VASíLEIOS

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Ok, this weird name is pronounced va-'sE-lE-o-s. Other common variants of the exact same name include Vasilis, Basilis, Vasily, Vassily, Vassilly (put as many Ss and Ls as you wish there) and many others. None of them is more correct than the others. Most of the variants are actually grammatically wrong. The correct form of the name in the English language would be Basileios. Of course, the real translation in English is Basil ('ba-z&l,'bA-z&l). It derives from the Greek word basilikon, from neuter of basilikos, meaning "royal". The word itself is actually an adjective.

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Also:

• the herb basil is the same word
• many Russians prefer to write it in various complicated ways (variety is the spice of life)
• the Greek equivalent of Santa Claus is Saint Basil
• Saint Basil: [circa 329-379] the Great church father; bishop of Caesarea; improved liturgy, organized monastic institutions on basis of work, charitable services, communal life instead of asceticism
• my nameday is also the first day of the year (hooray - lucky me!)

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<grumble>
most non-Greeks cannot even be bothered pronouncing it, so they simply call me Vas or Bill
</grumble>