263 Unique Russian Boy Names and Meanings

Russian is an East Slavic language, and it has more than 210 million total speakers worldwide. The 6th of June is the celebration of Russian Language Day. So, I have selected 263 unique Russian boy names with meanings included.

List Of Unique Russian Boy Names And Their Meanings:

Makariy

Makariy is the Russian form of Makarios, ”blessed” or ”happy.” This secular Greek term Makarios was used when talking about God.

Yevstigney

Sharp-aimed.

Iosif

He will add.

Savva

Old man, and Savva Morozov funded the Moscow Art Theatre.

Filipp

”Horse lover.”

Mstislav

Revenge and glory. Cellist Mstislav Rostropovich played Bach by the falling Berlin Wall.

Nikon

”Victory.” Patriarch Nikon’s reforms split the Russian church.

Adrian

From Hadria.

Afinogen

Afinogen has its origins in the Greek Aphigenes (born of the goddess).

Ferapont

Servant.

Pankraty

All strength.

Timur

Iron, and boy chief in Gaidar’s Timur and His Team.

Miroslav

Peace and glory.

Vladilen

Short for Vladimir Lenin.

Aleksey

Helper. Aleksey Leonov made the first spacewalk.

Radomir

Rad, glad, and mir, peace.

Mefody

”Pursuit.”

Denis

Of Dionysus. Denis Fonvizin wrote The Minor, a comedy.

Yakov

Yakov is a variant of Jacob that comes from the Latin Iacobus (“heel-grabber”). James or Jacob was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and is the patron saint of Spain.

Valentin

Strong, healthy.

Filaret

Lover of virtue, and father of the first Romanov tsar.

Yermolai

From Hermolaos, Hermes and laos, people.

Semyon

”He has heard.” Semyon Dezhnev sailed the Bering Strait eighty years before Bering.

Tikhomir

”Quiet peace.”

Marlen

Marx and Lenin, merged into one Soviet name.

Vasily

Royal. Saint Basil’s Cathedral is after holy fool Vasily.

Kiprian

From Cyprus.

Khrisanf

From chrysos, gold, and anthos, flower.

Rostislav

”Increasing glory.”

Amvrosy

Immortal, from the same root as ambrosia.

Dobromir

From the Slavic elements “dobro” (good) and “mir” (peace). Dobromira is the feminine variant.

Isaak

He will laugh.

Feliks

Lucky. Prince Felix Yusupov shot Rasputin.

Svyatogor

Holy mountain. Svyatogor was a giant who was too heavy for Mother Earth.

Yuvenaly

”Youthful.”

Vladislav

Rules with glory.

Modest

Modest (”moderate”) Mussorgsky wrote Pictures at an Exhibition for piano.

Patrikey

Patrician, and patronymic of the sly fox in Russian folk tales.

David

Beloved.

Mikhey

From Hebrew Mikhah, ”who is like Yahweh.”

Istoma

”Weariness.”

Agafon

Agafon comes from the Greek word “agathon” (goodness). It has many diminutives, including Gafka and Aga.

Epifan

As you can see, many Russian names have Greek origins including Epifan. Epifan is rooted in the Greek epiphaneia and is symbolizing ”revelation” or ”manifestation.”

Moisey

”Drawn out.”

Feofan

God appearing, and Theophanes the Greek painted frescoes in Novgorod.

Bronislav

Bron, protection, and slava, glory.

Akaky

Guileless.

Tretyak

”Third son.”

Martyn

Of Mars.

Dmitry

”Of Demeter.” Dmitri Mendeleev left gaps in his table for unknown elements.

Vsevolod

Vsevolod (”lord of everything”) and its etymology is from Slavic roots vse (”all”) and volodeti (”to rule”).

Ilarion

Ilarion is a variant of the Greek Hilarion (“joyful”).

Timofey

It comes from the Greek Timotheos (“honoring God”). Timofey Granovsky was a founder of medieval studies in the Russian Empire.

Trofim

“Breadwinner” or ”nourishing”.

Akinfiy

It also has Greek origins and means “invincible” or “unconquered. Akinfiy Nikitich Demidov was an industrialist and the founder of the Demidovs’ “empire”.

Daniil

”God is my judge.” Daniil Kharms wrote absurd stories and poems for kids.

Ipaty

Highest.

Ruslan

Lion, from Turkic arslan, and a knight in Pushkin’s first long poem.

Nil

Nile.

Klementy

”Merciful.”

Elpidifor

From elpis, hope, and phoros, bringing.

Paramon

Steadfast.

Mirolyub

Mir, peace, and lyub, love.

Samuil

Name of God.

Irakly

”Hera’s glory.”

