If you’re searching for a powerful and historical name for your baby boy, you may want to consider a Russian name. With both formal and informal spellings, Russian boy names offer a variety of options that are both strong and cute. Our list of Russian boy names will help you find the perfect name for your little guy.
These names come from one of the most powerful empires in history and offer a range of options that will suit any personality. From classic to modern, these names are sure to honor the strength of your little fellow.
Table of Contents
- 100 Popular Russian Names for Boys
- Akim
- Aleksei
- Anatoly
- Andrey
- Arkadi
- Armen
- Arseny
- Artem
- Avgust
- Benedikt
- Boba
- Bogdan
- Boris
- Czar
- Damien
- Damir
- Danya
- Denisov
- Dmitri
- Dominik
- Edmon
- Efrem
- Ēriks
- Filip
- Fyodor
- Gavriil
- Georgi
- Gogol
- Gorky
- Grigoriy
- Grisha
- Hedeon
- Igor
- Ihar
- Ilya
- Ioann
- Israil
- Iustin
- Ivan
- Jasha
- Josef
- Kirill
- Kolya
- Konstantin
- Kostya
- Lenin
- Leonid
- Lev
- Ludis
- Luka
- Makari
- Maxim
- Melor
- Mikhail
- Misha
- Moisey
- Natan
- Nikita
- Nikolai
- Oleg
- Ony
- Orel
- Panas
- Pasha
- Pavel
- Pushkin
- Pyotr
- Rahil
- Rodion
- Rurik
- Ruslan
- Sacha
- Sanya
- Savva
- Sergei
- Shura
- Simeon
- Stanislav
- Stas
- Stepan
- Timofey
- Tisha
- Tolya
- Urvan
- Vadim
- Valentin
- Vanya
- Varfolomei
- Vasiliy
- Viktor
- Vitaliy
- Vlad
- Yackim
- Yakov
- Yerik
- Yevgeny
- Yuri
- Zavid
- Zhivago
- Zinovy
100 Popular Russian Names for Boys
Akim
Aleksei
Aleksei comes from the Greek Aléxios, meaning “defender.” It’s a Russian version of Alexander, spelled Aleksander, belonging to a 17th-century Russian czar.
Anatoly
Anatoly derives from the Greek Anatolius, meaning “break of day.” It also means “pointing to the east.” Anatoly ranked in the top five boys’ names born in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2004.
Andrey
Andrey also means “brave” and “manly.” It’s taken from the ancient Greek “andreîos” and includes the root “anēr,” meaning “man.” Andrey also refers to a “husband” and is one of the most popular Russian boy names today.
Arkadi
Arkadi is based on the Greek Arkádios, for a person “coming from Arcadia.” Arcadia is a Greek region of Peloponnese named after the mythological character Arcas, son of Zeus. In Greek mythology, Arcadia was also the birthplace of the god Pan.
Armen
Armen is a Russian name given to an Armenian. It’s similar to boys’ names like Roman, Dane, or German. Armen also means “soldier” in Armenian and “pleasing” in Greek for your special little guy.
Arseny
Arseny is the Russian variation of the Greek Arsenius, meaning “manly.” The 5th-century Saint Arsenius was a tutor to the sons of the Roman emperor Theodosios. It’s very uncommon, even in Latvia, where it ranked 2,346th in 2014.
Artem
Artem is inspired by Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting. It once appeared as Artemios, is a nickname for Artemas, and also means “unharmed” and “perfect health.” You can use this classic example of Russian names for boys and call him “little” Artemi.
Avgust
Avgust was once a surname based on the Latin Augustus. It’s made up of “augere,” meaning “to increase,” and also means “sacred,” “holy,” and the month of August. Avgust originally referred to being devoted to an “augur,” a priest who interpreted God’s will through the flight of birds.
Benedikt
Benedikt is based on the Latin Benedict. It’s made up of the Latin “bene,” meaning “good,” and “dicte,” meaning “speak.” It once meant “well-spoken” and also appeared as a Jewish surname taken from Baruch.
Boba
Boba also means “man of honor” and “family.” It derives from the Slavic “slobodá,” meaning “freedom” and “liberty.” Boba is a Russian nickname for Boris, so it doesn’t always bring Boba Fett to mind.
