Varlaam

Varlaam is a masculine given name used in Slavic and Eastern Orthodox contexts. It is the Slavonic form of Barlaam and appears in religious, literary, and cultural settings. In Orthodox hagiography, Varlaam is the name of several saints venerated in different local calendars, with commemorations varying by church and tradition. The use of Varlaam in saints’ lists reflects the broader diffusion of the Barlaam/Josaphat legends and their Slavic adaptations.

In Western art music, Varlaam is a minor character in Modest Mussorgsky’s opera Boris Godunov. He appears in the tavern scene as a robber and serves as part of the opera’s depiction of urban life and social milieu. The role is typically short, but it contributes to the atmosphere and realism of the narrative.

The name Varlaam also appears in historical and literary contexts as a given name in Slavic communities. Its variant Barlaam is encountered in Western Christian hagiography through the tale of Barlaam and Josaphat, a legend that circulated widely in medieval Christendom and influenced saints’ cults and hagiographical literature.

See also Barlaam. The name Varlaam thus crosses religious, cultural, and artistic domains, illustrating how a single name can recur in saints’ titles, operatic roles, and name inventories across different traditions.