Russian Names for Boys
Updated Thu Sep 14 2023
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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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- Ilya
Origin:
Russian variation of ElijahMeaning:
"the Lord is my God"Description:
A rare example of an a-ending boy's name that sounds masculine, Ilya has a large measure of creative Slavic charm. >p>Ilya Ilyich Oblomov is the central character in Goncharov's novel "Oblomov." Unfortunately, he spends most of his life in his bathrobe and slippers.
- Ivan
Origin:
Russian variation of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
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.
- Lev
Origin:
Hebrew, RussianMeaning:
"heart; lion"Description:
This concise one-syllable name, has two possible derivations and two positive meanings associated with it. In Hebrew, it means "heart", while in Russian it means "lion". So strong and simple Lev has both a soft and a fierce side.
- Damien
Origin:
French from GreekMeaning:
"to tame, subdue"Description:
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 -an ending form. The French pronunciation is more like "dah-mee-u(n)".
- Sasha
Origin:
Russian diminutive of AlexanderMeaning:
"defending men"Description:
The energetic Russian nickname name Sasha is being used increasingly on its own, though since the prominence of the First Daughter, more than 90% of the American babies named Sasha are girls. Sacha Baron Cohen bears one of the alternate spellings.
- Dimitri
Origin:
Russian from Greek DemetriusMeaning:
"follower of Demeter"Description:
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 possible spelling variations are Dmitri, Dmitrii, Dmitriy, and Dmitry.
- Yuri
Origin:
Russian variation of GeorgeDescription:
Common Russian name familiarized here via cosmonaut Yury Gagarin and a character in Dr. Zhivago, but we don't see it ever gaining permanent resident status.
- Simeon
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"he [God] has heard"Description:
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 substitute for Simeon.
- Nikolai
Origin:
Russian variation of NicholasMeaning:
"people of victory"Description:
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 attractive nickname options, including approachable Nik, spunky Niko, or even hip Kai. A traditional nickname for Nikolai in Russia is Kolya.
- Pasha
Origin:
Russian, diminutive of PavelMeaning:
"small, humble"Description:
Similar in sound to Sasha, Pasha is a Russian diminutive of the name Pavel, itself a form of Paul. Also used as a title for a high ranking officer in the (now historical) Ottoman military, and as the common name of a type of butterfly, it is a name well-suited for an Easter baby, due to its similarity to the word Pascha.
- Valentin
Origin:
French, German, Russian, Czech, Scandinavian variation of ValentineMeaning:
"strength, health"Description:
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 Romania.
- Vladimir
Origin:
SlavicMeaning:
"great ruler, peaceful ruler, ruler of the world"Description:
Vladimir is a cultured and deep-rooted Slavic name associated in this country with cultural figures including piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz and the author of Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov.
- Serge
Origin:
French variation of ancient Roman family name SergiusMeaning:
"servant"Description:
Old saints' and popes' name that went to France in the 1920s with the Russian Ballets Russes; in its Russian form, Sergei, it retains an artistic, almost effete air.
- Dmitri
Origin:
Russian from Greek DemetriusDescription:
Worldly, artistic and attractive Slavic version of the name of the Greek god of fertility and farming.
- Mikhail
Origin:
Russian variation of MichaelMeaning:
"who is like God"Description:
One of the most familiar Russian names in the West, thanks to ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov and state head Mikhail Gorbachev.
- Igor
Origin:
Old Norse via RussianMeaning:
"warrior"Description:
Musical association with Igor Stravinsky, but also Dr. Frankenstein's right-hand man.
- Misha
Origin:
Russian, diminutive of MikhailDescription:
Brought into the American consciousness as the nickname of ballet great Mikhail Baryshnikov, it more recently took on a unisex air via TV and screen actress Mischa Barton. Could become the next Sasha.
- Nikita
Origin:
Russian cognate of Greek AniketosMeaning:
"unconquered"Description:
A popular choice in Russia, Nikita is a sharp, zippy choice that became heavily associated with the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in the 50s and 60s. Derived from the Greek name Niketas meaning "victory", it is also used in Moldova, Latvia, Czechia, and Poland.
- Ilias
Origin:
Greek, from HebrewMeaning:
"Yahweh is God"Description:
The Greek form of Elijah.
- Viktor
Origin:
Scandinavian, Russian, and Eastern European variation of VictorDescription:
The Viktor form of this classic name is widely used throughout Europe and is rising in the US as well.
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