[somenameforme]

With different transliteration that one at least makes sense. Nikolay = Kolya. But one that'll send most non-Russian speakers for a loop is Alexander = Sasha. It's like Richard = Dick, though there there's at least a rule that makes that one make sense (a rhyme with a shortened name so Richard -> Rick -> Dick, William -> Will -> Bill, etc). I wonder why it didn't just end up as Lexa, which would fit the other patterns for Russian names/diminutives.

[orthoxerox]

The "-sha" pattern is relatively consistent: Pavel-Pasha, Mikhail-Misha, Natalya-Natasha, Nikolay-Nikolasha, Alexey-Alyosha, Mariya-Masha, Ilya-Ilyusha.

So, Aleksandr-Aleksasha. The dropping of "Alek" is the only inconsistent part, on par with Agrippina-Agrusha-Grusha.

[LearnYouALisp]

Interesting, never heard 'Nikolasha' once

[chokolad]

> Interesting, never heard 'Nikolasha' once

It's archaic, used in Peter I times. Modern one is Kolya

[yurish]

It is not common. Usually you say Kolya.

[pavel_lishin]

Ditto.

[maxgashkov]

Lexa (to be more precise, Lyoha) is a shortened version of Alexey (Aleksei); but if it wasn't reserved for that, Lyoha sounds a bit rude (and a more gentle version akin to Sasha would be Lyosha).

[pavel_lishin]

> I wonder why it didn't just end up as Lexa

One of the potential diminuitives for "Aleksandr" is indeed "Lesha", although I think it's more common as a diminuitive for "Aleksei"?

[yurish]

Never heard anyone using "Lesha" for "Aleksandr". It is always "Aleksei".

[childofhedgehog]

Because Lexa is short for Alexei, not Alexander!

[wolfreiser]

Sometimes people also confuse Vlad with Vladimir, but it's actually Vladislav. Vladimir would be Vova.