Ostap

Ostap (”steady”) Bender is the con man of The Twelve Chairs.

Fyodor

”Gift of God”. Dostoevsky survived a mock execution.

Izyaslav

Izyat, to seize, and slava, glory.

Faddey

”Heart”. Faddey Bellingshausen was one of the first to visit Antarctica.

Yevgeny

It has roots in Eugene which comes from eugenēs and is symbolizing ”well-born” or “noble.” The short form is Zhenya. Yevgeni Bauer made more than seventy films in the early 20th century.

Avraam

Father of many.

Igor

Igor (”warrior of Ing”) Sikorsky designed the first mass-produced helicopter.

Miloslav

It combines mil, dear, and slava, glory.

Feofil

”Friend of God.”

Rafail

”God heals.”

Nekras

”Not handsome,” meant to fool evil spirits.

Feoktist

Feoktist has a meaning that I like, “God has given” or “noble spirit.”

Akim

Akim is a variant of Joachim which is from the Hebrew Jehoiachin and is meaning Jehovah will uphold. Jeconiah was the penultimate king of Judah and was taken into captivity by the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II.

Pimen

Shepherd.

Dobroslav

”Good glory.”

Ignat

Fiery.

Vlas

Lisping, and Russian peasants’ patron saint of cattle.

Lyubomir

From lyub, love, and mir, peace.

Antip

Against all, and a Pergamum martyr mentioned in Revelation.

Platon

Broad, and a wrestling coach’s nickname for Plato.

Yevdokim

Esteemed.

Revmir

World revolution, a Soviet creation.

Luka

”Light” or ”from Lucania.”

Dorimedont

From doru, spear, and medon, ruler.

Viktor

Conqueror. Viktor Tsoi fronted the rock band Kino.

Onufry

Always good.

Emmanuil

”God with us.”

Peresvet

Very bright, as well as a warrior monk who fought a duel at Kulikovo.

Sevastyan

Venerable.

Matvei

Matvei is rooted in Matthew that itself is from the Hebrew Matityahu (“Gift of God”). The Gospel of Matthew was written about half a century after Jesus’ death.

Yaropolk

From yar, fierce, and polk, army.

Ustin

Just/fair.

Trifon

”Soft.”

Kirill

Lordly, and namesake of the Cyrillic alphabet.

Gleb

From Norse Guðleifr, heir of God. Gleb and his brother were the first saints of Rus.

Innokentiy

It is a form of Innocentius, a Latin name with origins in the “innocens” (innocent). Pope Innocent I was the bishop of Rome for about 16 years.

Diomid

Diomid comes from Greek Diomedes, “advised by Zeus” or “god-like cunning.”

Demyan

Tamer. Demyan Bedny, or poor Demyan, was a Soviet poet’s pen name.

Foka

”Seal” or ”from Phocis.”

Pakhom

Eagle. Tolstoy’s peasant who runs for land until he dies.

Vitaly

Of life.

Avksenty

Increase.

Apollon

From Apollo, Greek god of music.

Terenty

”Tender.”

Ratibor

From rati, battle, and borti, to fight.

Oleg

Holy, and a prince killed by a snake from his horse’s skull.

Alferey

Alferey is the English form of Alfrey, that translate to Elf power or “>Elf counsel.

Ippolit

”Freer of horses” or ”horse stampede.” Ippolit comes from the Greek Hippólutos.

Login

Long.

Vikenty

”Conquering.”

Prokopy

Progress.

Adam

”Earth” or ”man.”

Svyatopolk

Holy people. Svyatopolk is a prince remembered as the Accursed.

Gerasim

Respected, and Gerasim drowns his dog in Turgenev’s Mumu.

Sofron

Sensible.

Radoslav

Happy glory.

Andrey

Andrei (”manly”) Rublev painted the Trinity icon.

Yelisey

From Hebrew Elisha, ”my God is salvation.”

Porfiry

”Purple.”

Vissarion

From bessa, wooded valley.

Kuzma

Order, and Kuzma Minin raised the militia that freed Moscow.

Parfen

Maidenly.

Anfim

Anfim is derived from the Polish word for flower. It can also come from Anfimios (undying or immortal).

Gavriil

Gavriil derives from the Slavic language, and it translates as ”God is my strength.” It is a Greek and Russian form of Gabriel, which is from the Hebrew Gaḇrī. Archangel Gabriel is considered the messenger of God in Abrahamic religions. Gabriel told Mary that her baby would be the Son of God.

Anisim

”Profit.”

Lavrentiy

It is from the Latin Laurentius. Saint Lawrence was a deacon of the city of Rome.

Arkadiy

“From Arcadia.” Pianist Arcadi Volodos won the Edison Award for his discography.

