The first name of the main character in Alexander Pushkin’s *Eugene Onegin* is Eugene. The title refers to Eugene Onegin, a wealthy young Russian aristocrat whose restless temperament and emotional detachment drive the poem’s central drama.
Pushkin wrote *Eugene Onegin* as a novel in verse between 1823 and 1831, and it was published in completed form in 1833. Onegin is often described as a “superfluous man,” a recurring figure in Russian literature: intelligent, privileged, and capable, yet unable to find meaningful purpose in society. His boredom leads him to reject opportunities for friendship and love.
A common mix-up is confusing Eugene Onegin with Alexander Pushkin, the author, or with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who later adapted the story into a famous opera. Tatyana Larina, not Onegin, is often considered the work’s emotional center. The Russian name is usually transliterated as Yevgeny or Evgenii, but the standard English form is Eugene.