing family history.
Russian boy names that start with M are male given names used across Russia and Russian-speaking communities. Some come from Orthodox saints, while others reflect Greek, Turkic, or Arabic influences, as seen in “Mikhail” and “Mustafa”.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Pronunciation, Cyrillic, and Meaning/Origin.
Name: The standard Latin transliteration of the given name, so you can scan and choose familiar spellings quickly.
Pronunciation: Simple respelling plus optional IPA to help you say each name correctly and compare alternate pronunciations.
Cyrillic: The original Russian spelling in Cyrillic, useful when you search records or ensure accurate local usage.
Meaning/Origin: A concise one-line meaning and origin so you understand cultural background and significance at a glance.
Russian boy names that start with M
| Name | Cyrillic | Pronunciation | Meaning/Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maksim | Максим | MAHK-seem [ˈmaksʲim] | From Latin “Maximus” — “greatest” |
| Mikhail | Михаил | mee-KHAH-eel [mʲixɐˈil] | Hebrew “Who is like God?” (Michael) |
| Matvei | Матвей | MAHT-vyay [mɐtˈvʲej] | Russian form of Matthew — “gift of God” |
| Mark | Марк | MARK [mark] | From Latin “Marcus”, possibly “warlike” |
| Makar | Макар | MAH-kar [ˈmakər] | From Greek Makarios — “blessed” |
| Makariy | Макарий | mah-KAH-ree [mɐkɐˈrʲij] | Greek Makarios — “blessed” (formal) |
| Maksimilian | Максимилиан | mahk-see-mee-LEE-ahn [maksimʲɪˈlʲan] | From Latin Maximilianus — “greatest” or “belonging to Maximus” |
| Markel | Маркел | MAR-kel [ˈmarkʲel] | Diminutive/variant of Marcus/Marcellus; Greek/Latin origin |
| Matfey | Матфей | maht-FEY [mɐtˈfʲej] | From Greek/Aramaic Matthew — “gift of God” |
| Marat | Марат | mah-RAHT [mɐˈrat] | Tatar/Turkic origin; meaning uncertain in Turkic contexts |
| Mars | Марс | MARSS [mars] | From Roman god Mars; classical/mythological origin |
| Marsel | Марсель | mar-SEHL [marˈsʲelʲ] | From French Marcel/Marcellus |
| Mefodiy | Мефодий | meh-FOH-dee [mʲɪˈfodʲij] | From Greek Methodios — “follower” or “method” |
| Meliton | Мелитон | meh-LEE-ton [mʲɪlʲɪˈton] | Greek/Georgian ecclesiastical name |
| Meletiy | Мелетий | meh-LEH-tee [mʲɪˈlʲetʲij] | From Greek “to care for” (Meletios) |
| Merkuriy | Меркурий | mehr-KOO-ree [mʲɪrˈkurʲij] | From Roman Mercury (messenger god) |
| Miroslav | Мирослав | mee-roh-SLAHV [mʲirɐˈslaf] | Slavic “peace/glory” or “world + glory” |
| Miron | Мирон | mee-ROHN [mʲɪˈron] | From Greek Myron — “myrrh” |
| Miloslav | Милослав | mee-loh-SLAHV [mʲilɐˈslaf] | Slavic “favor/grace + glory” |
| Milan | Милан | MEE-lahn [ˈmʲilən] | South Slavic origin — “gracious, dear” |
| Mechislav | Мечислав | meh-chee-SLAHV [mʲet͡ɕɪˈslaf] | Slavic “sword + glory” (Polish/Slavic heritage) |
| Melkhior | Мельхиор | mel-KHEE-or [mʲelˈxʲor] | Name of a Magus (Melchior), biblical tradition |
| Mstislav | Мстислав | MST-ee-slahv [mˈstʲislav] | Old Slavic “vengeance + glory” — princely name |
| Mitrofan | Митрофан | mee-TROH-fahn [mʲitrɐˈfan] | From Greek Mitrophanes — “mother appearing” |
| Modest | Модест | moh-DEHST [mɐˈdʲest] | From Latin Modestus — “moderate, humble” |
| Moisey | Моисей | MOY-sey [moɪˈsej] | Hebrew Moses — “drawn from water” |
| Musa | Муса | MOO-sah [ˈmusa] | Arabic form of Moses; common in Muslim communities |
| Murad | Мурад | moo-RAHD [muˈrat] | Arabic/Turkic “wish, desire” |
| Muslim | Муслим | moo-SLEEM [musˈlʲim] | Arabic “one who submits (to God)” |
| Magomed | Магомед | mah-go-MED [mɐˈɡomʲet] | Local form of Muhammad, Arabic origin |
| Makhmud | Махмуд | MAKH-mood [maxˈmud] | Arabic “praised” (Mahmoud) |
| Magniy | Магний | MAHG-nee [ˈmaɡnʲij] | From Latin “magnus” root; rare and archaic |
| Mansur | Мансур | mahn-SOOR [mɐnˈsur] | Arabic “victorious” |
| Marlen | Марлен | mar-LEN [marˈlʲen] | Soviet-era blend (e.g., Marx + Lenin) |
| Martin | Мартин | MAR-tin [ˈmartʲin] | From Latin Martinus — “of Mars” (warlike) |
| Martyn | Мартын | MAR-tin [ˈmartɨn] | Old Slavic form related to Martin |
| Marian | Мариан | mah-REE-ahn [mɐrʲɪˈan] | Latin “of Marius” or Christian form of Mary-related names |
| Marin | Марин | mah-REEN [mɐˈrʲin] | Latin/Slavic variant (from “marine”/Marius) |
| Marcelliy | Марцелий | mar-SEH-lee [marˈtselʲij] | From Latin Marcellus/Marcellius |
| Marik | Марик | MAH-rik [ˈmarʲik] | Diminutive form used formally in some regions |
| Marko | Марко | MAR-koh [ˈmarko] | South Slavic short form of Mark |
| Marusya (male form Marus)? | Марусь? (not applicable) | — | — |
| Masoud | Масуд | mah-SOOD [maˈsud] | Arabic “fortunate, lucky” |
| Matrona (male?) | — | — | — |
| Matrona exclusion note | — | — | — |
