skater nicknames and what fans call skaters

This thread was born out of a conversation about Diana Davis in Alina Zagitova's Fan Fest.

hippomoomin had commented about how much Diana looks like her mother (Eteri Tutberidze), and in reply russianfan posted a link to a video about the nicknames of Russian skaters, which said that Diana's nickname is actually “Eteri Junior”.

Unfortunately, the video was entirely in Cyrillic, with no translation. But, AKTKN very kindly offered to translate the video.

And that started me thinking. Back in the 2011-12 season, there was a thread on here about skaters' nicknames. So, perhaps it was time for a new edition.

So, to start, below are the translations of two videos containing the nicknames of Russian skaters.

All translations were done by AKTKN

I should warn you: Having read through the lists, I am starting to think that some of these are not the skaters' actual nicknames, but rather what they are called by members of Russian fora. Because some of them are more than a bit tongue-in-cheek, and I just cannot imagine somebody using these particular ones to the person’s face. (Well, not if they don’t want to get slapped!)

But, it is still very interesting to read through.

! - marks those which have some video clues


Ladies ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAYMIutCGhc )

[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Translation[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Cyrillic[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Name[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Nickname[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Name[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Nickname[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Stanislava Konstantinova[/TD]
[TD]Goose ! ("Goose" card on her forehead)[/TD]
[TD]Станислава Константинова[/TD]
[TD]Гусь ![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Elena Radionova[/TD]
[TD]Cipollino[/TD]
[TD]Елена Радионова[/TD]
[TD]Чиполлино[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alina Zagitova[/TD]
[TD]Hamster, Panther[/TD]
[TD]Алина Загитова[/TD]
[TD]Хомяк, Пантера[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Polina Tsurskaya[/TD]
[TD]Grechka (Buckwheat, Greek?), Tsurya[/TD]
[TD]Полина Цурская[/TD]
[TD]Гречка, Цуря[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Amina Atakhanova[/TD]
[TD]Anima[/TD]
[TD]Амина Атаханова[/TD]
[TD]Анима[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anastasia Lavrina[/TD]
[TD]Chipmunk[/TD]
[TD]Анастасия Лаврина[/TD]
[TD]Бурундук[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alexandra Boikova[/TD]
[TD]Jar Jar Binks ![/TD]
[TD]Александра Бойкова[/TD]
[TD]Джа Джа Бинкс ![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ekaterina Mitrofanova[/TD]
[TD]Insider[/TD]
[TD]Екатерина Митрофанова[/TD]
[TD]Инсайдер[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anastasia Gubanova[/TD]
[TD]Guban (One with big lips)[/TD]
[TD]Анастасия Губанова[/TD]
[TD]Губан[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anastasia Kolomiets[/TD]
[TD]Kolo, Arrow[/TD]
[TD]Анастасия Коломиец[/TD]
[TD]Коло, Стрелка[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Vasilisa Davankova[/TD]
[TD]Gerontophil[/TD]
[TD]Василиса Даванкова[/TD]
[TD]Геронтофилка[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Diana Jumaeva[/TD]
[TD]Juma, Panda[/TD]
[TD]Диана Джумаева[/TD]
[TD]Джумай, Панда[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Diana Davis[/TD]
[TD]Eteri Junior[/TD]
[TD]Диана Дэвис[/TD]
[TD]Eteri Junior[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alisa Efimova[/TD]
[TD]Alice, Finca (Finnish, Finnish knife?)[/TD]
[TD]Алиса Ефимова[/TD]
[TD]Элис, Финка[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Elena Ilinykh[/TD]
[TD]* Censorship *[/TD]
[TD]Елена Ильиных[/TD]
[TD]*Цензура*[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alsu Kayumova[/TD]
[TD]Desu[/TD]
[TD]Алсу Каюмова[/TD]
[TD]Десу[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lina Fedorova[/TD]
[TD]Linych, 1.5, SixtyNine[/TD]
[TD]Лина Федорова[/TD]
[TD]Линыч, Полторашка, СикстиНайн[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Victoria Bezrukova[/TD]
[TD]Single (Loner?)[/TD]
[TD]Виктория Безрукова[/TD]
[TD]Одиночка[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lina Kudryavtseva[/TD]
[TD]Crooked Teeth[/TD]
[TD]Лина Кудрявцева[/TD]
[TD]Кривозубик[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Julia Lipnitskaya[/TD]
[TD]Lipa (Lime)[/TD]
[TD]Юлия Липницкая[/TD]
[TD]Липа[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alisa Lozko[/TD]
[TD]Neko[/TD]
[TD]Алиса Лозко[/TD]
[TD]Neko[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anastasia Roslyakova[/TD]
[TD]Snort-Snort[/TD]
[TD]Анастасия Рослякова[/TD]
[TD]Фыр-Фыр[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Evgenia Medvedev[/TD]
[TD]Bear, Mushroom (got her score overbuffed?), Moonish, Sailor Moon[/TD]
[TD]Евгения Медведева[/TD]
[TD]Медведь, Грибница, Лунная, Сейлор Мун[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Maria Sotskova[/TD]
[TD]Watto !(look alike?)[/TD]
[TD]Мария Сотскова[/TD]
[TD]Watto ![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Elizaveta Tuktamysheva[/TD]
[TD]Tuktik, Sausage[/TD]
[TD]Елизавета Туктамышева[/TD]
[TD]Туктик, Сосиска[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Victoria Nosikova[/TD]
[TD]Rebel[/TD]
[TD]Виктория Носикова[/TD]
[TD]Бунтарка[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Elizaveta Nugumanova[/TD]
[TD]Nougat, Princess, Carp[/TD]
[TD]Елизавета Нугуманова[/TD]
[TD]Нуга, Принцесса, Карась[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Elena Pavlova[/TD]
[TD]Little Sparrow[/TD]
[TD]Елена Павлова[/TD]
[TD]Воробушек[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daria Panenkova[/TD]
[TD]Panic, Crunch-Crunch[/TD]
[TD]Дарья Паненкова[/TD]
[TD]Паник, Хрум-Хрум[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Diana Pervushkina[/TD]
[TD]Xena[/TD]
[TD]Диана Первушкина[/TD]
[TD]Зена[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anna Pogorilaya[/TD]
[TD]Pogo, Kit-Kat[/TD]
[TD]Анна Погорилая[/TD]
[TD]Пого, Кит-Кат[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anastasia Poluyanova[/TD]
[TD]Polyana[/TD]
[TD]Анастасия Полуянова[/TD]
[TD]Поляна[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alexandra Proklova[/TD]
[TD]Omen, Satan, Mini Mouse[/TD]
[TD]Александра Проклова[/TD]
[TD]Омен, Сатана, Мини Маус[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Serafima Sahanovich[/TD]
[TD]Sima, Little Sugar, Khalisi[/TD]
[TD]Серафима Саханович[/TD]
[TD]Сима, Сахарочек, Кхалиси[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alina Solovyova[/TD]
[TD]Soloveyka (Nightingale), Toad[/TD]
[TD]Алина Соловьёва[/TD]
[TD]Соловейка, Жаба[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Adelina Sotnikova[/TD]
[TD]Delya, Sotka (Hundred)[/TD]
[TD]Аделина Сотникова[/TD]
[TD]Деля, Сотка[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daria Susha[/TD]
[TD]Chakki, Resin[/TD]
[TD]Дарья Суша[/TD]
[TD]Чакки, Смола[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Guys ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNqPD3Ho6Xw )

