Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "name" in Russian

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

имя

Meaning: name, first name, reputation

Pronunciation: [EE-myah]

Part of speech: noun (neuter noun)

Rank: #284 (see frequency list)

What name did you give to the kitten?
Photo by witigonen, licensed under CC BY 2.0

Example sentences:

Моë пóлное и́мя - Вячеслáв Иванóв. Мне три́дцать пять лет.
My full name is Vyacheslav Ivanov. I am 35 years old.
У ребëнка пока нет и́мени.
The baby doesn't have a name yet.
Назови́те вáши и́мя, фами́лию и óтчество.
Tell your first name, surname and patronymic.
literal Name your name, family name and patronymic.
Я егó знáю тóлько по и́мени.
I know him by name only.
Какóе и́мя вы дáли котëнку?
What name did you give to the kitten?
Обращáйся ко мне по и́мени, пожáлуйста!
Address me by my name, please.
literal Address me by name, please.
Онá былá извéстна под и́менем Петрóвой.
She went under the name of Petrova.
literal She was known by the name of Petrova.
Ф.М.Достоéвский - писáтель с мировы́м и́менем.
F.M. Dostoevsky is famous worldwide.
literal F.M. Dostoevsky is a writer with a world name.
Он сдéлал себé и́мя, занимáясь реклáмой.
He became famous being involved in advertising business.
literal He made his name, making advertisement.
Скажи́те, каки́е кру́пные именá вы знáете в óбласти ру́сской фи́зики?
Tell [me] what great names you know in the field of Russian physics?
В ру́сском языкé именá существи́тельные и прилагáтельные склоня́ются.
In Russian language, nouns and adjectives decline.
Я совéтую тебé поменя́ть и́мя фáйла.
I recommend you to change the file name.
Ты ужé посети́л Музéй и́мени Пу́шкина в Москвé?
Have you already visited the Pushkin museum in Moscow?
literal Have you already visited the Museum of Pushkin name in Moscow?
Мóжно ли приобрести́ кварти́ру на и́мя другóго человéка?
Is it possible to acquire a flat on behalf of another person?
Расскáз ведëтся от и́мени охóтника.
The story is told on behalf of a hunter.
literal The story is told from the hunter's name.

Idioms and set expressions:

Во и́мя = In the name of
На и́мя = Addressed to
literal To the name
От и́мени = On behalf of, for
literal From the name of
От моегó и́мени = On ny behalf
literal From my name
Под и́менем = Under the name of
Давáть-дать и́мя = Name, give a name
Назывáть вéщи свои́ми именáми = Сall things by their proper names
literal Call things by their own names
Сдéлать себé и́мя = Make a name for oneself
и́менем закóна = In the name of the law

Related words:

фами́лия = surname
óтчество = patronymic
назвáние = name (things and phenomena)
именнóй = personal
и́мечко = name (ironic, diminutive)

Proverbs and sayings:

С и́менем Ивáн, без и́мени - болвáн.
If he has a name, he is Ivan, if he doesn't he is a blockhead.
literal With a name Ivan, without a name a blockhead.
Cын не роди́лся, а уж ему́ и́мя дáли.
Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.
literal The son is not born yet, but they already gave him a name.
Во и́мя отцá, cы́на и святóго ду́ха.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Что в и́мени тебé моëм? (А.С.Пушкин)
What's my name for you? (A.S.Pushkin)

Other forms of the word (declensions):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	и́мя	имена́
Genitive	и́мени	имён
Dative	и́мени	имена́м
Accusative	и́мя	имена́
Instrumental	и́менем	имена́ми
Prepositional	и́мени	имена́х

Vocabulary lesson: By Russificate blog exclusively for MasterRussian

Phrase recordings: Copyright(c) 2011 MasterRussian.com. All rights reserved.
Word recordings: Copyright(c) 2006 Streit Goulnara, Streit Eric, Vion Nicolas. Copyright(c) 2007 S. Sakhno, N. Vion. Distributed under CC-BY.

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