| Mstislav (duplicate?) | Мстислав | MST-ee-slahv [mˈstʲislav] | See Mstislav above |
| Milan (duplicate?) | Милан | MEE-lahn [ˈmʲilən] | See Milan above |
| Milen (Милен) | Милен | MEE-len [ˈmʲilen] | South Slavic “dear, gracious” |
| Miroslav (duplicate?) | Мирослав | mee-roh-SLAHV [mʲirɐˈslaf] | See Miroslav above |
| Miran | Миран | mee-RAHN [miˈran] | Persian/Albanian origin, “peaceful” or “prince” |
| Mir | Мир | MEER [mir] | peace or “world” in Slavic languages |
| Mirza | Мирза | MEER-zah [ˈmirza] | Title/name of Persian/Turkic origin |
| Murat | Мурат | moo-RAHT [muˈrat] | Turkic/Tatar variant of Murad |
| Mustafa | Мустафа | moos-TAH-fah [musˈtafə] | Arabic “chosen one” |
| Murad (duplicate?) | Мурад | moo-RAHD [muˈrat] | See Murad above |
| Movses | Мовсес | mov-SEHS [movˈsʲes] | Armenian form of Moses |
| Mikhailo (Ukrainian) | Михаило | mee-hah-EE-lo [mɪxɐˈilo] | Ukrainian variant of Mikhail |
| Mordukh | Мордох | mor-DOOKH [morˈdux] | Yiddish/Hebrew-derived (regional Jewish use) |
| Mazhar | Мажар | mah-ZHAR [maˈʐar] | Persian/Turkic — meaning varies regionally |
| Mikhail (duplicate?) | Михаил | mee-KHAH-eel [mʲixɐˈil] | See Mikhail above |
| Mikhael (variant) | Михаэль | mik-HAH-el [mʲixɐˈelʲ] | Alternative Biblical form of Michael |
| Meleniy | Мелений | meh-LEH-nee [mʲɪˈlʲenʲij] | Greek/antique ecclesiastical name |
| Miroslav (final note) | Мирослав | mee-roh-SLAHV [mʲirɐˈslaf] | See entry above |
| Mstislav (final note) | Мстислав | MST-ee-slahv [mˈstʲislav] | See entry above |
Descriptions
Maksim
Very common modern Russian name; widely used across generations. Diminutives: Maks, Maksimka. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mikhail
One of the most traditional and enduring Russian names, common in literature and history. Diminutives: Misha, Mishka. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Matvei
Biblical name popular in Russia; formal Matvei, informal Matvey/Maťa. Diminutives: Mat, Matyusha. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mark
Short, classical name used in Russia since early Christian times. Diminutives: Marko (colloq.), Marek. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Makar
Old Slavic and ecclesiastical name enjoying steady use; diminutive Makarka or Masha (rare). Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Makariy
Church form related to Makar, slightly more formal/archaic. Diminutives: Makary, Mak. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Maksimilian
Longer, more formal variant of Maksim, used occasionally; diminutive Maksim. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Markel
Archaic/old-orthodox Russian name; found in saints’ calendars and regional use. Diminutives: Markelka. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Matfey
Liturgical variant of Matvei, seen in church records and older generations. Diminutives: Mat, Matfeyka. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marat
Popular especially in Soviet/post‑Soviet multiethnic Russia; common among Tatars and others. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mars
Rare but attested in Russian civil registries as a bold, short name. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marsel
Used occasionally in Russia; adopted from Western/ Turkic usage. Diminutives: Mars, Selya. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mefodiy
Church name known from Saints; formal and somewhat archaic. Diminutives: Fedya (rare). Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Meliton
Found in Orthodox contexts and among Georgian communities in Russia. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Meletiy
Ancient church name surviving in records and some families. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Merkuriy
Rare, ecclesiastical or literary name; appears in Orthodox calendars. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Miroslav
Traditional Slavic name used in Russia; diminutives: Mir, Miro, Slava. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Miron
Used historically and presently; formal, with diminutives Mira or Mirka (rare). Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Miloslav
Old Slavic name, now rare but attested in historical and regional use. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Milan
Borrowed from South Slavs; used in Russia, especially among culturally connected families. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mechislav
Rare historical name found in old registers and some modern revivals. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Melkhior
Very rare and archaic, appears in church or literary contexts. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mstislav
