300+ Polish Orthodox Baby Names (Meanings & Significance)

Introduction

In the heart of Europe lies a faith community with a unique and resilient story—the Polish Orthodox Church. While Poland is predominantly Catholic, its eastern regions are home to a vibrant Orthodox tradition stretching back over a thousand years to the time of Kyivan Rus’. This heritage has created a beautiful tapestry of names that blend the deep spirituality of Eastern Christianity with the rich sounds and culture of the Polish language. To choose a name from this tradition is to honor a history of perseverance, piety, and profound faith.

This guide is your doorway into the world of Polish Orthodox baby names. These are names that have been whispered in prayers in the ancient wooden churches of the Podlasie region, names of saints who lived and were martyred on Polish soil, and names that connect a child to the wider Slavic Orthodox world. Whether you are celebrating your family’s roots or are simply drawn to names that are both familiar and distinctive, you are about to discover a wealth of meaningful options for your little one.

📜 About the Polish Orthodox Church

The Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church is the second-largest church in Poland, with deep historical roots in the country’s eastern territories. Its origins are tied to the Christianization of Kyivan Rus’ in 988 AD, with the faith flourishing for centuries in lands that are now part of modern Poland. The Church was officially granted autocephaly (self-governance) in 1924, cementing its status as a local Orthodox Church for the people of Poland.

At baptism, a child is given the name of a patron saint, who serves as their heavenly protector. This tradition is cherished, and the saint’s feast day (imieniny) is a major celebration. The Church’s heartland is the Podlasie region, especially around cities like Białystok and Hajnówka. It honors local saints like the 20th-century Priest-Martyr St. Maxim Gorlicki and the Child-Martyr St. Gabriel of Białystok, alongside the great saints of the universal Church. These Polish Orthodox baby names are a testament to this enduring faith.

🧒 Boy Names from the Polish Orthodox Church

These names reflect a beautiful synthesis of apostolic, Greek, and Slavic traditions, all rendered in the distinctive Polish language. They are strong, historic, and full of faith.

