Russian Names for Boys
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About this list
Russian names for boys range from the familiar (Nikolai, Ivan, Vladimir), to the under-the-radar (Matvei, Leonid, Rodion), to the utterly unknown (Timofel, Innokenti, Yelisei).
Along with Nikolai and Ivan, other Russian boys’ names that have featured in the US Top 1000 in recent years include Valentin and Dimitri. Baby boy names popular in Russia include Mikhail — the Russian variation of Michael — Kirill, Maksim, Lev, Roman and Alexei.
All of these Russian boys’ names share a certain special power and energy — the Russian "strong man" image in baby name form, if you like. Whether you’re looking for a Russian boy name to honor your heritage, or you’re simply drawn to the strong sounds and striking looks of Russian baby names, you’re sure to find something to love in our long-list of Russian names for boys, below, organized by their popularity on Nameberry.
A note on Russian usage: most boys' names ending in -sha, -ya and -ka, like Sasha (from Aleksandr), Kostya (from Konstantin) and Vovka (from Vladimir), are diminutive forms in Russian, and are not usually given as names in their own right.
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The names
Ivan
Russian variation of John
"God is gracious"
Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys' names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool. Ivan is, of course, ubiquitous in Russian culture.…
Damien
French from Greek
"to tame, subdue"
Converting Damian to Damien – or Julian to Julien or Lucian to Lucien – adds a certain je ne sais quoi to names. But most people in English speaking areas will still pronounce this the same as the…
Nikolai
Russian variation of Nicholas
"people of victory"
Russian forms, like Russian supermodels, are hot these days. This is a strong, worldly way to make Nicholas new; it was chosen for his son by Barry Bonds, Jr. Nikolai also comes with several…
Valentin
French, German, Russian, Czech, Scandinavian variation of Valentine
"strength, health"
Romantic name used throughout Europe, though sure to lead to pronunciation problems here. Though it's never been too widely used in the US, it's quite popular in Switzerland, France, Austria, and…
Kenya
Place name, Kikuyu
"mountain of white"
A bold and evocative African place name. The country of Kenya gets its name from Mount Kenya, referred to it as "Kirinyaga" or "Kerenyaga" by the local Kikuyu people, meaning "mountain of whiteness"…
Jeramy
Jeramy is a variant spelling of Jeremy, which derives from the Hebrew name Yirmeyahu, meaning 'appointed by God' or 'God will uplift.' This masculine name has biblical roots, as Jeremy was a…
Efrem
Russian variation of Ephraim
Phonetic spelling brought to light by actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Makari
Russian, Greek
"blessed, happy; I wish"
To those unfamiliar with it, Makari might have the sound, feel, and look of a modern inventions, similar to Amari, Jakari, or Makai. It is however a Russian name, derived from the Greek Makarios.…
Jeramie
Jeramie represents a modern spelling variation of Jeremy, which derives from the Hebrew name Jeremiah, meaning 'appointed by God' or 'God will uplift.' This alternative spelling keeps the traditional…
Edmon
Edmon is a masculine name derived from the Old English elements "ead" meaning wealth or fortune and "mund" meaning protection. It's a variant spelling of the more common Edmund or Edmond, which has…
Mikhail
Russian variation of Michael
"who is like God"
One of the most familiar Russian names in the West, thanks to ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov and state head Mikhail Gorbachev.
Alek
Polish, Armenian, Serbian, and Russian form of Alex, Greek, Greenlandic
"defending men; harpoon line"
A variation of Alex used in a number of languages, Alek has the cool, solid feel of Erik and Axel. It can also be a name of Greenlandic origin, meaning "harpoon line".
Simeon
Hebrew
"he [God] has heard"
Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek…
Maksim
Maksim is a masculine name of Slavic origin, representing the Eastern European form of Maximus, derived from Latin meaning 'greatest' or 'largest.' Particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,…
Garold
Garold is a masculine name that emerged as a variant of Gerald, which comes from Germanic elements meaning "spear" and "rule" or "power." This alternative spelling gained modest popularity in the…
Arman
Form of Herman or Armen, French, Armenian, Persian, Kazakh, Turkish
"soldier; land of Armenia; wish, hope, purpose"
One of those truly international names, with a similar feel to Roman, Arthur, and Artem, without the popularity, in the US at least. The name is in fact in the Top 50 in Armenia and Bosnia, while it…
Dimitri
Russian from Greek Demetrius
"follower of Demeter"
Dimitri is a Slavic variation of the Russian Dmitriy, a name that comes from the Greek Demetrius. Demetrius was derived from Demeter, the name of the Greek goddess of fertility and farming. Among the…
Jeremie
Jeremie is a masculine name representing the French variation of Jeremy, which ultimately derives from the Hebrew name Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah), meaning "appointed by God" or "God will uplift." This…
Aleksei
Aleksei is a masculine name of Russian origin, representing the Slavic form of Alexius or Alexis, ultimately derived from the Greek 'alexein' meaning 'to defend' or 'to help.' This powerful name has…
Sanya
Diminutive of Aleksandr, Russian from Greek
An alternative to Sasha, another common Russian nickname for Aleksander.
