Popular Russian boy names with meanings

Akim - The Russian form of Hebrew name Jehoiakim, Akim has biblical meaning: God will establish. We love this strong sounding name.

Viktor - Meaning conqueror, Viktor is a popular Russian name. You might remember it as the name of Viktor Krum in Harry Potter.

Tima - An adorable version of Timothy, Tima has religious connotations, meaning honouring God. We love how cute it sounds.

Damien - Derived from the Greek 'Damianos', Damien, meaning 'to tame, subdue', is also popular in Russia.

Dimitri - A Slavic variation of the Greek god of fertility and farming, Dimitri is an exotic-sounding choice for any baby boy.

Eriks - A variation on Eric, Eriks not only sounds unique and modern, it also has a significant meaning: eternal ruler.

Alek - The Russian variation of Alex, which means 'defending men'. It is one of the most popular gender-neutral names. If you want a more traditional sounding name, go with Aleksandr.

Ivan - A hugely popular name in Russia, Ivan has been the name of many Russian leaders including Ivan the Great but also Ivan the Terrible. A traditional Russian baby boy name, this is a conventional choice to embrace the Russian heritage.

Jeremie - As with many of these names, this is the Russian version of Hebrew classic, Jeremiah. Meaning appointed by God, Jeremie has a choice of spellings including Jeramie and Jeramy.

Armen - A Russian variation on Armand, which means 'soldier', Armen is also extremely popular in Armenia. It is rarely used in the UK, and so makes a great unique choice.

Ilias - The Russian variation on Elijah, a Hebrew name, Ilias is adorably modern. For a more conventional nickname, you could go with Lee.

Karlin - We love this cool variation on Carl. Karlin is gender-neutral and means 'free man'.

Leonid - Another traditional Russian name, Leonid was the first name of Russian president Brezhnev. Meaning 'lion', which also lends itself so looking at some great lion-themed nursery decoration ideas for your little one.

Nikolai - This strong, exotic version of Nicholas is a popular choice in Russia. Your son will join a line of impressive Russian painters, so you may give him some artistic flair if you choose this cool name.

Rolan - We love this variation on the old-fashioned Roland. Although your son may be destined to a life of fame with this name, as it means 'famous throughout the land'.

Ludis - This is the Russian version of Louis, which means 'renowned warrior'. We love how unconventional it is.

Sergei - This traditional Russian name became popular thanks to Saint Sergei, known for being kind and gentle. We think it would sound adorable on a baby, yet strong once your boy is all grown up.

Yuri - A popular Russian name, Yuri is the name of many a Russian scientist and is pronounced 'Yer-ee'.

Vladimir - This Slavic name is hugely popular in Russia, perhaps due to its notable meaning of 'renowned prince'. A great option for any sports fans, as it is also the first name of legendary former professional, heavyweight boxer, Wladimir Klitschko.

Zavid - While this Russian baby boy name is old-fashioned, we love how unusual and cool it is. Meaning 'beloved, favourite, darling, friend', it's also one of the sweetest names on our list.