No.	Name	Meaning	Religious/Cultural Significance
1	Jan	God is Gracious	For St. John the Baptist, one of the most revered saints.
2	Piotr	Rock, Stone	For the Chief Apostle, St. Peter.
3	Paweł	Small, Humble	For the Holy Apostle Paul.
4	Andrzej	Manly, Brave	For the First-Called Apostle, St. Andrew.
5	Jerzy	Farmer	For the Great Martyr St. George, a beloved military saint.
6	Mikołaj	Victory of the People	For St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, deeply loved in Poland.
7	Aleksander	Defender of Mankind	A classic Orthodox name, popular in Poland.
8	Michał	Who is like God?	For the Archangel Michael.
9	Gabriel	God is my Strength	For the Archangel and St. Gabriel of Białystok, a local child-martyr.
10	Stefan	Crown, Wreath	For the Protomartyr St. Stephen.
11	Bazyli	Royal, Kingly	For St. Basil the Great.
12	Grzegorz	Watchful, Alert	For St. Gregory the Theologian.
13	Dymitr	Devotee of Demeter	For St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki.
14	Maksym	Greatest	For St. Maxim Gorlicki, a 20th-century priest-martyr from Poland.
15	Włodzimierz	To Rule with Greatness	Polish form of Volodymyr, for the Enlightener of Kyivan Rus’.
16	Borys	Wolf, Short	For the holy Passion-Bearer St. Borys.
17	Gleb	Heir of God	For St. Gleb, martyred with his brother St. Borys.
18	Jarosław	Fierce Glory	For Yaroslav the Wise, a great prince of Kyivan Rus’.
19	Daniel	God is my Judge	For the Prophet Daniel.
20	Józef	God will Increase	For St. Joseph the Betrothed.
21	Eliasz	The Lord is my God	For the great Prophet Elijah.
22	Szymon	He has Heard	For the Apostle Simon (Simeon).
23	Antoni	Priceless	For St. Anthony the Great.
24	Konstanty	Constant, Steadfast	For St. Constantine the Great.
25	Roman	Roman	For St. Romanos the Melodist.
26	Cyryl	Lordly	For St. Cyril, co-creator of the Cyrillic alphabet.
27	Leon	Lion	For St. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome.
28	Marek	Of Mars, Warlike	For the Evangelist St. Mark.
29	Łukasz	From Lucania	For the Evangelist St. Luke.
30	Filip	Lover of Horses	For the Apostle Philip.
31	Mateusz	Gift of God	For the Evangelist St. Matthew.
32	Tomasz	Twin	For the Apostle Thomas.
33	Siergiej	Servant	Polish form of Sergius, for St. Sergius of Radonezh.
34	Ignacy	Fiery	For St. Ignatius of Antioch.
35	Dawid	Beloved	For the Prophet and King David.
36	Adam	Man, Earth	For the Forefather Adam.
37	Teodor	Gift of God	For St. Theodore the Recruit.
38	Wiktor	Victor	For several holy martyrs.
39	Walenty	Strong, Healthy	For St. Valentine.
40	Klemens	Merciful, Gentle	For St. Clement of Rome.
41	Kazimierz	To Destroy Peace	For St. Casimir, a royal Polish (Catholic) saint also respected by Orthodox.
42	Stanisław	To Stand with Glory	For St. Stanislaus, a Polish (Catholic) bishop also respected.
43	Wacław	More Glory	For St. Wenceslaus of Bohemia, a beloved Slavic saint.
