Abstract: The subject of the research is the nomination of family relations in Saltykov-Shchedrin's novels. The term 'nomination' is widely used in linguistics that relates it to all kinds of naming of a certain object. The expressive and stylistic means that influences the interpretation of an image by a reader is its nomination presented as some kind of a chain of images in a text; very often literary experts speak of the 'system' of nominations. This research focuses on the system of nominations of family relations in Saltykov-Shchedrin's novels 'The Golovlyov Family' and 'The Peshekhonsky Area'. By using the continuous sampling method, the author of the article has discovered over 600 nominations of family relations. The results of the analysis of family relations nominations demonstrate that nominations used by the writer underline the hypocrisy of the heroes and prove the formality of their relations that lack a true feeling or contribution. The famly relations described by the writer only contribute to the deceipt and humiliaton and are used for observation of the etiquette as the sole purpose.