[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Translation[/TD]
[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Cyrillic[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Name[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Nickname[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Name[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Nickname[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Maxim Trankov[/TD]
[TD]Insolent[/TD]
[TD]Максим Траньков[/TD]
[TD]Борзый[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alexander Smirnov[/TD]
[TD]Grandfather[/TD]
[TD]Александр Смирнов[/TD]
[TD]Дедуля[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dmitry Kozlovsky[/TD]
[TD]Danila[/TD]
[TD]Дмитрий Козловский[/TD]
[TD]Данила[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Vladimir Samoylov[/TD]
[TD]Homunculus, Buckwheat[/TD]
[TD]Владимир Самойлов[/TD]
[TD]Гомункул, Греча[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alexander Samarin[/TD]
[TD]Ivanushka, Samara[/TD]
[TD]Александр Самарин[/TD]
[TD]Иванушка, Самара[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Adian Pitkeev[/TD]
[TD]Whiner[/TD]
[TD]Адьян Питкеев[/TD]
[TD]Нытик[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dmitry Sopot[/TD]
[TD]Shovel, Pal Palych !(some mem with finger in it)[/TD]
[TD]Дмитрий Сопот[/TD]
[TD]Лопата, Пал Палыч ![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alexander Petrov[/TD]
[TD]Partymaker[/TD]
[TD]Александр Петров[/TD]
[TD]Патимейкер[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Mikhail Kolyada[/TD]
[TD]Siberian, Tomato[/TD]
[TD]Михаил Коляда[/TD]
[TD]Сибиряк, Помидор[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Maxim Kovtun[/TD]
[TD]Laker, Martyr, Palych (Patronymic)[/TD]
[TD]Максим Ковтун[/TD]
[TD]Лакер, Мученик, Палыч[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alexey Erokhov[/TD]
[TD]Dangerous ![/TD]
[TD]Алексей Ерохов[/TD]
[TD]Опасный[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fedor Klimov[/TD]
[TD]Intelligent[/TD]
[TD]Фёдор Климов[/TD]
[TD]Интеллигент[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Nikita Katsalapov[/TD]
[TD]Brad Pitt[/TD]
[TD]Никита Кацалапов[/TD]
[TD]Бред Питт[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Peter Humenmen[/TD]
[TD]Barbaris[/TD]
[TD]Пётр Гуменник[/TD]
[TD]Барбарис[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sergey Voronov[/TD]
[TD]Dianochka ! (Little Diana / Hello Dianochka, I'm also Dianochka)[/TD]
[TD]Сергей Воронов[/TD]
[TD]Дианочка ! (привет Дианочка, я тоже Дианочка)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Nikita Volodin[/TD]
[TD]Juan Roman Riquelme[/TD]
[TD]Никита Володин[/TD]
[TD]Хуан Роман Рикельме[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dmitry Aliev[/TD]
[TD]Wolverine, Yakut[/TD]
[TD]Дмитрий Алиев[/TD]
[TD]Росомаха, Якут[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ilya Skirda[/TD]
[TD]Alfa (pretending to be Alfa?)[/TD]
[TD]Илья Скирда[/TD]
[TD]Альфач[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ilya Spiridonov[/TD]
[TD]Traitor[/TD]
[TD]Илья Спиридонов[/TD]
[TD]Предатель[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

