Shura

Shura is a Russian and East Slavic diminutive of the name Aleksandr (masculine) or Aleksandra (feminine), ultimately rooted in the ancient Greek Alexandros, composed of alexein, meaning to defend or protect, and aner, meaning man. As a hypocoristic form, it has long been used as an affectionate everyday name across Russia and neighboring Slavic countries. The full form Aleksandr traces to Alexander the Great, whose conquests spread the name throughout Europe and Asia. Related forms include Sasha, Sanya, and Alesha, all serving as informal variants of the same Greek-derived root.