Ratimir

“Defender of peace.” Ratko is a diminutive that works well for Ratimir.

Kalistrat

Kalistrat is common in Belarus, and and its from the elements ‘kallos’ (”beauty”) and ‘stratos’ (”soldier”).

Artamon

It also has Greek roots and means ”from Artemis.” Artamon Putilov was a general.

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Grigory

Alert or watchful.

Averyan

”To attract.” It comes from the Latin averto. Diminutives are Yana, Averyanka, Vera, Averya, and Avera.

Bogdan

From the Slavic words bog (god) and dan (given), Bogdan is also popular in Romania. The feminine forms are Bogdanka and Bogdana.

Zakhar

It comes from Hebrew Zechariah, “God remembers. “Zakhar Arzamastsev plays for Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the Supreme Hockey League.

Lev

”Lion,” and appears as “Leyb” in Yiddish.

Lazar

It is a shortened form of the Hebrew Eleazar (God has helped). In Albanian, Lazar is Llazar and as Lázár in Hungarian. In the Bible, Lazarus of Bethany was resurected by Jesus after being dead for 4 days.

Aristarkh

Best ruler, as well as a Greek astronomer who put the Sun at the center.

Roman

Of Rome.

German

German (”brother”) Titov is the youngest person to orbit Earth.

Solomon

Peaceful.

Vyacheslav

From vyache, more, and slava, glory.

Nestor

Homecoming, and the oldest Greek king at Troy.

Miron

”Myrrh.”

Varfolomey

From Aramaic, ”son of Talmai.”

Serafim

Fiery ones. Seraphim of Sarov prayed on a rock for a thousand nights.

Borislav

Borislav comes from the Slavic elements ”borti” (battle) and ”slava” (glory). Borislava is the equivalent for girls.

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Leonid

”Descendant of a lion” or ”son of the lion.”

Bratimir

Bratimir is from the Slavic brati, gather.

Yaroslav

It is made of the Slavic elements jar (“fierce”) and slav (”fame”). Yaroslav is equivalent to the Polish Jarosław and the Slovak Jaroslav. Iaroslav Sviatopolkovich was Prince of Volhynia for eight years.

Gordey

Proud-spirited.

Cheslav

Cheslav has the elements cest (honor) and slav (fame).

Filimon

”Affectionate loving.” Filimon is derived from Philēmon.

Nikita

Nikita is from the Greek Nicetas (‘victor’) and is common in Eastern Europe. In Belarus and Ukraine, it is Mykyta. There is also the Indian feminine Niketā but this one has origins in the Sanskrit niketana (”temple” or “house”).

Misha

It is a diminutive of Mikhail (“One who is like Go.”). Misha Gromov is a member of Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques.

Nikifor

Bringer of victory.

Agey

Festive.

Rodion

”Rose” or ”from Rhodes.”

Iov

Persecuted.

Erast

Erast (”lovely”) Fandorin is the detective of Boris Akunin’s novels.

Zinovy

”Life of Zeus”.

Mechislav

From mech, sword, and slava, glory.

Polikarp

Much fruit.

Yeremey

It comes from Hebrew Yirmeyahu, ”God will exalt.”

Konstantin

”Steadfast,” and Tsiolkovsky worked out rocket theory as a nearly deaf teacher.

Velimir

Velimir (”great peace”) Khlebnikov picked this one over his real one, Viktor.

Silvestr

Of the forest.

Arkhip

Master of horses. Arkhip Kuindzhi’s moonlit Dnieper had viewers hunting for a hidden lamp.

Klavdiy

Lame.

Korniliy

Korniliy is a version of Cornelius (horned). Cornelius was a Roman centurion who is believed to be the first Gentile converted to Christianity.

Yegor

Yegor comes from Greek Georgios and is meaning “earth-worker” or “farmer”. Spelling variations include Jegors and Egori.

Dorofey

Dorofey has its origins in the Greek Dorotheus (”gift of God”).

Afanasy

”Immortal,” and Afanasy Nikitin reached India before Vasco da Gama.

Lyubim

The loved one.

Vladimir

From vlad, rule, and mir, peace. Vladimir the Great baptized Kievan Rus.

Avdey

”Servant of God.”

Spiridon

”Basket” or ”spirit.”

Nikodim

It is a variant of Nicodemus, “victory of the people” in Greek.

Zhdan

”Awaited.”

Kondraty

Kondraty (”square”) Ryleyev survived his first hanging when the rope broke.

Pavel

Small.

Yevlampy

From Greek Eulampios, ”well-shining.”

Ostromir

Sharp peace, and namesake of the oldest dated East Slavic book.

Nazar

”From Nazareth” or ”dedicated.”

