Given name & surname
Vasili
“royal”·“of the royal family; a kingly man”·“one who is kingly; born to royalty”
Vasili is a form of Basil. Interpretations include “royal” (Greek) and “of the royal family; a kingly man” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions. Vasili is a variant of Vasilis. One Greek interpretation is “one who is kingly; born to royalty.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Vasili is a form of Basil. Interpretations include “royal” (Greek) and “of the royal family; a kingly man” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions. Vasili is a variant of Vasilis. One Greek interpretation is “one who is kingly; born to royalty.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Vasili is a form of Basil. An origin associated with Basil is Greek.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Russian use, Vasili is used as a form of Basil.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1976. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Vasili through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 204
- 204 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2013
- 14 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #7,645 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +32%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 7,645 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 14 in 2013. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 564 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Vasili’s family of names
Vasili shares a linguistic root with Basil. In Portuguese usage, Vasili has a related form in Vasily. Vasili is a form of Basil.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Vasili has relatives in 6 languages.
9 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 29
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Basilcognate · English
- Vasiliosequivalent
- Basilioequivalent
- Bazilequivalent
- Basileequivalent
- Vasilijeequivalent
- Vasileequivalent
- Wasylequivalent
Show 21 moreShow fewer
- Vassiliosequivalent
- Vasilequivalent
- Wassilequivalent
- Wasilequivalent
- Васильequivalent
- Vasylequivalent
- Βασίληςequivalent
- Vazulequivalent
- Bazilijequivalent
- Baziloequivalent
- ვასილequivalent
- Basilideequivalent
- Василequivalent
- Βασίλειοςequivalent
- Basílioequivalent
- Василийequivalent
- Васільequivalent
- Wassilyequivalent
- Pasiequivalent
- Bazyliequivalent
- Basiliusolder form · Latin
People named Vasili
- Vasili IV of RussiaTsar of Russia (1606–1610)1552–1612
- Vasili BerezutskiRussian footballerborn 1982
- Vasili MitrokhinKGB officer (1922–2004)
- Vasili MerkuryevSoviet actor, theatre director (1904–1978)
- Vasili Kuznetsovathletics competitor (1932-2001)
- Vasili PukirevRussian painter (1832-1890)
- Vasili KulkovRussian football player/manager (1966–2020)
- Vasili PronchishchevRussian explorer1702–1736
- Vasili VaninRussian actor and theatre director (1898–1951)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Vasili, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.