44	Onufry	He who is always good	For St. Onuphrius the Great.
45	Sawa	Old Man	For St. Sava of Serbia.
46	Atanazy	Immortal	For St. Athanasius the Great.
47	Adrian	From Hadria	For the sainted martyr.
48	Augustyn	Majestic, Great	For St. Augustine of Hippo.
49	Benedykt	Blessed	For St. Benedict of Nursia.
50	Cyprian	From Cyprus	For St. Cyprian of Carthage.
51	Damian	To Tame, Subdue	For St. Damian the Unmercenary.
52	Eugeniusz	Noble	For St. Eugene.
53	Florian	Flowering	For a revered martyr.
54	German	Brother	For St. Germanus of Constantinople.
55	Hieronim	Sacred Name	For St. Jerome.
56	Hilary	Cheerful	For St. Hilarion the Great.
57	Ireneusz	Peaceful	For St. Irenaeus of Lyon.
58	Izydor	Gift of Isis	For St. Isidore.
59	Joachim	God will Establish	For St. Joachim, father of the Theotokos.
60	Julian	Youthful	For St. Julian the Hospitaller.
61	Kornel	Horn	For St. Cornelius the Centurion.
62	Kosma	Order, Decency	For St. Cosmas the Unmercenary.
63	Krzysztof	Christ-bearer	For St. Christopher.
64	Laurencjusz	From Laurentum	For St. Lawrence the Archdeacon.
65	Lucjan	Light	For St. Lucian of Antioch.
66	Marceli	Of Mars, Warlike	For a sainted martyr.
67	Marcin	Of Mars, Warlike	For St. Martin of Tours.
68	Marian	Of the Sea / Of Marius	A popular name.
69	Maurycy	Dark-skinned	For St. Maurice.
70	Metody	Method, Pursuit	For St. Methodius, Enlightener of the Slavs.
71	Nestor	Homecoming	For St. Nestor the Chronicler.
72	Nikodem	Victory of the People	For St. Nicodemus, the secret disciple.
73	Oleg	Holy, Sacred	For the sainted prince of Kyivan Rus’.
74	Pankracy	All-Powerful	For St. Pancras.
75	Patryk	Nobleman	For St. Patrick of Ireland.
76	Prokop	Progress, Advance	For St. Procopius.
77	Rafał	God has Healed	For the Archangel Raphael.
78	Sebastian	From Sebaste	For the holy martyr St. Sebastian.
79	Sergiusz	Servant	A variant of Siergiej.
80	Seweryn	Stern	For St. Severinus.
81	Sylwester	From the Forest	For St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome.
82	Tadeusz	Heart, Courageous	For the Apostle Jude Thaddeus.
83	Teofil	Friend of God	A saintly name.
84	Tymoteusz	Honoring God	For St. Timothy.
85	Tytus	Title of Honor	For St. Titus.
86	Urban	From the City	For several sainted popes.
87	Walery	Strong, Healthy	For St. Valerius.
88	Wincenty	Conquering	For St. Vincent.
89	Zenon	Gift of Zeus	For St. Zeno of Verona.
90	Abraham	Father of Many	For the Patriarch Abraham.
91	Ambroży	Immortal	For St. Ambrose of Milan.
92	Ariel	Lion of God	A biblical name.
93	Bogdan	Given by God	A classic Slavic Christian name.
94	Bolesław	More Glory	A royal Polish name.
95	Cezary	Hairy	For St. Caesarius.
96	Emanuel	God is with Us	A biblical name for Christ.
97	Fabian	Bean Grower	For a sainted pope.
98	Feliks	Lucky, Successful	A saintly name.
99	Franciszek	Frenchman	For St. Francis of Assisi.
100	Jakub	Supplanter	Polish form of Jacob.