Bogdan
Bogdan comes from the Greek Theodotus. It’s made up of “bog,” meaning “God,” and “dan,” meaning “given,” and is the most Slavic sounding of Russian male names meaning Theodore.
Boris
Boris is a short form of the Slavic name Borislav, made up of the Slavic “borti,” meaning “battle,” and “slava,” meaning “glory.” It also originates from the Turkish “böri,” meaning “wolf.”
Czar
Czar originally meant “Caesar.” It’s sometimes interchanged with the Russian Tsar, both a royal title used by the First Bulgarian Empire. The Czars of Russia took it on, just like your powerful little boy can.
Damien
Damian comes from the Greek “damao,” meaning “to tame.” It’s also associated with Damia, a name used for the Greek goddess of the harvest, Demeter.
Damir
Damir uses the prefix “Da-,” meaning “give,” and “mir,” meaning “peace.” It may also be linked to the Turkish name Demir, meaning “iron.” Damir means “long live the world revolution” in the Tatar culture, so it’s badass among Russian men’s names.
Danya
Danya also means “judgment of God.” In Hebrew, Danya means “arbiter” and “God is my judge.” Danya is a common nickname for Russian names beginning with “D” and also for Bogdan.
Denisov
Denisov was first a patronymic surname for “descendants of Denis.” It centers around the first name Denis, which means “god of Nysa.”
Dmitri
Dmitri derives from the Greek Demetrius. It also refers to “a follower of Demeter,” the Greek goddess of agriculture. When Dmitri is spelled Dimitri, it becomes a combination French-Russian name.
Dominik
Dominik is both a Slavic and German spelling for Dominic. It comes from the Latin “dominus,” meaning “belonging to the Lord.” In ancient Rome, Dominik (as Dominicus) was a title given to rulers and a master of the house.
Edmon
Edmon is an alternative version of the Old English Eadmund. It’s made up of “ead,” meaning “prosperity,” and “mund,” meaning “protector.” Edmon also means “he who defends his heritage.”
Efrem
Efrem appears as Ephraim in the Bible, a son of Joseph. It derives from the Hebrew “’ephrayim,” meaning “I shall be doubly fruitful.” Saint Ephrem was a 4th-century missionary bishop who might inspire you to name your baby boy Efrem.
Ēriks
Ēriks is based on the Old Norse “ei,” meaning “always” and “ríkr,” meaning “ruler.” It’s used mostly in Russia and Latvia, where the intersection of Norse and Russian cultures often meet.
Filip
Filip is a Slavic variation of Philip. It’s made up of the Greek “philos,” meaning “friend,” and “hippos,” meaning “horse.” In Croatia, Filip was one of the top popular boy names in the 2000s.
Fyodor
Fyodor is one of the Russian nicknames for Theodore. Three czars of Russia were named Fyodor, which also means “divine gift.”
Gavriil
Gavril is a Greek and Russian version of Gabriel. It began with the Hebrew Gavrie’l, composed of “gəḇar,” meaning “hero,” and “ēl,” meaning God. Gavriil also means “God’s able-bodied one” or “hero of God.”
Georgi
Georgi is a Russian and Bulgarian version of George. It also means “earthworker,” taken from the Greek “gê,” meaning “soil,” and “érgon,” meaning “work.” Georgi is also a German surname, meaning “son of George.”
Gogol
The Ukrainian “gogol” means “wild duck” and “mallard.” It’s a nickname for a bird-like person and the hero of Jhumpa Lahiri’s 2003 book The Namesake.
Gorky
Gorky also means “awkward” and “strange.” Gorky Park is a famous park in Moscow named after Russian writer Maxim Gorky, called the “father of Soviet literature.” It’s the quirkiest of cool Russian boy names with a lot of history behind it.
Grigoriy
Grigoriy is the Russian form of Gregory. It also refers to the “grḗgoroi,” known as watcher angels. In the TV series, Supernatural, the Grigori are powerful angels sent to Earth to protect people.
Grisha
Grisha is a pet name for Gregory, Grigorij, and Georgi. It’s also used in Ukraine and Bulgaria. The “-sha” suffix indicates a nickname. The Grisha Trilogy is a young adult novel series by fantasy writer Leigh Bardugo.
