This list includes 27 Russian boy names that start with P, from “Pafnutiy” to “Pyotr”. These names range from rare historical choices to modern favorites, useful for parents, writers, and genealogists.
Russian boy names that start with P are male given names beginning with the letter P. Many come from Slavic roots or from Orthodox saint names, such as “Pyotr” (Peter).
Below you’ll find the table with Name (Latin), Cyrillic, Pronunciation, and Meaning/Origin.
Name (Latin): The standard English transliteration helps you read and sort names, and compare variants at a glance.
Cyrillic: Shows the original Russian spelling so you recognize forms in records, signs, or Cyrillic sources.
Pronunciation: A simple respelling (plus optional IPA) guides you to say each name correctly and confidently.
Meaning/Origin: Brief notes explain the name’s root or story, helping you choose based on meaning or heritage.
Russian boy names that start with P
| Name (Latin) | Cyrillic | Pronunciation | Meaning/Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pavel | Павел | PAH-vel (ˈpavʲel) | Latin Paulus, “small” |
| Pyotr | Пётр | PYO-tr (ˈpʲɵtr) | Greek Petros, “rock, stone” |
| Platon | Платон | PLA-ton (ˈplatən) | Greek, from Plato (broad-shouldered) |
| Pakhom | Пахом | pah-KHOM (pɐˈxom) | Coptic/Greek Pachomius, monastic founder |
| Panteleimon | Пантелеймон | pan-teh-LAY-mon (pantʲelʲejˈmon) | Greek, “all-compassionate” |
| Panteley | Пантелей | pan-teh-LAY (pantʲelʲej) | Short form of Panteleimon |
| Parfen | Парфен | PAR-fen (ˈparfʲen) | Greek Parthenios, “virginal” |
| Pafnutiy | Пафнутий | paf-NOO-tee (pɐfˈnutʲij) | Greek Paphnutius (possibly Egyptian) |
| Panafiy | Панафий | pa-NAH-fee (pənɐˈfʲij) | Greek Panafius, ecclesiastical name |
| Parfeny (Parfeniy) | Парфений | par-FEH-nee (pɐrˈfʲenʲij) | Greek Parthenios, variant form |
| Pitirim | Питирим | pee-tee-REEM (pʲitʲɪˈrim) | Greek/early Christian origin |
| Pimen | Пимен | PEE-men (ˈpʲimʲen) | Greek ποιμήν (poimēn), “shepherd” |
| Prokopiy | Прокопий | pro-KOH-pee (prəkɐˈpʲij) | Greek Procopius, “advance; progress” |
| Prokhor | Прохор | pro-KHOR (prɐˈxor) | Greek Prochorus, early Christian deacon |
| Prokofiy | Прокофий | pro-KOH-fee (prəkɐˈfʲij) | Greek/Latin Procopius variant |
| Prokl | Прокл | PRO-kl (prokl) | Greek Proclus, ancient saint’s name |
| Polikarp | Поликарп | po-li-KARP (pəlʲiˈkarp) | Greek Polycarp, “much fruit” |
| Pankrat | Панкрат | PAN-krat (ˈpankrat) | Greek Pancras, “all-powerful” |
| Protas | Протас | PRO-tas (ˈprotas) | Greek Protasius/Protasius variant |
| Potap | Потап | po-TAP (pɐˈtap) | Greek Potapios, ecclesiastical name |
| Pompey | Помпей | pom-PAY (pɐmˈpej) | Latin Pompeius, ancient name |
| Pomponiy | Помпоний | pom-POH-nee (pəmˈponʲij) | Latin/Greek Pomponius |
| Protasy | Протасий | pro-TA-see (prɐˈtasʲij) | Greek Protasius, ecclesiastical name |
| Pravoslav | Православ | prav-OH-slav (pravɐˈslaf) | Slavic, “right/true glory” |
| Pavlin | Павлин | PAV-lin (ˈpavlʲin) | From Pavel (diminutive/variant) |
| Platoniy | Платоний | pla-toh-NEE (platɐˈnʲij) | Greek, derivative of Platon |
| Pinchas (Pinhas) — note: transliteration from Hebrew appears in Russian as Пинхас | Пинхас | pin-KHAS (pʲinˈxas) | Hebrew origin, used by Russian Jews |
Descriptions
Pavel
Very common Russian name used today; classic Christian name. Diminutives: Pasha, Pavlik. Popular in civil registry and church calendars; sources: civil statistics, name dictionaries, saints’ calendar.