👧 Girl Names from the Polish Orthodox Church

These names blend the grace and beauty of classic saints with the strength of Slavic tradition, all with a distinctive Polish charm.

No.	Name	Meaning	Religious/Cultural Significance
1	Maria	Bitter, Wished-for Child	For the Most Holy Theotokos. Universally beloved.
2	Anna	Grace, Favor	For the mother of the Theotokos. A timeless classic.
3	Olga	Holy, Sacred	For St. Olga of Kyiv, a foundational saint for Slavic Orthodoxy.
4	Zofia	Wisdom	For St. Sophia. A very popular name in Poland.
5	Helena	Light, Torch	For St. Helen, mother of Constantine the Great.
6	Katarzyna	Pure	For the Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria.
7	Irena	Peace	For the Great Martyr Irene.
8	Anastazja	Resurrection	A beautiful name celebrating the Resurrection.
9	Barbara	Foreign, Strange	For the Great Martyr Barbara.
10	Elżbieta	My God is an Oath	For St. Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist.
11	Ewa	To Live	For the Fore-mother Eve.
12	Nadzieja	Hope	For St. Nadezhda (Hope), daughter of St. Sophia.
13	Wiara	Faith	For St. Vera (Faith), daughter of St. Sophia.
14	Miłość	Love	For St. Lyubov (Love/Charity), daughter of St. Sophia.
15	Ludmiła	Love of the People	For St. Ludmila of Bohemia, a revered Slavic saint.
16	Aleksandra	Defender of Mankind	For the holy martyr Empress Alexandra.
17	Tatiana	Father’s Daughter	For the holy martyr Tatiana of Rome.
18	Lidia	From Lydia	For St. Lydia, the first European convert.
19	Julia	Youthful	For the holy martyr Julia.
20	Marta	Lady, Mistress	For St. Martha of Bethany.
21	Zuzanna	Lily	For the biblical Susanna.
22	Sara	Princess	For the Matriarch Sarah.
23	Weronika	She who brings victory	For St. Veronica, who wiped Christ’s face.
24	Agnieszka	Pure, Holy	For St. Agnes of Rome, a beloved virgin-martyr.
25	Nina	N/A	For St. Nina, Enlightener of Georgia.
26	Ksenia	Hospitality	For St. Xenia of St. Petersburg.
27	Teodora	Gift of God	For sainted empresses and martyrs.
28	Wiktoria	Victory	For a sainted martyr.
29	Walentyna	Strong, Healthy	For the virgin-martyr Valentina.
30	Eugenia	Noble	For the holy martyr Eugenia.
31	Krystyna	Follower of Christ	For the Great Martyr Christina.
32	Małgorzata	Pearl	Polish form of Margaret (St. Marina of Antioch).
33	Marina	Of the Sea	For the Great Martyr Marina.
34	Pelagia	Of the Sea	For St. Pelagia.
35	Raissa	Easy-going	For a holy martyr.
36	Serafina	Fiery, Ardent	Feminine of Seraphim.
37	Tamara	Palm Tree	For St. Tamar of Georgia.
38	Waleria	Strong, Healthy	For St. Valeria.
39	Zenobia	Life of Zeus	For a holy martyr.
40	Apolonia	Of Apollo	For St. Apollonia of Alexandria.
41	Aurelia	Golden	A saintly name.
42	Beata	Blessed	A saintly name.
43	Bogdana	Given by God	Feminine of Bogdan.
44	Brygida	Exalted One	For St. Brigid of Kildare, an Orthodox saint of Ireland.
45	Cecylia	Blind	For the holy martyr St. Cecilia.
46	Klaudia	Lame	For St. Claudia.
47	Daria	To Possess Good	For the holy martyr Daria.
48	Dominika	Of the Lord	A saintly name.
49	Dorota	Gift of God	Polish form of Dorothy/Theodora.
50	Edyta	Prosperous in War	For St. Edith Stein (Catholic) and earlier saints.
51	Eleonora	Bright, Shining One	A saintly name.
52	Emilia	To Strive or Excel	For St. Emilia, mother of St. Basil the Great.
53	Felicja	Luck, Good Fortune	For St. Felicity.
54	Filipa	Lover of Horses	Feminine of Filip.
55	Franciszka	Frenchwoman	Feminine of Franciszek.
56	Gabriela	God is my Strength	Feminine of Gabriel.
57	Genowefa	Tribe Woman	For St. Genevieve of Paris.
58	Gertruda	Spear of Strength	For a German saint.
59	Halina	Calm, Serene	For St. Galina.
60	Jadwiga	Battle	For St. Hedwig, Queen of Poland (Catholic).
61	Joanna	God is Gracious	For St. Joanna, the Myrrh-Bearer.
62	Jolanta	Violet Flower	A saintly name.
63	Judyta	Praised	For the biblical heroine Judith.
64	Justyna	Just, Fair	For St. Justina.
65	Kinga	Brave	A royal Hungarian/Polish saint.
66	Kornelia	Horn	For St. Cornelia.
67	Laura	Laurel Tree	For a martyr from Cordoba.
68	Leokadia	Bright, Clear	For a holy martyr.
69	Lucja	Light	For St. Lucy of Syracuse.
70	Magdalena	From Magdala	For St. Mary Magdalene.
71	Marcelina	Of Mars, Warlike	A saintly name.
72	Matylda	Mighty in Battle	A German queen and saint.
73	Melania	Black, Dark	For St. Melania the Younger.
74	Michalina	Who is like God?	Feminine of Michał.
75	Monika	Advisor	For St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine.
76	Natalia	Christmas Day	For the holy martyr Natalia.
77	Olimpia	From Olympus	For St. Olympias the Deaconess.
78	Otylia	Prosperous in Battle	For St. Odile of Alsace.
79	Patrycja	Nobleman	Feminine of Patryk.
80	Paulina	Small, Humble	For St. Paulina.
81	Prakseda	Pious Deed	For St. Praxedes.
82	Regina	Queen	A title for the Virgin Mary.
83	Rozalia	Rose	For St. Rosalia.
84	Róża	Rose	Polish for Rose.
85	Sabina	Sabine Woman	An early martyr.
86	Salomea	Peace	For Salome, the Myrrh-Bearer.
87	Stefania	Crown, Wreath	For St. Stephanie.
88	Sonia	Wisdom	A common diminutive of Zofia.
89	Sylwia	From the Forest	A saintly name.
90	Tekla	Glory of God	For St. Thekla, “Equal-to-the-Apostles.”
91	Teresa	To Harvest	For St. Teresa of Avila.
92	Urszula	Little Bear	For St. Ursula.
93	Wanda	N/A	A legendary Polish queen.
94	Aniela	Angel, Messenger	For St. Angela Merici.
95	Antonina	Priceless	For a holy martyr.
96	Agata	Good	For St. Agatha of Sicily.
97	Adela	Noble	A saintly name.
98	Alicja	Noble	Polish form of Alice.
99	Blanka	White, Pure	A saintly name.
100	Bożena	Divine	A traditional Slavic name.

