Masha

Masha is a Russian and general Slavic diminutive of Maria, which derives from the Hebrew Miryam, a name of debated meaning but often interpreted as "beloved," "sea of bitterness," or "drop of the sea." It became widely used across Eastern Europe as an affectionate everyday form of the formal name and is deeply embedded in Russian literary and folk culture, appearing as a character name in works by Pushkin and Chekhov. The name is closely related to Manya, Marusya, and Mashenka, all diminutive variants within the same tradition, and corresponds to cognates such as Marie, Mary, and Maria across other European languages.