Zhenya

Zhenya is a diminutive of Yevgeny, ”honorable.”

Kim

Communist Youth International, in Soviet acronym form.

Yefim

It is derived from the Greek Euthymios (”pious”). In 1997 Yefim Bronfman won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance.

Gorislav

”Burning glory”.

Prov

Upright/good.

Ilya

”My God is Yahweh”. Ilya Muromets sat on a stove for thirty-three years.

Anatoly

”Sunrise,” ”east,” ”dawn” or ”from Anatolia.”

Firs

From thyrsos, staff of Dionysus.

Spartak

Spartak is a variant of Spartacus, “from the city of Sparta.” Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who served as a soldier with the Romans but later led a slave revolt that is known as the Third Servile War.

Sudislav

Judgment and glory, and a prince jailed for over two decades by his brother.

Agap

”Love.”

Tikhon

Fortune, as well as a first patriarch elected after nearly two centuries without one.

Kallinik

From kallos, beauty, and nike, victory.

Molchan

”Silent one.”

Grischa

Grischa is a short form of Gregory, from Latin “Gregorius” and is symbolizing ”alert.”

Galaktion

Milky.

Mitrofan

From meter, mother, and phainein, to show.

Ivan

”God is gracious.” Ivan the Terrible was the first crowned Tsar of All Russia.

Bogolyub

Loves God.

Potap

”Wanderer.”

Stanislav

It is made of stan, to become, and slava, glory.

Sergey

Servant. Sergius of Radonezh founded the Trinity Lavra near Moscow.

Nikolay

People’s victory. Nikolai Gogol burned his second volume of Dead Souls.

Yemelyan

Yemelyan (”rival”) Pugachev posed as Tsar Peter the Third.

Mokey

Mocker/scoffer.

Venedikt

Spoken well of.

Karp

Fruit.

Svetozar

Svetozar combines svet, light, and zar, dawn, two words that I like together.

Orest

Of the mountains.

Tverdislav

Tverd, firm, and slava, glory.

Gedeon

”Hewer,” ”cutter,” ”destroyer” or ”mighty warrior.”

Avtonom

Independent.

Svyatoslav

Holy glory, and pianist Svyatoslav Richter played late concerts in near darkness.

Vseslav

All glory, and a werewolf prince in The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.

Yefrem

”Fruitful”.

Rurik

From Norse Hrœrekr, ”famous ruler.” His dynasty ruled Russia for over seven centuries.

Isidor

Gift of Isis.

Maksim

Greatest, and Maxim Gorky picked a pen surname meaning bitter.

Bazhen

Desired.

Merkury

From Mercury, Roman god of trade.

Khariton

Grace.

Yuliy

Downy-bearded.

Avenir

From Hebrew Avner, ”father of light.”

Stepan

Crown, and Stepan Razin is a Cossack rebel of Volga songs.

Foma

”Twin.”

Kharlampy

It comes from chara, joy, and lampein, to shine.

Arseniy

Virile.

Anton

”Priceless”. Anton Chekhov called medicine his lawful wife.

Yevgraf

”Well written.”

Dobrynya

Good, as well as a bogatyr who beat the dragon Zmey Gorynych.

Pafnuty

”Belonging to God.” A Moon crater is after mathematician Pafnuty Chebyshev.

Yaromir

”Fierce peace.”

Yevsey

Devout.

Pyotr

Pyotr (”rock”), pronounced PYOTR, founded Saint Petersburg as Peter the Great.

Radim

Caring.

Taras

”Rebel,” ”restless,” ”agitator” or ”from Taras.”

Vysheslav

Vyshe, higher, and slava, glory.

Valery

To be strong. Valery Chkalov flew nonstop from Moscow over the North Pole to America.

Gostomysl

From gost, guest, and mysl, thought.

Naum

Comforter.

Ksenofont

Foreign voice. Xenophon marched ten thousand Greeks home from Persia.

Kasyan

”Empty,” and Kasyan’s name day is on February twenty-ninth.

Melor

Marx, Engels, Lenin, October Revolution, in one Soviet acronym.

Fotiy

”Light.”

Prokhor

First in the dance.

Venyamin

Son of the right hand.

Gennady

”Noble” or ”generous.”

Vadim

From Old Slavic vaditi, to accuse.

Panteley

From Panteleimon, ”all-merciful.”

Zosima

Full of life.

Kapiton

”Head.”

Smirnoy

Meek, and root of Smirnov, one of Russia’s most common surnames.

Frol

Flowering.

Isay

From Hebrew Yeshayahu, ”Yahweh saves.”

Aleksandr

Defender of men, and Alexander Nevsky beat the Teutonic Knights on a frozen lake.