Male Ukrainian name (Борис)
Borys (Ukrainian: Борис) is a male name from the early Bulgarian-Slavic period; traditionally interpreted as «fighter», «one who battles», and also linked with the meaning «snow leopard» (Turkic etymology). One of the oldest names in Slavic history.
The origin of the name Borys remains a subject of scholarly discussion. The most common version is Slavic: a shortened form of Boryslav, containing the roots *borti («to fight, battle») and *slava («glory»). Another version is Turko-Bulgarian: borrowed from Proto-Turkic baris («snow leopard, tiger»), which in Proto-Bulgarian denoted the image of a warlike beast. The earliest documented bearer was the khan and later first Christian tsar of Bulgaria — Boris I (reigned 852–889), who baptized the Bulgarian people. In Kyivan Rus, the name Borys was borne by one of the first Rus saints — the holy prince Borys Volodymyrovych (early 11th century), murdered together with his brother Hlib and canonized.
Two leading versions: 1) Slavic, as a short form of Boryslav, root *borti («to fight») + slava («glory»); 2) Turko-Bulgarian baris («snow leopard, tiger»).
Equivalents in other languages: Boris (Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, German, French, Georgian), Barys (Belarusian), Bor (Slovene, short).
Борислав, Борисонько, Борисочко, Борисьо, Борисик, Борчик, Боря, Боренька, Боречка, Борюня, Борюся, Боряша, Боба, Бориско.
| Nominative | Борис |
| Genitive | Бориса |
| Dative | Борисові |
| Accusative | Бориса |
| Instrumental | Борисом |
| Locative | Борисові |
| Vocative | Борисе |