Hedeon
Hedeon is the Russian form of Gideon. It also means “who cuts down” in Hebrew and “feller of trees.” In the Bible, Gideon is a judge and warrior who destroys his father’s altar to Baal and defeats the Midianites in a great battle.
Igor
Igor is also common in Brazil, Portugal, and Basque Spain. It came from the Norse Ingvar, which the ancient Norse Varangian tribe brought to Russia.
Ihar
Ihar also means “god of abundance” in Scandinavian. It’s inspired by the Old Norse Yngvi, which also links to Freyr, the god of beauty and fertility.
Ilya
Ilya is made up of the Hebrew “el,” meaning “God,” and “yah,” meaning “Yahweh.” Ilya has many spelling variations and is a very popular name in multiple Slavic countries.
Ioann
Ioann is a unique Russian variation of John. It comes from the Hebrew Yochanan. In Russia, Ioann is primarily a name used for the clergy, so it has a regal and holy air about it too.
Israil
Israil comes from the Hebrew Yisrael, meaning “God perseveres.” The spelling Israel is much more common worldwide, but this version has Russians and Russian-Americans in mind.
Iustin
Iustin derives from the Latin “iustus,” meaning “rightful,” “honest,” and “impartial.” Its spelling is found in Slavic culture but is based on Justinus, originally meaning “just.”
Ivan
Ivan originated with the Greek Iōánnēs, one of the earliest versions of John. It’s the most popular of Russian male names, based on one of the best-known names. Ivan surprisingly ranked 168th for boys in the U.S. in 2022.
Jasha
Jasha is a Russian diminutive of Jakov, based on the Hebrew Jacob. It’s made up of the Hebrew “qb,” meaning “to follow” and “to be behind.” Jasha is so much more warm and welcoming than the old-world Jacob for your little guy.
Josef
Josef is the Germanic form of Joseph, taken from the Hebrew Yosef, meaning “God will give.” In the Old Testament, Joseph is Jacob’s son, while in the New Testament, Joseph is the Virgin Mary’s husband.
Kirill
Kirill is based on the Greek Kyrillos, taken from “kyrios,” meaning “lord.” Kirill is a variation of Cyril, so it also means “of Cyril” and “ruler” for your tough young fellow.
Kolya
Kolya is a Russian diminutive for Nikolai. It hails from the Greek Nikolaos, also meaning “victorious warrior” and “victorious army,” so you get the idea (victory!).
Konstantin
Konstantin is an alternate spelling of Constantine, meaning “firm and stable.” It’s best remembered for the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Konstantin also means “everlasting” for your little king.
Kostya
Kostya is a Russian nickname for Konstantin for both boys and girls. The Slavic meaning is “faithful,” which warms it up as your baby boy’s first or middle name.
Lenin
Lenin also means “one who belongs to the river Lena.” It originated with the name Elyu-Ene, meaning “the large River.” Lenin is most famous as the surname of the Russian leader Vladimir Lenin.
Leonid
Leionid is the Russian form of Leonidas, also related to Leon or Leonard. It means “lion-like,” making it the most courageous sounding of Russian names for boys on the list.
Lev
Lev means “lion” in Russian and “heart” in Hebrew. It was also a Slavic surname based on the Germanic Löwe used by numerous German Jews.
Ludis
Ludis derives from the Russian and Germanic variation of Louis. It’s super popular in Columbia but not often used elsewhere, except for your famous little general.
Luka
Luka is the Russian and Slavic spelling of Luke, taken from the Greek “loukas.” It originally meant “man from Lucania,” a place in southern Italy. In 2021, Luka ranked 115th for boys in the U.S.
Makari
Makari also means “happy.” It’s based on the Latin Macarius but is very common in India, where it means “sea monster.”
Maxim
Maxim traces back to the Latin surname Maximus, meaning “the greatest.” It’s common in many Slavic countries, from Belarus and Bulgaria to Russia and Ukraine. Maxim has ranked in the top 1,000 boys’ names in the U.S. since 2000.
Melor
Melor also refers to a “member of the communist party.” It’s also the name of a Breton saint who was the son of a Cornish king. Melor is a name caught in a time when Russia and communism went hand in hand.
Mikhail
Mikhail also means “who is like God.” It’s incredibly well-known among Russian men’s names since it’s the Russian version of the Hebrew Michael.
