Russian Boy Names
Russian boy names carry the weight of centuries—from medieval princes to literary giants. These names span Orthodox tradition, imperial history, and distinctly Slavic character. Many have both formal and diminutive versions (Aleksandr becomes Sasha, Vladimir becomes Vova), giving families flexibility while maintaining cultural roots.
| Save name | Name & connection | History 1926–2025, yearly counts; individually scaled | Babies 2025 · rank | 5-year rank movement | Peak year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foundational Russian name across all social classes and centuries. | 2,240#163 | Down 10 rank positions in five years | 2004 | ||
Adopted deeply into Russian tradition with long, consistent historical use. | 6,162#42 | Up 35 rank positions in five years | 2025 | ||
Compact form with distinctly Russian character, used throughout the country. | 132#1,389 | Down 149 rank positions in five years | 1915 | ||
Adopted into Russian naming through Orthodox saint veneration and tradition. | 418#660 | Up 111 rank positions in five years | 2025 | ||
Saint Nicholas's Russian form, rooted in Orthodox Christianity and culture. | 469#605 | Down 60 rank positions in five years | 2016 | ||
Borne by early Russian princes; a dynastic name with deep medieval roots. | 87#1,836 | Down 365 rank positions in five years | 2016 | ||
Ancient Slavic origins, borne by early Russian princes and medieval saints. | 37#3,188 | Down 637 rank positions in five years | 1970 | ||
Archangel Michael's Russian form; prominent across Russian noble families. | 84#1,884 | Down 332 rank positions in five years | 2015 | ||
From Latin victor, meaning winner or conqueror; a stoic choice across Russian history. | 162#1,238 | Up 248 rank positions in five years | 2018 | ||
Saint Andrew the Apostle's Russian name, foundational in Orthodox tradition. | 53#2,517 | Down 249 rank positions in five years | 2006 | ||
Russian word for lion; also borne by the great novelist Lev Tolstoy. | 227#1,001 | Up 108 rank positions in five years | 2025 | ||
Virtue name meaning greatest; long-standing in Russian naming tradition. | 55#2,466 | Down 607 rank positions in five years | 2011 | ||
Russian form of George, saint and protector in Orthodox Christian faith. | 88#1,825 | Up 243 rank positions in five years | 2022 | ||
Medieval Russian princes bore this name; it carries substantial historical weight. | 33#3,464 | Down 569 rank positions in five years | 2015 | ||
Germanic name adopted and used by Russian nobility and imperial aristocracy. | 38#3,146 | Down 154 rank positions in five years | 2006 | ||
Great conqueror's name that became symbolic in Russian history and literature. | 44#2,836 | Up 144 rank positions in five years | 2016 | ||
Saint Paul's Russian form, central to Orthodox Christian tradition in Russia. | 37#3,224 | Up 666 rank positions in five years | 2008 | ||
Royal name borne by Peter the Great's son and Russian tsars. | 36#3,244 | Down 358 rank positions in five years | 2021 | ||
Greek-origin name (Artemius) that gained prominence in Russian Christian tradition. | 37#3,184 | Down 562 rank positions in five years | 2021 | ||
Central Asian origin (from Tamerlane); used in Russian literature and history. | 50#2,639 | Up 428 rank positions in five years | 2017 | ||
Russian form of Elijah; also borne by legendary Russian folk heroes. | 38#3,152 | Down 109 rank positions in five years | 2018 | ||
Legendary early Kievan prince and ancestor of the Rurikid dynasty. | 12#6,946 | Up 774 rank positions in five years | 1998 | ||
Constantine the Great's name, venerated in Orthodox tradition and Russia. | 20#4,965 | Down 1,429 rank positions in five years | 2015 | ||
Distinctly Russian creation, featured prominently in Pushkin's epic poetry. | 32#3,570 | Up 676 rank positions in five years | 2025 | ||
Saint Cyril the missionary brought Christianity to Slavs; deeply rooted in faith. | 20#4,961 | Up 624 rank positions in five years | 2014 | ||
Greek-origin name prominent across Russian aristocratic families and history. | 16#5,744 | Down 593 rank positions in five years | 2022 | ||
Legendary Oleg the Prophet; ancient Slavic name from early Kievan era. | 9#8,724 | Up 1,574 rank positions in five years | 2019 | ||
Old Slavic meaning standing with glory; borne by medieval Russian princes. | 6#11,803 | new | 2017 | ||
Russian form of Daniel, used continuously since medieval times. | 5#12,455 | Down 5,737 rank positions in five years | 2018 | ||
Old Slavic name borne by medieval Russian princes; distinctly Russian. | 9#8,880 | Up 1,676 rank positions in five years | 2016 | ||
Saint Stephen's Russian form; heavily used throughout Russian history. | 7#10,532 | Up 1,299 rank positions in five years | 2019 | ||
Russian form of Zachary, a biblical name adapted into Russian tradition. | 13#6,791 | new | 2024 |
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Sources & methodology
Meaning summaries use Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and referenced name histories. Each name’s detail page includes its sources.
Membership on this list is editorial — we chose names that genuinely fit the theme. Every number is from official birth data: "—" means the name had fewer than 5 recorded uses in 2025, which makes it a genuinely rare pick today, not an invalid one. The dot marks whether the stats shown are for the girls' or boys' use of the name.