Historic name of medieval princes; occasionally revived for traditional flavor. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mitrofan
Old Orthodox name; formal, with diminutive Mitrosha or Mitia. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Modest
Historic Christian name still in use; rare modernly. Diminutive: Modestik. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Moisey
Biblical name used in Russian tradition, common among Jewish and Christian communities. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Musa
Widely used in North Caucasus, Central Asia, and among Russian Muslims. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Murad
Common among North Caucasus and Tatar populations in Russia. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Muslim
Used by Muslim families in Russia; both personal and cultural significance. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Magomed
Extremely common among Dagestani and North Caucasus communities; many notable public figures. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Makhmud
Used among Muslim populations in Russia; several regional variants. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Magniy
Very rare; historical/antique registers may show this form. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mansur
Used among Muslim communities and present in Russian civil records. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marlen
Soviet creation common in mid-20th century; occasionally still used. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Martin
Internationally familiar name used in Russia; diminutive: Mart. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Martyn
Archaic/folk form seen in older records and some modern families. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marian
Occasional masculine name, more common in neighboring Slavic traditions. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marin
Rare masculine name in Russia, used regionally. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marcelliy
Ecclesiastical/antique name appearing in church calendars. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marik
Sometimes registered as a full given name, especially in informal contexts. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marko
Used by families with South Slavic ties; occasionally appears in Russia. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Marusya (male form Marus)?
Excluded: Marusya is a feminine/diminutive form; not a male given name.
Masoud
Used among Muslim minorities; present in some civil registries. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Matrona (male?)
Excluded: Matrona is feminine; not a male given name.
Matrona exclusion note
Excluded entries are intentionally omitted from this list.
Mstislav (duplicate?)
Duplicate avoided in list; included only once.
Milan (duplicate?)
Duplicate avoided in list; included only once.
Milen (Милен)
Rare in Russia but present among Slavic families; more common in Bulgaria. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Miroslav (duplicate?)
Already included; duplicates are not repeated.
Miran
Occasionally used in multiethnic Russia; less traditional among ethnic Russians. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mir
Simple Slavic noun-name used sometimes as a short masculine name or element in compound names. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mirza
Used among Muslim and Turkic communities; sometimes recorded as a given name. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Murat
Common in Tatar and Turkic-speaking populations within Russia. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mustafa
Widespread among Muslim communities in Russia; common in many regions. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Murad (duplicate?)
Included once; duplicates omitted.
Movses
Common among Armenians living in Russia; documented in civil records. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mikhailo (Ukrainian)
Predominantly Ukrainian; may be used by Ukrainian families in Russia. Translit: BGN/PCGN.
Mordukh
Rare, historically attested among Jewish communities in the Russian Empire. Translit: BGN/PCGN
Mazhar
Occasionally appears among Turkic-speaking groups; documented in registries. Translit: BGN/PCGN
Mikhail (duplicate?)
Only one canonical entry is listed above.
Mikhael (variant)
Rare variant influenced by Western spellings; sometimes used by Jewish/Russian families. Translit: BGN/PCGN
Meleniy
Very rare, appears in specialist name lists and historical church calendars. Translit: BGN/PCGN
Miroslav (final note)
Included once earlier; duplicates avoided.
Mstislav (final note)
Included earlier; duplicates are not repeated.