Vassilis as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Vassilis

What is the meaning of the name Vassilis ?

The baby name Vassilis is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced va-SEE-lis (Greek: [vaˈsilis]; English approximation: /vəˈsiːlɪs/).

Vassilis is Greek in Origin.

Vassilis is the modern Greek form of Basileios/Βασίλειος, derived from basileus, “king,” giving the meaning “kingly” or “royal.” Common throughout Greece and Cyprus, it appears in Latin letters as Vassilis or Vasilis, with the longer formal variant Vasileios/Vasilios. The name’s prestige traces to Saint Basil the Great (4th century), whose feast on January 1 sets the Greek name day and inspires the gift-bringing figure Agios Vasilis. It was also borne by Byzantine emperors such as Basil I and Basil II, reinforcing its regal associations.

International cognates include Basil (English), Vasiliy/Vasily (Russian), Vasyl (Ukrainian), Vasil (Bulgarian), Vasile (Romanian), and Vasilije (Serbian); feminine forms are Vasiliki and Basilia. Diminutives and nicknames in Greek include Vasos and Vasilakis, while in the diaspora Vassilis is often Anglicized to Basil or Bill. The name conveys dignity, leadership, and auspicious new-beginning symbolism.