[2][3][4] "Vasya Pupkin" is a funny-sounding name:[4] the surname is derived from the word пуп, "navel" and the given name is a diminutive of "Vasily" (a Russian equivalent of "Basil").
The surname can be traced to Russian naval slang, as a reference to an abstract sailor, usually, a lazy, inept, or cowardly, in expressions, such as "Where is this Pupkin, who dumped diesel fuel overboard"?
[5] The name "Vasya Pupkin" has become popular in Russian internet culture, coming from humorous folklore (parodies, tales, jokes).
[6] Vasya Pupkin became the personification of the mass Russian Internet user, which has become firmly entrenched in online folklore.
[1][4] Vasha Pupkin (ヴァーシャパプキン, Bāsha Papukin) is among the main characters of Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune, a Japanese novel series.