🇵🇱 Polish Christian Names

This list blends the most beloved saints’ names used across Poland by both Orthodox and Catholic Christians, showing the shared heritage of Polish Christian names.

No.	Name	Meaning	Significance
1	Jan	God is Gracious	Universally the most popular Polish name for centuries.
2	Anna	Grace, Favor	The most popular female name, for the mother of the Theotokos.
3	Piotr	Rock, Stone	For the Apostle Peter.
4	Maria	Bitter	For the Theotokos/Virgin Mary.
5	Andrzej	Manly, Brave	A very popular name for the Apostle Andrew.
6	Katarzyna	Pure	A classic name for St. Catherine.
7	Paweł	Small, Humble	For the Apostle Paul.
8	Agnieszka	Pure, Holy	A beloved name for St. Agnes.
9	Krzysztof	Christ-bearer	A hugely popular name for St. Christopher.
10	Barbara	Foreign, Strange	A very important saint in Poland, especially for miners.
11	Tomasz	Twin	A perennially popular name.
12	Małgorzata	Pearl	A classic Polish name for St. Margaret/Marina.
13	Marcin	Of Mars, Warlike	For St. Martin of Tours, very popular.
14	Krystyna	Follower of Christ	A classic Christian name.
15	Grzegorz	Watchful, Alert	A common and classic name.
16	Elżbieta	My God is an Oath	A royal and saintly name.
17	Stanisław	To Stand with Glory	A key Polish royal and saint’s name.
18	Jadwiga	Battle	A key Polish queen and saint’s name.
19	Jerzy	Farmer	A popular name for St. George.
20	Zofia	Wisdom	A hugely popular name today.
21	Mikołaj	Victory of the People	Beloved for St. Nicholas.
22	Helena	Light, Torch	A classic and elegant name.
23	Józef	God will Increase	A timeless classic.
24	Teresa	To Harvest	A popular saint’s name.
25	Kazimierz	To Destroy Peace	A Polish royal and saint’s name.
26	Irena	Peace	A respected and classic name.
27	Adam	Man, Earth	A classic biblical name.
28	Ewa	To Live	A classic biblical name.
29	Dawid	Beloved	A popular biblical name.
30	Monika	Advisor	For St. Monica, a popular choice.

☦️ Orthodox Names from Poland

This list focuses on names that have a particularly strong resonance within the Orthodox community in Poland, highlighting its Eastern roots and local saints.

No.	Name	Meaning	Significance
1	Maksym	Greatest	For St. Maxim Gorlicki, a modern martyr of Poland.
2	Olga	Holy, Sacred	The foundational female saint of Slavic Orthodoxy.
3	Włodzimierz	To Rule with Greatness	For St. Volodymyr, who baptized the ancestors of the Polish Orthodox.
4	Irena	Peace	A very popular name in Orthodox families in Poland.
5	Gabriel	God is my Strength	For the Child-Martyr St. Gabriel of Białystok.
6	Nina	N/A	For St. Nina of Georgia, a popular saint in the East.
7	Bazyli	Royal, Kingly	A name with strong Eastern, rather than Western, connotations.
8	Tatiana	Father’s Daughter	A beloved Eastern saint.
9	Borys	Wolf, Short	A classic name of the Kyivan Rus’ saints.
10	Nadzieja	Hope	The Slavic virtue name is more common among Orthodox.
11	Gleb	Heir of God	Paired with Borys, recalls the first Slavic passion-bearers.
12	Ksenia	Hospitality	For St. Xenia of St. Petersburg.
13	Siergiej	Servant	For St. Sergius of Radonezh.
14	Wiara	Faith	The Slavic virtue name.
15	Onufry	He who is always good	For a revered desert saint.
16	Ludmiła	Love of the People	A beloved Slavic saint.
17	Dymitr	Devotee of Demeter	A classic Orthodox military saint.
18	Miłość	Love	The third Slavic virtue name.
19	Jarosław	Fierce Glory	A princely name from Kyivan Rus’.
20	Sonia	Wisdom	A common diminutive of Zofia, very popular.
21	Cyryl	Lordly	A name tied to the Slavic alphabet and mission.
22	Lidia	From Lydia	A biblical name with strong Orthodox favor.
23	Eliasz	The Lord is my God	The Prophet Elijah is deeply venerated in Orthodoxy.
24	Eufrozyna	Mirth, Glee	For St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk.
25	Teodor	Gift of God	A classic Eastern name.
26	Raisa	Easy-going	An Eastern martyr’s name.
27	Atanazy	Immortal	For St. Athanasius of Brest, a local martyr.
28	Tamara	Palm Tree	For St. Tamar of Georgia.
29	Roman	Roman	A popular saint and princely name.
30	Anastazja	Resurrection	A perennially popular Orthodox choice.

