Basilia as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Basilia

What is the meaning of the name Basilia ?

The baby name Basilia is a Female name , 4 syllables long and is pronounced English: buh-SIL-ee-uh (IPA: /bəˈzɪliə/); Spanish/Greek: ba-SEE-lya (IPA: /baˈsilja/).

Basilia is Greek in Origin.

Basilia is the feminine counterpart of Basil, from Greek Basileios (Βασίλειος), ultimately rooted in basileus “king.” Through Latin Basilia, it came to mean “royal, regal,” often interpreted as “queenly.” The name spread with early Christian devotion, appearing in Late Antique and medieval sources across the Byzantine world and Western Europe. It is linked to hagiography through martyrs called Basilia/Basilissa, which helped sustain its use in ecclesiastical records and baptismal rolls.

Variants and cognates include Spanish and Italian Basilia, Portuguese Basília, Greek Vasilia/Vassilia and Vasilikí, Russian Vasilisa, Romanian Vasilica, and the related form Basilissa. Diminutives such as Basi, Sila, and Lia occur in various languages. While uncommon today, Basilia persists in Hispanic and Lusophone contexts and enjoys periodic revival for its noble meaning and saintly resonance; in some traditions, its name day aligns with feasts of St. Basil (1 January) or martyrs named Basilissa.