The Greek name Savas is of unknown etymology, but it is believed to have been brought to Greece by the Goths. It was popular among Eastern Roman emperors and has since been widely used in the Balkans, particularly in Greece and Serbia. The name Savas means 'strong' or 'mighty'. Notable individuals with this name include Savas Patsalidis, a Greek film critic and scholar, and Savas Xanthopoulos, a Serbian basketball player.
The name Savas has seen fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a peak in the late 1980s and early 2000s, but remaining relatively steady since the 1930s.