🌍 Eastern European Baby Names

This list offers a broader look at names cherished across Eastern Europe, many of which are popular among Polish Orthodox families.

No.	Name	Meaning	Significance
1	Ivan	God is Gracious	The most pan-Slavic form of John.
2	Svetlana	Light	A classic Slavic name.
3	Miroslav	Peace and Glory	A noble name used across Slavic lands.
4	Milena	Gracious, Dear	A beautiful and popular Slavic name.
5	Casimir	To Destroy Peace	Polish Kazimierz, a royal name.
6	Danica	Morning Star	A poetic Slavic name.
7	Laszlo	Glorious Ruler	The Hungarian form of Vladislav.
8	Ilona	Light	The Hungarian form of Helen.
9	Zoltan	Sultan, Ruler	A classic Hungarian name.
10	Katarina	Pure	A common Slavic/Hungarian form of Catherine.
11	Bela	Noble, White	A Hungarian royal name.
12	Sorina	Sun	A beautiful Romanian name.
13	Dragan	Dear, Beloved	A popular South Slavic name.
14	Emese	Mother	An ancient Hungarian name.
15	Florin	Flower	A popular Romanian name.
16	Jelena	Light	A South Slavic form of Helen.
17	Mircea	Peace	A Romanian historical name.
18	Raisa	Easy-going	A popular Russian/Ukrainian name.
19	Tibor	From the Tiber River	A popular Hungarian name.
20	Vesna	Spring	The Slavic goddess of spring.
21	Zoran	Dawn	A popular South Slavic name.
22	Anatoly	Sunrise	A classic Russian/Ukrainian name.
23	Zlata	Golden	A beloved South Slavic saint’s name.
24	Radu	Joy	A popular Romanian name.
25	Oksana	Hospitality	A classic Ukrainian name.
26	Radek	Happy	A Czech diminutive.
27	Simona	He has Heard	A popular Romanian/Slavic name.
28	Tihomir	Quiet Peace	A beautiful Slavic name.
29	Yaroslava	Fierce Glory	A noble Slavic name.
30	Bogumil	Dear to God	A pious Slavic name.

⭐ Slavic Orthodox Names

This list focuses on names with clear Slavic roots that are also the names of Orthodox saints, a perfect blend of culture and faith.