Misha
Misha is a pet name for the Russian Mikhail (Michael). You could go further and refer to your Misha as Mishka. It’s a nickname for a bear, taken from the Russian “medved,” so Misha’s packed with cuteness all around.
Moisey
Moisey is the Russian version of Moses. It derives from the Hebrew Moše. Moisey also means “liberate” and “save” in Hebrew, from the biblical Moses.
Natan
Natan is a diminutive of the Hebrew Nathaniel, meaning “God has given.” It’s the Russian and Slavic form of Nathan, a short for Nathaniel, and is more casual for pious little boys.
Nikita
Nikita comes from the Greek Nikḗtas, meaning “conqueror.” It uses the root “nī́kē,” meaning “victory” for your little boy who’s always winning.
Nikolai
Nikolai also means “conqueror of the people.” It’s the Russian form of the Greek Nikolaus, made up of “nikē,” meaning “victory,” and “loas,” meaning “people.”
Oleg
Oleg is a more Norse-inspired version of the Russian Оле́г. It traveled from Scandinavia to Russia by the Varangians. Oleg was taken from the Old Norse Helgi, meaning “sacred” or “blessed.”
Ony
Ony is very rare and is also a girl’s name meaning “eagle.” It’s also found in the African-Yoruba language, which may be why it’s most common in Madagascar.
Orel
Orel also means “golden” in Latin. It was originally a surname used as a nickname for a “courageous” person. It might have referred to a home displaying the sign of an eagle. There are several places in Russia called Orel, including Lake Orel.
Panas
Panas is based on the Greek Athanasios, meaning “immortal.” It was an occupational surname for a cloth merchant using the root “panna,” meaning “cloth.” Panas is used in Russia, including Ukraine and Poland.
Pasha
Pasha is a diminutive of Pavel, the Russian variation of Paul. The original Latin Paulus means “little” and “humble.” Pasha is often given to Russian baby boys born on Good Friday. The term Pasha is also a Persian title used as a surname for Muslim elites in Pakistan and Iran.
Pavel
Pavel is the Russian variation of the Latin Paul, meaning “humble” or “small.” It originated from the Latin family name Paulus, meaning “modest” for your humble baby boy.
Pushkin
Pushkin is a patronymic surname crafted using the first name Pushka, meaning “cannon.” It was a nickname for a loud person or an occupational name for a gunsmith. Pushkin is very rare as a first name these days, but it is a sure way to stand out.
Pyotr
Pyotr is the Russian version of Peter, meaning “rock.” It comes from the Greek Petros, which is a solid foundation for your little rock to stand on.
Rahil
Though unisex, Rahil is more commonly a girl’s name based on a Hebrew variation of Rachel. It also means “ewe” and “one with purity.” As a Muslim boy’s name, Rahil means “trainer.”
Rodion
Rodion derives from the Greek Hērṓidēs. It’s composed of “hḗrōs,” meaning “hero of the Trojan War,” and “aoidḗ,” meaning “legend.” Rodion’s most famous namesake is a fictional one, the protagonist of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Rurik
Rurik is the Russian form of Roderick. It also means “red” in Slavic. It’s inspired by the Old Norse Hrǿríkr. This was the name of a 9th-century Varangian ruler who helped establish a strong tradition among Russian boy names.
Ruslan
Ruslan is a Slavic variation of the Turkish “arslan,” meaning “lion.” It may have ancient Iranian origins, but feel free to use Ruslan for your lion cub.
Sacha
Sacha also means “defender” in Russian. It’s a Russian nickname for Alexander, taken from the Greek “alexo,” meaning “to defend,” and “andros,” meaning “man.”
Sanya
Sanya means “defender of the people” or “protector of men” when used as a nickname for Alexander. It may also be associated with Saniyya, meaning “radiance.” Saniyya is based on the Arabic “sana,” meaning “to shine.”
Savva
Savva also means “wine” in Hebrew. It’s a short form of the Greek Savvas. Savva also means “captive” or “slave.” Savva is famous for the 12th-century bishop Savva, the patron saint of the Serbs.
Sergei
Sergei originated with the Roman family name Sergius. It’s related to an Etruscan word meaning “guardian” and “shepherd.”
