The name Boris has its origins in the Slavic languages and cultures of Eastern Europe. It is derived from the old Slavic word "bogru", meaning "battle" or "warrior". The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 10th century in regions that are now parts of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

In the 11th century, the name Boris gained significance with Prince Boris of Kyiv, a son of the Grand Prince of Kyiv who was later canonized as a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church. This association with religious martyrdom contributed to the name's popularity among Eastern Slavic populations.

One of the earliest and most notable figures to bear the name Boris was Boris I, the Tsar of Bulgaria from 852 to 889 AD. He played a pivotal role in the conversion of the Bulgarian Empire to Christianity and is revered as a saint in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

In the 16th century, Boris Godunov, a prominent Russian statesman and de facto ruler of Russia from 1598 to 1605, famously bore the name. His rise to power and subsequent reign were marked by intrigue and controversy, inspiring numerous works of literature and opera, including Alexander Pushkin's play "Boris Godunov".

Another notable bearer of the name was Boris Pasternak, the Russian poet and writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 for his novel "Doctor Zhivago". Born in 1890 and died in 1960, Pasternak's work had a profound impact on Russian literature and culture.

In the realm of science, Boris Podolsky, a Russian-American physicist born in 1896 and died in 1966, made significant contributions to quantum mechanics, particularly in the formulation of the famous EPR paradox (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox).

The name Boris has also been borne by several notable political figures in the 20th century, including Boris Yeltsin, the first President of the Russian Federation (born 1931, died 2007), who played a pivotal role in the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the establishment of a new Russian state.