boy's name
Boris
BOR-iss (English)
- Origin Bulgar
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 21,768
Boris is a boy's name of Bulgar origin whose meaning is uncertain. Scholars have linked it to Turkic words for "short" or "wolf," and later Slavic speakers heard in it the sense of "fighter." The name's fame comes from Boris I, the ruler who brought Christianity to Bulgaria.
- Boris is a name of Bulgar origin.
- Peaked in France in 1988, when 625 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 39,300 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1902.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Boris Over Time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 40 |
| 1910s | 50 |
| 1920s | 135 |
| 1930s | 240 |
| 1940s | 180 |
| 1950s | 245 |
| 1960s | 975 |
| 1970s | 4,390 |
| 1980s | 5,020 |
| 1990s | 3,355 |
| 2000s | 850 |
| 2010s | 325 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 95 |
What Boris Means
Boris has no single settled meaning. Its likely Turkic source is read as wolf or short, while the popular reading of fighter comes from a Slavic word for battle that was attached to the name later.
Where Boris Comes From
Boris first appears as Bogoris, the name of the ninth-century Bulgar khan who accepted Christianity in 864 and is honored today as a saint. The Bulgars spoke a Turkic language, which is why most scholars look to Turkic for the root. Other proposals exist, none of them settled. Slavic speakers later tied it to borti, to fight, and treated it as a short form of Borislav, but that looks like reinterpretation. Veneration of Saint Boris, a prince of Kievan Rus' killed in 1015, then carried the name across the Orthodox world.
Boris in Use
Pushkin's drama and Mussorgsky's opera made Boris Godunov a household name in Russian culture. Other well-known bearers include writer Boris Pasternak, actor Boris Karloff and tennis champion Boris Becker.
How Popular Is Boris?
In 2025, Boris was given to 15 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Boris Is Used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Boris
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Boris Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Boris over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Boris
- English BOR-iss
- Russian boh-REES
Boris in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Boris
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Boris — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Boris
What does the name Boris mean?
The meaning is uncertain. Scholars suggest Turkic words for wolf or short, and the sense "fighter" is a later Slavic reading.
Is Boris a Russian name?
It's Bulgar in origin but became one of the classic Russian names through Saint Boris.
Who was the first famous Boris?
Boris I of Bulgaria, the ninth-century ruler who converted to Christianity.
How popular is the name Boris?
In 2025, Boris was given to 15 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Boris a girl's or a boy's name?
Boris is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Boris?
Boris has 2 syllables.
When was Boris most popular?
Boris peaked in 1988, when 625 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Boris a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Boris currently ranks #1,414 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.