A name. A world of connections.

Борис

Church Slavic roots

Language contexts for this entry: Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and 3 more

Matching spellings may have different histories. Explore matching entries

masculineCyrillic script

Hear the name

Origin: Church Slavic
6 language contexts: Russian Bulgarian Macedonian +3 more
Follow the evidence: 4 cited sources Source-reported

01 / Meaning & origin

About Борис

Борис is a masculine given name documented in Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and 3 other languages. English Wiktionary traces it to Church Slavic Бориславъ via Old East Slavic.

Church Slavic origin

Source-reported

From Old East Slavic Борисъ (Borisŭ), and ultimately from Old Church Slavonic Борисъ (Borisŭ), from which came also Bulgarian Борис (Boris) or Богорис (Bogoris), after Boris I of Bulgaria (852–889), who adopted Christianity. Another theory derives the name from the abbreviation of Old Church Slavonic Бориславъ (Borislavŭ) – compare Ukrainian Бори́сла́в (Borýsláv). Surname derives from the given name.

Sources for this account (1)

Wiktionary: БорисCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Documented usage

View usage notes (7)

Masculine usage · Wikidata Q102249935
Masculine usage in Bulgarian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Macedonian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Ruthenian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Russian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Serbo-Croatian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Ukrainian · Wiktionary: Борис

Explore all 6 language contexts

Linguistic usage labels come from name dictionaries. They are separate from the sex categories recorded in statistical files.

Spelling and script

Written form “Борис” in the Cyrillic script. Wikidata item Q102249935.

Transliterations (search aids): Borís, Boris, Boris, Borís, Bȏris, Borys, Borýs.

All pronunciation details (6)

[bɐˈrʲis] — Russian
[boˈris] — Bulgarian
[ˈbɔɾis] — Macedonian
[ˈbɔris] — Ruthenian
/bôːris/ — Serbo-Croatian
[bɔˈrɪs] — Ukrainian

02 / Across borders

Where Борис is used

Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.

The name atlas

Across borders

countries in our sources

Select a country to follow Борис’s connections around the world.

0 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.

Selected country

Russia

Language records

Documented as a given name in Russian.

Explore Russia

2 of 2 countries

03 / By the numbers

Popularity over time

Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.

No official statistics are imported for this spelling. No statistical dataset covering this spelling has been imported yet. See data coverage.

04 / Through time

History

Notable bearers

People recorded with this given name in Wikidata. Their names may use a different spelling, or include it as a middle or baptismal name.

Borys Liatoshynsky
1894–1968
Ukrainian composer, conductor, teacher (1894–1968)
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Boris Shcherbina
1919–1990
Soviet politician (1919–1990), vice-chairman of the Council of Ministers
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Boris Mikhailov
born 1938
Ukrainian photographer (born 1938)
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Boris Onishchenko
born 1937
modern pentathlete
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Borys Oliynyk
1935–2017
Ukrainian writer and politician (1935–2017)
Wikipedia Wikidata source

A little story to keep

A name worth keeping.

Take the story of Борис with you. Create a personal name passport with its meaning, roots and connections.

06 / Behind the facts

Sources for this page

Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-17.

Name origins & languageDictionaries, name records and related forms2

Wikidata Q102249935CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary: БорисCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Pronunciation recordingsAudio credits and individual recording licences2

Wikimedia Commons: File:Ru-Борис.oggCC-BY-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wikimedia Commons: File:LL-Q8798 (ukr)-Po ukraińsku (Andriana)-Борис.wavCC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.

Opening name…

About Борис

Борис is a masculine given name documented in Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and 3 other languages. English Wiktionary traces it to Church Slavic Бориславъ via Old East Slavic.

Church Slavic origin

Source-reported

Sources for this account (1)

Wiktionary: БорисCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Documented usage

View usage notes (7)

Masculine usage · Wikidata Q102249935
Masculine usage in Bulgarian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Macedonian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Ruthenian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Russian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Serbo-Croatian · Wiktionary: Борис
Masculine usage in Ukrainian · Wiktionary: Борис

Explore all 6 language contexts

Linguistic usage labels come from name dictionaries. They are separate from the sex categories recorded in statistical files.

Spelling and script

Written form “Борис” in the Cyrillic script. Wikidata item Q102249935.

Transliterations (search aids): Borís, Boris, Boris, Borís, Bȏris, Borys, Borýs.

All pronunciation details (6)

[bɐˈrʲis] — Russian
[boˈris] — Bulgarian
[ˈbɔɾis] — Macedonian
[ˈbɔris] — Ruthenian
/bôːris/ — Serbo-Croatian
[bɔˈrɪs] — Ukrainian

Where Борис is used

Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.

The name atlas

Across borders

countries in our sources

Select a country to follow Борис’s connections around the world.

0 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.

Selected country

Russia

Language records

Documented as a given name in Russian.

Explore Russia

2 of 2 countries

History

Notable bearers

People recorded with this given name in Wikidata. Their names may use a different spelling, or include it as a middle or baptismal name.

Borys Liatoshynsky
1894–1968
Ukrainian composer, conductor, teacher (1894–1968)
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Boris Shcherbina
1919–1990
Soviet politician (1919–1990), vice-chairman of the Council of Ministers
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Boris Mikhailov
born 1938
Ukrainian photographer (born 1938)
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Boris Onishchenko
born 1937
modern pentathlete
Wikipedia Wikidata source
Borys Oliynyk
1935–2017
Ukrainian writer and politician (1935–2017)
Wikipedia Wikidata source

Sources for this page

Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-17.

Name origins & languageDictionaries, name records and related forms2

Wikidata Q102249935CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary: БорисCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Pronunciation recordingsAudio credits and individual recording licences2

Wikimedia Commons: File:Ru-Борис.oggCC-BY-3.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wikimedia Commons: File:LL-Q8798 (ukr)-Po ukraińsku (Andriana)-Борис.wavCC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.

A story to pass on.

About Борис

Church Slavic origin

Where Борис is used

Across borders

Russia

Popularity over time

History

Notable bearers

Borys Liatoshynsky

Boris Shcherbina

Boris Mikhailov

Boris Onishchenko

Borys Oliynyk

Related names

Different forms. Shared stories.

Meet the family

Related names in the catalogue

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page

A story to pass on.

About Борис

Church Slavic origin

Where Борис is used

Across borders

Russia

Popularity over time

History

Notable bearers

Borys Liatoshynsky

Boris Shcherbina

Boris Mikhailov

Boris Onishchenko

Borys Oliynyk

Related names

Different forms. Shared stories.

Meet the family

Related names in the catalogue

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page