Mikhailo Ivanovich: The bear (medved' in Russian — "mehd-VEHD") is always named Mikhail (or Mikhailo, a variant, as here). As with the fox (lisa, in Russian), the bear's given name echoes the actual noun: medved' — Mikhail; lisa — Lizaveta (or sometimes, Lisaveta).

Whether the diminutive of Mikhail became the children's word for bear, or the children's word for bear turned into a diminutive, it remains that Misha stands for Mikhail (as Jim does for James) and also for teddy bear.

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