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Cyril as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Cyril

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The baby name Cyril is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈsɪrəl/ (SIR-əl).

Cyril is Greek in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: /ˈsɪrəl/ (SIR-əl)

What is the meaning of the name Cyril ?

The baby name Cyril is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈsɪrəl/ (SIR-əl).

Cyril is Greek in Origin.

Cyril stems from Greek Kyrillos (Κύριλλος), from kyrios “lord, master,” meaning “lordly” or “of the lord.” Borne by major early Christians - Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century) and Cyril of Alexandria (5th) - it also names the 9th‑century missionary monk who, with his brother Methodius, evangelized the Slavs; the Cyrillic script commemorates his legacy.

The name spread through Byzantine and Slavic worlds, later entering Western Europe via church calendars. In English it appears in medieval records but gained favor in 19th‑century Britain, peaking in the early 1900s. International variants include Kyrillos/Cyrillus (Greek/Latin), Cyrille (French), Cirillo (Italian), Cirilo (Spanish/Portuguese), Cyryl (Polish), Kirill (Russian), Kiril (Bulgarian, Macedonian), Ciril (Slovene); diminutives include Cy. Feminine forms: Cyrilla, Kyrilla.

Cyril has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Cyril

Cyril Ramaphosa Politician · Born 1952 · South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa is a prominent South African politician, best known for serving as the President of South Africa since 2018. He played a crucial role in the country's transition from apartheid, notably as a key negotiator during the end of apartheid and the drafting of the new constitution. Cyril Cusack Actor · Born 1910 · Ireland Cyril Cusack was a distinguished Irish actor, best known for his roles in films like 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' and 'Fahrenheit 451'. He had a prolific career in both film and theater, captivating audiences with his versatile performances. His work left a lasting impact on the acting world, spanning over seven decades. Cyril Collard Actor · Born 1957 · France Cyril Collard was a French actor, director, and writer best known for his film 'Savage Nights'. Released in 1992, the film explored themes of bisexuality and living with HIV. Collard's work had a significant impact on French cinema before his untimely death in 1993.
Cyril Raffaelli Actor · Born 1974 · France Cyril Raffaelli is a French actor and stunt performer best known for his role in the film 'District 13' where he showcased his incredible parkour skills. Born in 1974, he has also worked on action-packed films like 'Live Free or Die Hard' alongside Bruce Willis.

