Each Sunday, in replacement of the usual Name of the Day newsletter, we will be featuring a Name of the Week chosen by you!
The Name of the Week will be selected through the “name of the day” thread over on the forums, where you can share a name you are feeling inspired by or loving a little extra that day. One name nominated on the thread each week — determined by what names are getting the most likes — will be featured in this weekly series
This week’s Name of the Week was nominated by @readingreverie!
Misha is a diminutive name traditionally used as a nickname for Mikhail — the Russian form of Biblical Michael, meaning “who is like God?”.
Misha is also a common colloquialism for “bear” in Russian, due to the name’s similarity with the standard Russian word for bear, медведь (medved'), a word which speaking out loud was tabooed due to superstitious thinking that doing so would cause the animal to come and attack.
Russian fairy tales feature several anthropomorphic bears who are always named Misha.
Also spelled Mischa, the name has historically been masculine only in all spellings and variations. However, actress Mischa Barton has changed the trajectory.
In 2022, 105 baby girls and only 26 baby boys were given the name Misha in the US.
Other Russian diminutives with an attractive flair include Sasha (a diminutive for Alexander, Alexandra, and the like) and Pasha (a diminutive for Pavel)
In case you missed these Names of the Day:
Name of the Day: Dinah
American singer and actress Dinah Shore — born Frances “Fanny" Rose Shore — passed away on February 24, 1994 at the age of 77. Shore would often sing the popular song “Dinah” in her auditions, thus earning her the nickname “Dinah girl”, and eventually becoming her official stage name.
Name of the Day: Quincy
John Quincy Adams passed away on February 23, 1848 at the age of 80. The oldest son of the 2nd US President — John Adams — John Quincy Adams entered the political world himself and became the 6th President of the United States. Adams’ distinguishing middle name, Quincy, was taken from his maternal grandfather —