Hlib
A Slavic name meaning "heir of god", carried in Poland almost entirely by Ukrainian families. Around 2,500 men hold it and newborns are scarce: most Poles have never met a Hlib.
Hlib Pronunciation
Hlib is pronounced KHLEEP (/xlip/).
What Hlib means
Where Hlib comes from and what it has meant to the people who carry it.
Hlib is a Slavic name at home in Ukraine, and it means "heir of god." Scholars trace the older form Gleb back to the Old Norse Guðleifr, a name the Rus carried down the rivers, so the sense of "heir of god" sits on a very old root. The name has no common diminutives or variants attached to it, which gives it a plain, single shape.
The most famous bearer is Saint Hlib, a prince of Kievan Rus killed in 1015. He and his brother Borys were among the first saints canonized in the region, and both are remembered for refusing to take up arms. Their story fixed the name in the calendar of the Orthodox east.
In a Ukrainian school register today, Hlib stands out for its brevity. Four letters. Nothing softens it into a nickname, and on the page it reads as heir of god, syn boży.
How many people are named Hlib
1 in 8632 men in Poland is named Hlib. 2,475 people carry it in the 2025 register: rank #641 among male names.
Hlib's popularity over time
Fewer than 2 boys were given the name in 2025. It has been stable for a decade.
Where Hlib is most popular
Hlib is most popular in Masovian, 510% above the national average (2 boys born 2019–2025).
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Masovian2 boys born+510%