What is a Russian patronymic like “Иваныч”?
Первые фразы по-русски: знакомство и семья
A1 Russian listening practice · Standard Russian · Picked for people who know a little
A Russian full name has three parts: first name, patronymic (from the father’s name) and surname. Николай Иванович Иванов is Nikolay, son of Ivan. In speech the patronymic is often shortened: Иванович → Иваныч, Николаевич → Николаич. Name plus patronymic is the polite way to address teachers, bosses and elders.
For women the endings are -овна / -евна: Елена Васильевна is Elena, daughter of Vasily. The patronymic on its own, Иваныч!, is a familiar, friendly way to call an older man. The old textbook film introduces the whole family this way, and the father says his name both ways: Николай Иванович, then Николай Иваныч.