UK boy's name
Vadim
A masculine Russian name derived from the Slavic element "vad" meaning to persuade.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Vadim is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Vadim popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 7 births.
This profile covers 63 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 63 living people in the UK are called Vadim. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Vadim ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 7 boys were registered as Vadim.
- • About 63 living people in the UK are estimated to have Vadim as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
7 births
Estimated living
63
2026
Meaning
What does Vadim mean?
The name Vadim has its origins in the Russian language and culture, with its roots dating back to the early Slavic era. It is derived from the Old Slavic word "vaditi," which means "to lead" or "to guide." This name was particularly popular among the Slavic nobility and aristocracy during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Vadim can be found in the Russian Primary Chronicle, a historical text written in the 12th century. The chronicle mentions a prince named Vadim, who ruled over the region of Novgorod in the late 9th century. This historical figure is regarded as one of the earliest known individuals to bear this name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Vadim. One such figure was Vadim Mikhailovich Frolov (1885-1939), a Russian mathematician and academic who made significant contributions to the field of differential geometry. Another prominent bearer of this name was Vadim Andreyevich Filatov (1896-1984), a Soviet ophthalmologist and surgeon renowned for his groundbreaking work in corneal transplantation techniques.
In the realm of literature, the name Vadim gained prominence through the works of the Russian writer Mikhail Lermontov. His novel "A Hero of Our Time," published in 1840, featured a central character named Vadim Petrovich Huguenot, who embodied the traits of a typical Byronic hero.
The name Vadim has also been associated with the world of sports. Vadim Nikolayevich Devyatovsky (1936-2008) was a Soviet weightlifter who won multiple Olympic gold medals and set numerous world records in his career. Additionally, Vadim Leonidovich Khrapovitsky (1899-1949) was a notable Soviet football player and manager who played a significant role in the development of the sport in the early Soviet era.
While the name Vadim has its roots in Russian and Slavic cultures, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world. For instance, Vadim Jean Meerson (1926-2013) was a French film director and screenwriter of Russian descent, known for his collaborations with acclaimed actors such as Brigitte Bardot and Romy Schneider.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Vadim over time
The chart below shows babies named Vadim registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Vadim, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vadim by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Vadim was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4613 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3943 | 43 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3631 | 13 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Vadim
- Vincent 7,753
- Vinnie 6,092
- Victor 4,279
- Vinny 1,401
- Veer 1,163
- Vihaan 948
- Valentino 883
- Viktor 706
- Vlad 677
- Vivaan 615
- Vincenzo 587
- Vladimir 541
FAQ
Vadim: questions and answers
How popular is the name Vadim in the UK right now?
In 2024, Vadim was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Vadim most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 7 babies registered as Vadim in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Vadim?
A masculine Russian name derived from the Slavic element "vad" meaning to persuade.
How many people are called Vadim in the UK?
A total of 63 babies have been registered as Vadim across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.