Why is Marat Safin's sister called Dinara Safina and not Dinara Safin?

Answer 1

The ending depends on the form of the last name, not whether it's from the husband or father, so it doesn't really matter if it is a maiden name or acquired through marriage. So Петрова will always be Петрова for a female.

1) Endings -ов, -ев, -ин will always get and -a at the end for females. Their origin (both male and female) is from genitive case (possession). Петров сын or Петрова дочь mean Peter's son or Peter's daughter.

2) The ending -ий, -ый, -ой will change their ending as if they are adjectives. These adjective-like surnames are less common in Russia, than in Poland and some other Slavic countries. Polish names with adjective-like ending will follow the same rule in Russian. To be exact Polish endings are not the same as Russian.

Surnames Петровский, Калиновский, Новый, Большой will become Петровская, Калиновская, Новая, Большая (but compare with Polish: Kalinowski - Kalinowska - I highlighted the ending, not the stressed vowels)

The surnames that do not add anything and don't change are the ones that don't fall into the 2 categories, even if they have Russian or Slavic origin. Most foreign names, ending in anything (vowel or consonant) will not change for females:

E.g. Бондарчук, Сердюк, Кулеш, Восьмак, etc. will not change.
Анатолий - أناتولي - 阿纳托利 - アナトーリー - 아나톨리

Answer 2

It's a Russian surname thing. It's common for all russians. Safin and Safina are just one example. Try Maria Sharapova, her dad is called Mr. Sharapov. I guess it's so they can distinguish between a woman and man.

Answer 3

Hi
Russian people add a to the last name of the female.
That is why it is Dinara Safina and Nadyia Petrova ...
Thank you.

Answer 4

even i have thought about it?
i think dinara safina ..both the words ends with "a" that might be the thing are some kind of numbering game

Answer 5

Because it must be so in Eastern Europe. Maria Sharapova's dad is Yuri Sharapov.

Answer 6

Because she's female. Martina Navratilova would have been Navratilov had she been (born) a man. The "a" is the feminine version of the patronymic ending in slavic languages.

Answer 7

Good question, its because russian females all have an 'A' as the last letter of their surname

Answer 8

It's a Russian thing

Answer 9

becuase al the girls in russia they have to have an A as the last leter of there last name!my dad is gusev and im gusevA!

Answer 10

I wish I knew its like the two don't want to be connected as brother and sister.