No.	Name	Meaning	Significance
1	Włodzimierz	To Rule with Greatness	St. Volodymyr of Kyiv.
2	Olga	Holy, Sacred	St. Olha of Kyiv.
3	Borys	Wolf, Short	St. Borys the Passion-Bearer.
4	Ludmiła	Love of the People	St. Ludmila of Bohemia.
5	Gleb	Heir of God	St. Gleb the Passion-Bearer.
6	Zlata	Golden	St. Zlata of Meglen.
7	Wacław	More Glory	St. Wenceslaus of Bohemia.
8	Yaroslava	Fierce Glory	A noble name.
9	Stanisław	To Stand with Glory	St. Stanislaus.
10	Paraskeva	Preparation (Friday)	A Greek name, but her Slavic name is often Sveta Petka.
11	Jarosław	Fierce Glory	Yaroslav the Wise of Kyiv.
12	Wiara	Faith	Slavic form of St. Vera.
13	Bogdan	Given by God	Not a specific saint, but a clear Christian meaning.
14	Nadzieja	Hope	Slavic form of St. Nadezhda.
15	Rostyslav	To Increase Glory	A sainted prince.
16	Miłość	Love	Slavic form of St. Agape.
17	Vyacheslav	More Glory	A sainted prince.
18	Svetlana	Light	Slavic equivalent of St. Photini.
19	Kazimierz	To Destroy Peace	St. Casimir.
20	Tamara	Palm Tree	A Hebrew name, but beloved for the Slavic St. Tamar of Georgia.
21	Sava	Old Man	A Hebrew name, but foundational for the Serbian Church.
22	Angelina	Angel, Messenger	A Greek name, but beloved for the Slavic St. Angelina of Serbia.
23	Miroslav	Peace and Glory	A princely name.
24	Jelena	Light	A Slavic form of Helen.
25	Dragutin	Precious	A Serbian king and saint.
26	Milica	Gracious, Dear	A Serbian queen and saint.
27	Stefan	Crown, Wreath	A Greek name, but many Serbian kings and saints bore it.
28	Eufrozyna	Mirth, Glee	A Greek name, but beloved for St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk.
29	Ihor	Warrior	A sainted prince of Kyiv.
30	Wiera	Faith	An alternate Polish spelling for Wiara.

📌 Conclusion

Choosing from the rich list of Polish Orthodox baby names is a beautiful way to honor a faith that is both deeply traditional and uniquely situated. These names tell a story of connection—to the apostolic faith, to the great saints of the East and West, and to the Slavic soul of Eastern Europe. They are a gift of heritage, providing your child with a patron saint and a link to a community that has kept its spiritual flame burning brightly for centuries.

We hope this guide has inspired you on your sacred journey of choosing a name. May your child be blessed and protected by their patron saint. Please bookmark this page and share it with others who might find beauty in these timeless names.

Still deciding? Browse more faith-based baby name lists on Teamnamecraft.com.

❓ FAQs

1. What is the main difference between Polish Catholic and Polish Orthodox names?
While there is significant overlap (Jan, Piotr, Maria, Anna), Orthodox families are more likely to use names of Eastern saints like Dymitr, Siergiej, Olga, and Tatiana. There is also a stronger connection to the saints of Kyivan Rus’, like Włodzimierz and Borys. Catholic families might favor names of Western saints like Franciszek or Jadwiga.

2. Are these names still common in Poland today?
Yes, many are perennially popular across the country. Names specific to the Orthodox tradition, like Bazyli or Irena, are most common in the eastern regions like Podlasie but are recognized and respected everywhere.

3. Who are some important saints for the Polish Orthodox Church?
The Church honors all Orthodox saints but has a special veneration for St. Maxim Gorlicki (Maksym Sandowicz), the Child-Martyr Gabriel of Białystok, the Martyrs of Chełm and Podlasie, and the foundational Slavic saints like Włodzimierz (Volodymyr), Olga, Borys, and Gleb.

4. Can I use these names if I’m not Polish?
Of course! The beauty of these names is universal. Many, like Zofia, Aleksander, and Julia, are internationally popular, while others like Włodzimierz or Ludmiła offer a beautiful and distinctive Slavic sound that can be appreciated by anyone.

5. How do you pronounce some of these Polish names?
Polish pronunciation can be tricky. For example, “W” is pronounced like “V” (Włodzimierz is “Vwo-dgee-myesh”), “J” is like “Y” (Jerzy is “Yeh-zhy”), and “SZ” is “sh.” We recommend using online audio pronunciation guides to hear them spoken by a native speaker.