Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Victor Khomenko on March 08, 2000 at 13:01:04:

In Reply to: what is pretentious about Slava? I'm 2nd gen US. (nt) posted by A. Sidorowicz on March 08, 2000 at 09:47:30:

Name Slava is not used in good Russian in any official realm. It is hard to relay the nuances, but this is how your mother calls you when you are ten, perhaps your wife and your mother-in-law - it is a cute little boy's name. This form of first name has been used in some sub-cultures (Odessa criminal world, for instance) and underworld. It doesn't seem to belong in the film credits. It simply dissonates sharply in the official world where full names are used. It is just too cute for being cure sake.

Perhaps the only notable exception is the famous violinist - but he is simply too great to be argued with. Even his name, however, usually raises eyenrows when first heard. Normally people would call him Yakov.

In short, names like Slava, Sasha, Vitya, Vova, Misha, Petya, usually create a smile and questions, if used as part of an oficial introduction. In a popular satirical novel the authors use the name Pasha instead of a proper Pavel with great impact.

I can't find a real analog in English, but perhaps Billie-boy would give you some idea.