Capital letters in names

In Russian, capitalization rules are straightforward but differ significantly from English in a few key areas:

• Sentence Beginnings: Always capitalize the first letter of the first word in a sentence.
• Proper Names: Capitalize first names, patronymics, and surnames (e.g., Иван Иванович Иванов).
• Geography: Capitalize countries, cities, rivers, and planets (e.g., Россия, Москва). In compound geographical names, all words are capitalized except generic geographic terms (like ocean, sea, river, or street) and prepositions (e.g., Нижний Новгород, Тихий океан, Ростов-на-Дону). Note that official country names capitalize all words, even generic state terms (e.g., Российская Федерация).
• Titles & Holidays: In book titles or most holiday names, usually only the first word is capitalized (e.g., «Война и мир», Новый год). However, proper nouns inside the title remain capitalized (e.g., «Повести Белкина», День защитника Отечества). A notable exception is День Победы, where both words are capitalized because "Победа" is treated as a high-concept proper noun. Holidays starting with a number capitalize the month (e.g., 8 Марта).
• Institutions, Organizations & Historical Events: Unlike in English, standard orthography dictates that usually only the first word (and any proper nouns inside it) is capitalized in the names of institutions, organizations, and government bodies (e.g., Московский государственный университет, Государственная дума, Всемирная торговая организация). While bureaucratic or legal documents sometimes capitalize multiple words, standard rules do not. A specific exception is the UN (Организация Объединённых Наций). This first-word rule also applies to historical events (e.g., Вторая мировая война, Средние века), with exceptions for major events like Великая Отечественная война.
• Possessive Adjectives: Adjectives formed from names using -ов/-ев or -ин are capitalized (e.g., Машин дом). Adjectives ending in -ск- are usually lowercase (e.g., пушкинский стиль), unless they are part of an official proper name (e.g., Московский вокзал) or mean 'named after' or 'in memory of' someone (e.g., Нобелевская премия, Пушкинские чтения). Note that possessive adjectives in set phrases or idioms are written in lowercase (e.g., ахиллесова пята).
• Formal 'You': In formal correspondence addressed to one person, Вы and its forms (Вас, Вам) are capitalized. If addressing a group, it is always lowercase.
• Religious Terms: Words like Бог (God) are capitalized in religious contexts, but lowercase in everyday idioms and expressions (e.g., слава богу).

What NOT to capitalize:

• Nationalities & Languages: These are always lowercase (русский, американец).
• Religions & Adherents: Unlike in English, religions and their followers are strictly lowercase (христианство, мусульманин).
• Compass Directions: Directions are lowercase (север, запад) unless they are part of a specific official geopolitical name (Дальний Восток).
• Days & Months: These are always lowercase (понедельник, январь).
• The pronoun 'I': The word я is only capitalized if it starts a sentence.
• Titles and Positions: Job titles, professions, and honorifics (e.g., президент, директор, профессор, господин) are lowercase, except in highly official state documents where top titles might be capitalized.