NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Vasil

A masculine given name of Slavic origin meaning "king" or "ruler".

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.

Vasil is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Vasil popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3254, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 9 births.

This profile covers 70 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 2008 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 70 living people in the UK are called Vasil. 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

  • Vasil ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 9 boys were registered as Vasil.
  • About 70 living people in the UK are estimated to have Vasil as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3254

2024

Births in 2024

6

Latest year

Peak year

2023

9 births

Estimated living

70

2026

Meaning

What does Vasil mean?

The name Vasil has its origins in the Greek language and is derived from the word "basileus," meaning "king" or "ruler." It emerged during the Byzantine era, which spanned from the 4th to the 15th century AD, when Greek culture and language had a significant influence across parts of Europe and the Mediterranean region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vasil can be found in the writings of Byzantine scholars and historians. It was often used as a name for members of the ruling class or those associated with royalty, reflecting the name's meaning of "king" or "ruler."

In the 9th century AD, there was a notable figure named Vasil I, also known as Basil the Macedonian, who reigned as the Byzantine Emperor from 867 to 886 AD. He is remembered for his efforts to revive the Empire's fortunes and for his patronage of education and the arts.

Another prominent individual bearing the name Vasil was Vasil II, also known as Basil II, who ruled as the Byzantine Emperor from 976 to 1025 AD. He earned the epithet "Bulgar-Slayer" for his military victories against the Bulgarian Empire.

In the 14th century, Vasil I, also known as Basil I, was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1389 to 1425 AD. He played a crucial role in consolidating the power of the Muscovite principality and laying the foundations for the eventual rise of the Russian Empire.

Moving forward in history, Vasil Levski, born in 1837 and executed in 1873, was a prominent Bulgarian revolutionary and ideological leader who fought for the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.

The name Vasil has also been used by numerous other historical figures across various cultures and regions, including writers, artists, philosophers, and religious leaders, reflecting its enduring popularity and significance throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Vasil over time

The chart below shows babies named Vasil registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 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 Vasil, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Vasil
02579200820162024

Decades

Vasil by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Vasil 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 #2889 27 4
2010s #3548 40 8
2000s #4432 3 1

Related

Names similar to Vasil

FAQ

Vasil: questions and answers

How popular is the name Vasil in the UK right now?

In 2024, Vasil was ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Vasil most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 9 babies registered as Vasil in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Vasil?

A masculine given name of Slavic origin meaning "king" or "ruler".

How many people are called Vasil in the UK?

A total of 70 babies have been registered as Vasil across the 13 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.