From Proto-Slavic *vesna, itself from Proto-Indo-European *wes(e)n- ("spring"), cognate with Sanskrit वसन्त (vasanta), Latin ver, Ancient Greek ἔαρ (éar), and Old English wæstm ("growth"). The same PIE root connects spring to ideas of freshness and flourishing throughout the Indo-European family.

Spring holds deep symbolic weight in Russian culture. The folk holiday Maslenitsa (Масленица) — "Butter Week" — marks the transition from winter to spring with blini (pancakes), bonfires, and the burning of a straw effigy representing winter. The phrase "Весна пришла" ("Spring has come") carries an almost euphoric resonance for Russians, given the long, harsh winters across most of the country. Russian classical music and poetry are rich with spring imagery: think Tchaikovsky's "April" from The Seasons or the works of Fyodor Tyutchev.