The article deals with the hydronyms of the Kalmyk origin functioning on the territory of the South of Russia (Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions and Stavropol Krai), regions bordering with the Republic of Kalmykia. The authors carry out the lexical, semantic and derivational analysis of the Kalmyk names of water bodies (lakes, rivers and ravines), which are caused by settlement and development of the Kalmyk steppe of the Ural-Volga interfluve.

The article aims to study the sacred meaning of the Kalmyk toponyms with the component “arshan”, “tsagan” and “khar” in the linguoculturological aspect. It is stated that toponyms in the linguistic thinking of the Kalmyk are used in direct and indirect meanings.

There is researched the language attribution of the toponyms of the Kalmyk Republic. There is stated that the geographical names at this territory have Turkic, Mongolian, German and Russian origins.

There are considered the different oronym categories, given the lists of oronym names of Kalmyk and Russian origin, noted the connection between oronym system and traditional Kalmyk sector - cattlebreeding.