So, has anybody got any other (*real*) nicknames of skaters?

CaroLiza_fan

P.S. One particular translation has just made me decide that now would be a good time to post another thread that I have been saving up for the past few weeks…

I don't know if this is Elvis Stojko's real nickname but.......me and my group of friends called him "Sparkplug" He was powerful, compact, and full of energy. That's a name I would give to Max Arron as well.

CaroLiza_fan said:

I should warn you: Having read through the lists, I am starting to think that some of these are not the skaters' actual nicknames, but rather what they are called by members of Russian fora. Because some of them are more than a bit tongue-in-cheek, and I just cannot imagine somebody using these particular ones to the person’s face. (Well, not if they don’t want to get slapped!)

Click to expand...

Indeed. You can see in the video how shocked Zagitova and Gubanova were.

CaroLiza_fan said:

So, has anybody got any other (*real*) nicknames of skaters?

Click to expand...

It seems they call each other mostly by name or surname. I don't remember anyone using actual nickname.

And sorry for leaving all the formating to you. It looks great.

AKTKN said:

Indeed. You can see in the video how shocked Zagitova and Gubanova were.

Click to expand...

Ah! That's what Zagitova's reaction was about! I didn't realise (English speaker here ).

As for Gubanova, yeah, now that I know what it means, I totally understand why she was annoyed. But, to a non-Russian speaker, it did seem like the obvious thing to use as a nickname for her (shortened version of her real surname).

AKTKN said:

It seems they call each other mostly by name or surname. I don't remember anyone using actual nickname.

Click to expand...

Just like us when we are trying to be formal.

AKTKN said:

And sorry for forcing all the formating upon you. It looks great.

Click to expand...

No need to apologise. I just thought that if the OP looked too long that it was scare people from reading it. So, that is why I combined turned your four lists into two tables.

Not sure if it will look great when the advert is inserted, though...

CaroLiza_fan

CaroLiza_fan said:

Ah! That's what Zagitova's reaction was about! I didn't realise (English speaker here ).
CaroLiza_fan

Click to expand...

She was saying :"I am not a hamster"

CaroLiza_fan said:

I should warn you: Having read through the lists, I am starting to think that some of these are not the skaters' actual nicknames, but rather what they are called by members of Russian fora. Because some of them are more than a bit tongue-in-cheek, and I just cannot imagine somebody using these particular ones to the person’s face. (Well, not if they don’t want to get slapped!)

Click to expand...

exactly i would say most of those "nicknames" used just to make fun of a skater, criticize her/him, or to insult her/his fans. Still funny though. Also you can notice that the more the skater has achieved the more respectful nicknames are becoming

P.S. also for those who don't know why Pogo has "Kit-Kat" nickname - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DSN4bicRDo
(basically she was trying to make a joke when she was asked about Lipnitskaya withdraw from competition - "she just made a break... ate Kit-Kat, you know" )

Voronov - Dianochka - cracked me up

russianfan said:

P.S. also for those who don't know why Pogo has "Kit-Kat" nickname - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DSN4bicRDo
(basically she was trying to make a joke when she was asked about Lipnitskaya withdraw from competition - "she just made a break... ate Kit-Kat, you know" )

Click to expand...

