Avdey

Avdey (Russian: Авде́й) is an uncommon^[1] Russian male first name.^[2] The Russian language borrowed the name from Byzantine Christianity in the form of Avdiy (А́вдий or Авди́й^[3]), but in the colloquial usage it transformed into "Avdey".^[1] "Avdiy" continued to be a form used by the Russian Orthodox Church, having replaced an earlier form Audiy (Ауди́й).^[3] The name derives either from the Biblical Hebrew obadyā (abdiyāhu), meaning god's slave, god's servant, or from Greek audēis, meaning sonorous, melodious—from the Biblical prophet Obadiah.^[2]

The diminutives of "Avdey" include Ava (А́ва) and Deya (Де́я),^[2] as well as Avdeyka (Авде́йка), Avdya (А́вдя), Avda (А́вда), Avdyukha (Авдю́ха), Avdyusha (Авдю́ша), Avdasha (Авда́ша), Avdyunya (Авдю́ня), Avdusya (Авду́ся), Avdyusya (Авдю́ся), and Adya (А́дя).^[4]

The patronymics derived from "Avdey" are "Авде́евич" (Avdeyevich; masculine) and its colloquial form "Авде́ич" (Avdeich), and "Авде́евна" (Avdeyevna; feminine).^[4]

Last names Avdonin, Avdokhin, Avdoshin, Avdyunin, and Avdyushin all derive from this first name.^[5]