Russian baby names go international

MOSCOW, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Russian parents are naming their children with an eye toward fashion, faith and immigration, government officials reported.

Moscow's city registry office reported 2011's most popular names for boys in Russia were Alexander, Maxim and Dmitry -- while Anastasia, Maria and Darya led the list for girls. Each is easily pronounceable and easy to translate into the language of whatever country the children find themselves working when they're older.

There were 173 Emilies, 77 Angelicas and 362 Angelinas born in Moscow in 2011 -- names foreign-sounding in Russian -- the ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

Gone are the days of relying on politically correct ideology to choose children's names -- like "Myuda," after International Youth Day, or "Perkosrak," translated as "first space rocket."

"The name of our daughter was chosen by my husband," said Anastasia Dodonova of her year-old daughter Emily. "He hopes that someday our children will live or study abroad."

Anastasia Melentieva, mother of Emma and Fyodor, said, "Emma is one of the most popular names in Britain and the United States."

Fyodor translates to Theodore, "so if we change our place of residence, our children will find it easy to become part of international society."