How Russia got its name

In a similar tale to other countries' name origin, Russia gets its name from the people who live there. These people were the Rus who were Swedish Viking settlers in Russia. They got their name the Rus in Latin which became the English name Russia. The Rus name is said to have come from the Finnish word Rods meaning men who row boats rowing being the key mode of transportation for the Swedish Viking settlers). The first of these leaders was called Rurik. His descendants ruled Novgorod, Kiev and eventually Moscow until the death of Feodor in 1598. The land was originally inhabited by Slavic people. These people were then ruled by the Swedish Viking settlers.
City states formed in Kiev (in modern day Ukraine), in Moscow and in Novgorod. Over centuries, these states fought one another over dominance. The eventual winner was Moscow. So even though the story of Russia began in the 8th century, the first ruler of all Russia didn't arrive until 16 January 1547 with the coronation of Ivan IV.