Shura
Shura is a Russian nickname for Aleksandr (Alexander). In Islamic culture, shura refers to a certain type of decision-making, but it’s still a cute way to call your baby boy Aleksander.
Simeon
Simeon also means “to be heard” and “reputation.” It’s a Russian-used name based on the Hebrew Simon/Simeon, the son of Jacob in the Bible.
Stanislav
Stanislav is made up of the Russian “stani,” meaning “strength,” and “slav,” meaning “glory.” It’s very common in Slavic countries among proper Russian men’s names.
Stas
Stas is a Russian nickname for Stanislav. It’s composed of “stani,” meaning “strength,” and “slav,” meaning “fame,” to make a formal name into something approachable and cute.
Stepan
Stepan is the Russian and Slavic equivalent for Stephen, meaning “wreath” or “garland. Stepan also means everything from “honor” and “reward” to “renown” for your impressive baby boy.
Timofey
Timofey is the Russian version of Timothy. It comes from the Greek Timotheos, meaning “honoring a god.” It’s also related to the Russian surname Timofeyevich.
Tisha
Tisha is also the Hebrew word for the number nine. It appears in Russian as a pet name for Timothy but is more common as an African-American girl’s name.
Tolya
Tolya also means “rising sun.” It derives from the Greek “anatolē,” meaning “sunrise” and “pointing to the east.” It’s both a nickname for Anatoly and a shorter version of Tolenka.
Urvan
Urvan is a variant of the name Urban. It comes from the Latin “urbanus,” meaning “citizen” or “city dweller,” and inspires our use of “urban” today.
Vadim
Vadim is made up of the Russian root “volod,” meaning “to rule.” It may also be associated with the Persian “badian,” meaning “anise” or “aniseed.” Vadim is a nickname for Vladimir that can also mean “attractive.”
Valentin
Valentin is the Russian spelling for the Latin Valentine, originating with the Roman Valentinus. It also means “healthy,” “power,” and “rule.” Saint Valentin(e) is the most famous of them all.
Vanya
Vanya is a diminutive of the Russian Ivan, the Slavic version of John. In the Bible, John means “graced by God,” the most inviting among Russian male names.
Varfolomei
Varfolomei also means “son of Talmai.” It’s the Russian equivalent of Bartholomew, a famous biblical apostle.
Vasiliy
Vasiliy is the Slavic spelling of Basil, based on the Greek Vassilios. It derives from “basileus,” meaning “king.”
Viktor
Viktor comes from the Latin Victor, meaning “conqueror.” It uses the root “victoria” for “victory.” Viktor was famously given to saints, popes, and anyone seen as the ultimate winner.
Vitaliy
Vitaliy is based on the Latin Vitalis, meaning “life-giving” or “vital.” Its nickname became Vitus, also full of life force for your little lad.
Vlad
Vlad is a nickname for the Russian Vladimir and Vladislav. It also means “ruler of the world” and “bright and famous.” The most infamous Vlad is Vlad the Impaler, a Romanian leader and the inspiration for Dracula.
Yackim
Yackim is a very rarely used Russian nickname for Joachim. It also means “established by God,” but isn’t to be found anywhere.
Yakov
Yakov is a Russian-influenced pet name for Jacob and James. It’s interchangeable with the nickname Yasha as well.
Yerik
Yerik only mostly appears in Russian and Kazak, but it’s based on the Hebrew Jeremiah. We may know it better as Jeremy, but Yerik is a very unique way to bring it to your baby boy.
Yevgeny
Yevgeny is the Russian form of Eugene. It’s based on the Greek Eugénios, “high-born” for regal little boys.
Yuri
Yuri is also a Japanese girl’s name meaning “lily.” In Russian, it’s associated with the Greek George, meaning “earthworker.” Yuri is one of those recognizable Russian names for boys partly because of the famous cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
Zavid
Zavid also means “darling” and “favorite.” It may have English associations but could be a Russian form of David. Zavid is also a character in a fantasy book series called Dark Hunter.
Zhivago
Zhivago uses the Russian root “zhizn,” meaning “life.” It’s an unusual first name but known as a surname that inspired the Russian epic, Dr. Zhivago.
Zinovy
Zinovy comes from the Greek Zēnóbios. It originally meant “the force of Zeus” and is a powerful way to welcome your baby into the world.
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