Vasili

Meaning of Vasili

Vasili, a Slavic variant of the Greek name Basil—rooted in the word basileus, meaning “king”—carries a quietly regal quality that appeals to parents seeking a distinctive, historically grounded choice. Pronounced vuh-SEE-lee in both Greek (/vaˈsi.li/) and Russian (/vəˈsi.li/), it evokes Eastern Orthodox tradition and figures such as Tsar Vasili III and the abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky. In the United States, Vasili has maintained a modest niche: five to nine newborns receive the name each year, placing it near the 900th rank on recent popularity charts and reflecting a peak position of 665 in the 1970s. Although it never challenges mainstream favorites, its steady usage highlights its appeal to families drawn to subtle nobility—and comes with the added perk of near-zero risk of classroom duplication.