So, I'm fairly sure that the name I've been using here, Лёва (Lyova), translates to something like "Timmy." The problem is that most Russians can't say "Leo," and "Лев" (Lyev), the direct translation, comes across as very formal and pretentious.  I think that's mostly Tolstoi's legacy. Without Tolstoi, "лев" just means "lion," which would be fitting.

So they call me Лёва, and then they giggle.