A name from my childhood
My grandfather’s familiar expression, a family memory, and years spent trying to understand it.
Read the story →Family memoriesThe story
The story
of a name
This website grew out of a family memory. As a child, I often heard an unusual name: Babka Nohrikha. My relatives remembered the expression, but almost nothing about the woman behind it.
Later, another family’s memories emerged. They, too, remembered Babka Nohrikha as a real person.
From family accountsHow many words can you think of that simply do not exist on the internet? I couldn't think of one. Now you know one too — “Nohrikha.”
From the search storyHow it began
One name, carried through generations
My grandfather, born in 1939 to a family of Volga Germans, often said: “We should go to Babka Nohrikha.” He used the name when someone needed healing, advice, or an answer nobody else could give.
Over time, I realized everyone remembered the expression but no one could explain where it came from. Years of searching brought me to a literary work using the same name—and eventually to another family that remembered the woman herself.
Read the full account →2005
First search
I searched the internet for the unusual name.
2016
A literary mention
A play was published that mentioned Babka Nohrikha.
2021
Found at last
I discovered the play and tried to contact its author.
2026
A reply
Another family shared memories of the woman behind the name.
Family accountsAccount 01 Account 02 · Zhanna Drozdovskaya
Two stories about one woman
Nohrikha in Zhanna Drozdovskaya’s family
A recollection of a midwife known as Nohrikha, whose life took her between Kazakhstan and China.
Read the story →Have you heard this name too?
A small recollection, a family story, or a place name may help preserve an important piece of the past.
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