Yaroslaw
The Ukrainian spelling of Jarosław, from a Slavic root meaning "fierce and glorious". Only about 68 men in Poland carry it, so most Poles have never met one.
Yaroslaw Pronunciation
Yaroslaw is pronounced ih-ah-ROS-lahf (/ɨaˈrɔslaf/).
What Yaroslaw means
Where Yaroslaw comes from and what it has meant to the people who carry it.
Yaroslaw grows from two old Slavic roots. The first, jar, means fierce or vigorous. The second, sław, means glory. Together they give the short meaning that trails the name today: fierce and glorious, silna sława.
The name belongs to Ukrainian history through Yaroslav the Wise, the eleventh-century prince of Kievan Rus who codified law and enlarged Kyiv. His fame fixed the name in the region long before Polish settled on the spelling Jarosław.
In Polish records, Jarosław is the standard variant. Friends cut it down to Jarek, or further to Jaro. A girl who carries the same roots becomes Jarosława.
On a school register, Jarosław sits high under the letter J. The teacher reads it once and moves on. The name-day falls in April.
What stays is the meaning built from jar and sław: fierce, and glorious.
How many people are named Yaroslaw
1 in 313915 men in Poland is named Yaroslaw. 68 people carry it in the 2025 register: rank #4413 among male names.
Yaroslaw's popularity over time
Fewer than 2 boys were given the name in 2025. It has been climbing since 2025.
Where Yaroslaw is most popular
Yaroslaw is most popular in Masovian, 510% above the national average (2 boys born 2019–2025).
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Masovian2 boys born+510%