Pyotr
One of Russia’s oldest and most enduring names (Peter). Diminutives: Petya. Frequent in history and modern registers; sources: civil registry, historical records, saints’ calendar.
Platon
Used historically and occasionally today; literary and ecclesiastical presence. Diminutives rare. Sources: name dictionaries, church menology, literary records.
Pakhom
Orthodox name of monastic origin; uncommon but attested. Diminutive: Pakhomka. Sources: saints’ calendar, monastic records, name dictionaries.
Panteleimon
Church name associated with Saint Panteleimon; formal and liturgical usage. Short form Panteley common. Sources: saints’ calendar, ecclesiastical records.
Panteley
Used as a standalone given name in Russia; familiar and liturgical. Diminutives: Pantey. Sources: church records, name dictionaries.
Parfen
Archaic/rare Russian name, found in saints’ lists and historical registers. Sometimes appears as Парфений (Parfeniy). Sources: saints’ calendar, historical name dictionaries.
Pafnutiy
Traditional, somewhat rare; known from historical figures (e.g., Pafnutiy Chebyshev). Sources: historical records, name dictionaries, saints’ calendar.
Panafiy
Rare Orthodox name, mainly liturgical or historical. Sources: church menology, name dictionaries.
Parfeny (Parfeniy)
Formal -ий variant of Парфен; mainly found in church lists and older records. Sources: saints’ calendar, historical registries.
Pitirim
Monastic and ecclesiastical name, rare in modern civil use. Known from saints and bishop lists. Sources: church records, name dictionaries.
Pimen
Liturgical/monastic name; uncommon but attested in Orthodox tradition. Sources: saints’ calendar, ecclesiastical histories.
Prokopiy
Historic and ecclesiastical name; appears in records and saints’ lists. Diminutive: Prosha (rare). Sources: saints’ calendar, historical documents.
Prokhor
Used historically and in clerical contexts; modest modern usage. Diminutives: Prosha (colloquial). Sources: church menology, name dictionaries.
Prokofiy
Traditional Russian form; seen historically and in Orthodox lists. Less common today. Sources: historical registries, church calendars.
Prokl
Rare, archaic name preserved in ecclesiastical and hagiographic sources. Sources: saints’ calendar, medieval records.
Polikarp
Historic Christian name borne by martyrs and bishops; rare in modern civil use. Sources: saints’ calendar, historical documents.
Pankrat
Older/rare name in Russia, often found in saints’ lists and historical records. Sources: church menology, name dictionaries.
Protas
Occasional historical usage; rare today. Sources: historical registries, saints’ calendar.
Potap
Traditional, somewhat rare; appears in folk and church records. Diminutive: Potapka. Sources: name dictionaries, church records.
Pompey
Very rare but historically attested in Russian tradition and hagiography. Sources: historical chronicles, saints’ calendar.
Pomponiy
Obscure and rare; mainly found in ecclesiastical lists and historical sources. Sources: church menology, historical name dictionaries.
Protasy
Rare, used in Orthodox contexts and historical records. Sources: saints’ calendar, archival registries.
Pravoslav
Historic Slavic compound name; very rare in modern Russia, seen in medieval chronicles and ecclesiastical texts. Sources: historical records, name dictionaries.
Pavlin
Rare variant of Pavel, attested historically and in regional use. Sources: parish registers, name dictionaries.
Platoniy
Very uncommon variant of Platon; appears in older ecclesiastical lists. Sources: saints’ calendar, historical name records.
Pinchas (Pinhas) — note: transliteration from Hebrew appears in Russian as Пинхас
Used among Russian-speaking Jewish communities; not Slavic in origin but attested in Russia. Sources: community records, ethnographic studies.