That comment was as funny and proper as her 2017 Worlds performance. :sarcasm:
Her former rink-partner Julia was in pain and despair, while she was making jokes about her in front of cameras, only because she didn't like the media attention being directed at somebody else. "Why do you ask about her? I won! Me, me, me!"
That was the day I've lost much of my respect to Anna. :scowl:

Some of the Japanese skaters' real nicknames (that I know of)

Shizuka Arakawa - Shii-chan
Akiko Suzuki - Akko
Kanako Murakami - Kana
Yukari Nakano - Yukarin
Satoko Miyahara - Satton
Wakaba Higuchi - Wakababy
Daisuke Takahashi - Dai-chan
Yuzuru Hanyu - Yuzu-kun
Tatsuki Machida - Macchi

ioanna said:

Some of the Japanese skaters' real nicknames (that I know of)

Shizuka Arakawa - Shii-chan
Akiko Suzuki - Akko
Kanako Murakami - Kana
Yukari Nakano - Yukarin
Satoko Miyahara - Satton
Wakaba Higuchi - Wakababy
Daisuke Takahashi - Dai-chan
Yuzuru Hanyu - Yuzu-kun
Tatsuki Machida - Macchi

Click to expand...

There are many nicknames for foreign skaters in the comment under OP video, for instance: Marin - Няшка (Babe) and Satoko - Читоко (Cheatoko).

tars said:

There are many nicknames for foreign skaters in the comment under OP video, for instance: Marin - Няшка (Babe) and Satoko - Читоко (Cheatoko).

Click to expand...

yeah... so funny
Dabin Choi - "NotYuna"

tars said:

There are many nicknames for foreign skaters in the comment under OP video, for instance: Marin - Няшка (Babe) and Satoko - Читоко (Cheatoko).

Click to expand...

I thought the thread was about real nicknames so I didn't bother checking, much less attempting to translate the comments under the OP video. But thanks to your heads-up, now I know they're all derogatory and/or age inappropriate so I can stay away. :agree:

To show some positive nicknames, Ashley Wagner calls her friend Madison Chock "the Glamazon," in this Ask Me Anything another site interview. She says Marissa Castelli is the "Fun Hot Mess" of the group. Ashley, Marissa and Madison have been friends for years and room together at competitions.

https://www.another site.com/r/IAmA/comments/6smpdt/want_to_get_inside_the_mind_of_an_elite_olympic/

I think this is a fun idea for a thread, CaroLizaFan.

Scott Moir referred to Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron as G & G when talking to Patrice in the SD KnC at NHK.

Zhenya. I may not have spelled that right but that nickname confuses me. I think I have seen it on the boards referring to Plushenko, Medvedeva and Radionova. I would appreciate it if someone could clarify.

lynneheintz said:

Zhenya. I may not have spelled that right but that nickname confuses me. I think I have seen it on the boards referring to Plushenko, Medvedeva and Radionova. I would appreciate it if someone could clarify.

Click to expand...

"Zhenya" is a nickname in Russian for either Evgeni, or Evgenia. The name translates to English as Eugene, or Eugenie. The soft "G" sound occurs at the beginning in the nickname "Zhenya." Once I realized that last bit, it all made sense to me. I don't know whether Evgeni and Evgenia are pronounced in Russian with hard "G" sound or soft "G" sound, but I'm guessing soft. Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Radionova's given name is Elena, and I believe some call her Lena or Lenok.

I think Masha is a common use for Maria. I know Maria B. was called Masha at times. I guess it's kind of like going from Kathrine to Kate.

lynneheintz said:

Zhenya. I may not have spelled that right but that nickname confuses me. I think I have seen it on the boards referring to Plushenko, Medvedeva and Radionova. I would appreciate it if someone could clarify.

Click to expand...

Evgenia (Евгения), Evgeni (Евгений)---> Zhenya (Женя) like John----> Johnny, Joseph----> Joe, etc.

skylark said:

"Zhenya" is a nickname in Russian for either Evgeni, or Evgenia. The name translates to English as Eugene, or Eugenie. The soft "G" sound occurs at the beginning in the nickname "Zhenya." Once I realized that last bit, it all made sense to me. I don't know whether Evgeni and Evgenia are pronounced in Russian with hard "G" sound or soft "G" sound, but I'm guessing soft. Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Radionova's given name is Elena, and I believe some call her Lena or Lenok.

Click to expand...

If you want to know, how to pronounce them, I recommend you to use Google Translater. "Женя. Евгения. Евгений."
Zhenya and Lena are standart shortcuts for Evgeina and Elena and you can actually use them unless the person you speak with is much older than you. Lenok should probably be reserved for friends.

mrrice said:

I think Masha is a common use for Maria. I know Maria B. was called Masha at times. I guess it's kind of like going from Kathrine to Kate.

Click to expand...

Masha it is....and it's one of the names like Katya, Lena, Sasha, Zhenya, Alyosha that appear frequently in Russian children's reading primers.

Masha and the Bear a well known folktale, but there is also Masha and the 3 bears...

Masha and the Bear has been rebooted into a hysterically, wild animated children's series ...available in English on Netflix...

https://www.youtube.com/user/MashaBearEN