The first name Boris
A boy’s name from Russian.
Pronounced /ˈbɔɹɪs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Russian origin
Borrowed from Russian Бори́с (Borís).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 19 boys were named Boris, making it the 1,406th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 47 births (#721).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Boris with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Boris at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 37 boys born in the United States were named Boris, the 3,189th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1970, when 82 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Boris in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Boris in Czech, French, Slovak, Slovene and Spanish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Boris
106 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Boris Tadić3rd President of the Republic of Serbia, born 1958
- Boris VianFrench writer and musician (1920–1959)
- Boris GelfandBelarusian-Israeli chess player, born 1968
- Boris ChristoffBulgarian bass singer (1914–1993)
- Boris I of BulgariaBulgarian ruler, 827–907
- Boris DiawFrench basketball executive and former player, born 1982
- Boris II of BulgariaBulgarian ruler, 929–976
- Boris KodjoeGerman actor, born 1973
- Boris ŽivkovićCroatian footballer, born 1975
- Boris LagutinBoxer (1938–2022)
- Boris GaganelovBulgarian footballer (1941-2020)
- Boris CyrulnikFrench psychiatrist, born 1937
More Russian boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Boris mean?
- Borrowed from Russian Бори́с (Borís).
- What is the origin of the name Boris?
- Borrowed from Russian Бори́с (Borís).
- How popular is the name Boris?
- In 2025, 19 boys born in England and Wales were named Boris, ranking 1,406th. Its peak was 2018, with 47 births.
- Is Boris a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 4,621 US babies named Boris since 1880 were boys.
- When was Boris most popular?
- 1970 in the United States, when 82 babies were named Boris, its highest rank at 891st.
- How do you pronounce Boris?
- Boris is /ˈbɔɹɪs/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Boris?
- Borys.
- Is Boris also a surname?
- Yes. Boris is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.