Boris
Below 5 births
2025 SSA
About Boris
Boris as a feminine name represents an extremely unusual gender application, as Boris is traditionally and overwhelmingly used as a masculine name across cultures. Of Slavic origin, Boris derives from an old Bulgarian word meaning 'wolf' or 'fighter,' though some sources connect it to the Turkic 'bogoris' meaning 'short.' While firmly established as a male name throughout Eastern Europe (particularly Russia, Bulgaria, and Serbia), its use for girls is virtually unheard of and would be considered highly unconventional. This unusual gender application might represent an emerging creative trend, family tradition, or cross-cultural adaptation. In most Slavic countries, the feminine form would typically be 'Borislava' or 'Boriska' rather than Boris.
Boris for boys#3189 US
Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential.
For a long time the name has been associated with Boris Karloff, famed for playing Frankenstein's monster; he was William Henry Pratt before taking on the more captivating stage name of Boris — and the Karloff fear factor may have kept some parents away. Now, it might be the association with ex-Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson that puts some people off.
A Russian saint's name, Boris has other more benign and inspiring namesakes like German-born tennis champ Boris Becker and writer Boris Pasternak, author of Dr. Zhivago, as well as the early Tsar Boris Gudonov, son-in-law of Ivan the Terrible, the subject of the Moussorgsky opera.
Boris Trigorin is a main character in the Chekhov play The Seagull.
Pronounced BOR-iss.
As of October 2026, Boris ranked #3189 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #872 in 1962.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #2,375 | 54 | 28.1 |
| 2015 | #2,531 | 49 | 25.6 |
| 2016 | #2,629 | 47 | 24.8 |
| 2017 | #2,494 | 51 | 27.6 |
| 2018 | #2,478 | 52 | 28.6 |
| 2019 | #2,662 | 48 | 26.8 |
| 2020 | #2,552 | 50 | 29 |
| 2021 | #2,921 | 42 | 24 |
| 2022 | #3,420 | 34 | 19.5 |
| 2023 | #3,569 | 32 | 18.7 |
| 2024 | #3,328 | 35 | 20.3 |
| 2025 | #3,189 | 37 | 21.7 |
World rankings
Boris for boys
Similar names
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Boris on lists
Famous Boriss
- Boris Fyodorovich GodunovBoy
Tsar of Russia
- Boris Karloff (born William Henry Pratt)Boy
English actor
- Boris SaidBoy
American NASCAR driver
- Boris Nikolayevich YeltsinBoy
Russian President
- Boris Franz BeckerBoy
German tennis player
- Boris VianBoy
French novelist, jazz musician and polymath
- Boris AronsonBoy
American theatrical scenic designer
- (Alexander) Boris de Pfeffel JohnsonBoy
British Prime Minister
- Boris Mikhaylovich MoiseevBoy
Russian singer and dancer
- Boris KodjoeBoy
American actor
- Boris Leonidovich PasternakBoy
Russian novelist
- Boris Vasilievich SpasskyBoy
Russian chess grandmaster and World Champion
- Boris Babacar DiawBoy
French basketball player
Boris in pop culture
- Boris the WolfBoy
fictional character that appears in the horror game "Bendy and the Ink Machine"
- Boris WalleyskaBoy
main character on TV's "Alien Dawn"
- Boris BadenovBoy
a main adversary on "The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show"
- BorisBoy
a snow goose in the animated movie Balto
- Boris PavliovskyBoy
character in Donna Tartt's "The Goldfinch"
- BorisBoy
later Sparrowpelt, character in Erin Hunter's "Warriors" book series
- BorisBoy
Great Dane dog in the 2018 Disney Channel Original Movie/musical "Freaky Friday"