Cyril – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2012 #1 — 777
BW 0 #19 1 960
BF Boys 0 #26 1 439
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
CM 0 #46 10 2,592
MO 0 #51 2 2,706
LU 0 #62 5 2,830
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
BG 0 #82 1 1,799
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
JM 0 #92 2 3,714
PH 0 #102 9 5,607
TW 0 #102 2 4,523
QA 0 #103 4 7,011
BN Girls 0 #113 2 5,459
KW 0 #116 6 5,216
OM 0 #116 6 6,215
CY Girls 0 #125 1 3,755
CY Boys 0 #130 2 3,473
Switzerland Boys 2024 #135 3 1,769
BN Boys 0 #135 5 6,332
MU 0 #136 2 3,613
BW Boys 0 #138 12 4,685
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
Belgium Boys 2024 #161 28 401
AE 0 #166 12 10,220
Sweden Boys 2008 #170 2 1,288
LU Boys 0 #172 47 4,970
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
MT Boys 0 #175 5 4,064
CZ 0 #180 7 3,154
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
RU 0 #193 2 3,641
NG 0 #197 69 5,926
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
CM Boys 0 #207 567 12,054
MO Boys 0 #210 14 5,842
CZ Boys 0 #211 99 6,530
BG Boys 0 #214 7 3,850
NA Boys 0 #215 21 6,830
GH Boys 0 #221 136 8,138
GH 0 #223 21 5,396
IR 0 #223 9 4,221
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
TW Boys 0 #230 12 7,111
AO Boys 0 #246 4 5,568
NG Boys 0 #246 1,964 16,906
PT 0 #248 3 4,161
SG 0 #251 19 11,010
MO Girls 0 #260 4 7,056
JM Boys 0 #261 12 6,876
MU Boys 0 #270 88 8,477
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
IL 0 #280 3 6,291
SA 0 #282 14 10,560
CN Boys 0 #287 33 9,639
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
Canada Boys 2024 #298 9 2,588
JP Boys 0 #298 6 7,909
PH Boys 0 #305 79 11,440
MY 0 #306 25 12,352
HK 0 #322 27 8,483
DK Boys 0 #328 5 7,401
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
PH Girls 0 #334 57 13,098
GH Girls 0 #335 3 6,973
QA Girls 0 #335 9 15,378
PL Boys 0 #336 5 6,459
ZA Boys 0 #342 1,755 25,619
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
PT Boys 0 #358 10 7,951
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
France Boys 2021 #368 20 2,865
NL 0 #368 24 2,481
HK Boys 0 #375 157 12,905
ZA 0 #379 69 14,421
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
EG 0 #410 3 6,387
OM Girls 0 #419 6 15,987
CL 0 #434 1 6,867
RU Boys 0 #436 70 12,621
IR Boys 0 #455 98 10,162
SD Boys 0 #462 5 10,523
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
KW Girls 0 #487 29 19,177
PA Boys 0 #501 5 9,305
CR Boys 0 #505 6 10,188
BH 0 #510 44 17,937
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
CM Girls 0 #521 20 11,671
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
PS Boys 0 #529 20 10,655
AE Girls 0 #534 20 20,968
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
LY 0 #556 4 12,703
LB 0 #570 89 13,263
SG Girls 0 #571 16 18,916
IL Boys 0 #576 32 10,983
SG Boys 0 #600 98 17,960
BD Boys 0 #603 3 10,045
HK Girls 0 #604 12 16,104
BO Boys 0 #621 2 9,244
QA Boys 0 #636 72 18,093
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
IN Girls 0 #652 3 13,121
KW Boys 0 #664 106 18,755
Finland Boys 2026 #671 12 3,552
NG Girls 0 #690 97 15,093
CL Boys 0 #692 9 13,390
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
IT 0 #699 16 4,183
NL Boys 0 #754 199 5,873
OM Boys 0 #779 103 17,948
MY Boys 0 #789 335 25,439
TN 0 #817 13 13,765
EG Boys 0 #823 64 15,035
United States Boys 2024 #852 41 7,044
Spain Boys 0 #888 43 5,610
SA Girls 0 #896 40 25,931
Germany Boys 0 #909 44 5,697
AE Boys 0 #918 175 22,615
PE Boys 0 #924 3 14,506
NL Girls 0 #939 17 5,933
IN Boys 0 #946 56 16,750
MY Girls 0 #980 15 24,821
EG Girls 0 #1,005 5 14,742
MX Boys 0 #1,030 4 16,355
MA 0 #1,103 26 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,112 30 25,928
DZ 0 #1,166 11 20,130
TR 0 #1,247 8 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,346 126 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,458 157 28,008

Cyril is popular in 74 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Canada
Belgium
Ireland
Wallonia, Belgium

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Cyril

Cyril is predominantly a boy's name.
Cyril is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈsɪrəl/ (SIR-əl).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Cyrill, Cyrille, Kyril, Kyrill, Kiril and Kyryl.
Across languages, Cyril has these equivalents: {'Greek': 'Kyrillos (Κύριλλος), 'Russian': 'Kirill (Кирилл), 'Ukrainian': 'Kyrylo (Кирило), 'Bulgarian': 'Kiril (Кирил).
Yes, very popular — Cyril ranked #1 in Ireland in 2012, and appears in official birth registries across 8 countries.
Cyril ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2012).
Cyril's popularity is declining significantly. It moved from #268 in 2011 to #368 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 4 notable people named Cyril are in our database, including Cyril Ramaphosa (Politician), Cyril Cusack (Actor), Cyril Collard (Actor).