Boy name · Greek
Cyril
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: lordlyCyril is a boy's name that comes from Greek and means "lordly". It is used in English, Greek and Russian.
- Meaning
- Lordly
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #3143 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Cyril
As a boy's name, Cyril comes from Greek and means "lordly". It is used in English, Greek and Russian.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Cyril on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Cyril on 4 lists.
“Lordly; Greek. The Cyrillic alphabet is named after him”
From Classic boy names, traditional Latin and Greek boy names
“Missionary to the Slavs, honored in the name of an alphabet”
From Priest names, saint names with meaning
“Lordly; Greek. Shared with a saint who shaped Slavic writing”
From Old man names, distinguished old man names
“Lordly; Greek, the saint who gave Slavic languages an alphabet”
From Unique boy names, unique vintage boy names
How popular is Cyril?
- US rank in 2025
- #3,143
- 38 babies, 22 per million boys
- Best rank
- #263 in 1902
- Most babies: 328 in 1916
- Babies since 1880
- At least 12,034
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 57 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 239 per million |
| 1900s | 316 per million |
| 1910s | 331 per million |
| 1920s | 243 per million |
| 1930s | 135 per million |
| 1940s | 70 per million |
| 1950s | 42 per million |
| 1960s | 32 per million |
| 1970s | 28 per million |
| 1980s | 24 per million |
| 1990s | 22 per million |
| 2000s | 22 per million |
| 2010s | 23 per million |
| 2020s | 24 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,842 | #3,794 | #2,240 | #2,954 | #2,892 | #2,594 | #2,882 | #3,306 | #3,005 | #3,143 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Cyril
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- CiriloLordly (Greek, boy)
- CyrilleLordly (Greek, boy)
- KyrillosLordly (Greek, boy)
Names spelled like Cyril
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- TierneyLordly (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- KirillLordly, from Greek kyrios (Greek, boy)
Middle names for Cyril
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Greek
- AlexanderDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- LucasMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
- ChristianFollower of Christ (Greek, boy)
- LeonA lion (Greek, boy)
- HectorHolding fast (Greek, boy)
- TheoGift of God (Greek, boy)
- AlexisHelper, defender (Greek, boy)
- LucaMan from Lucania (Greek, boy)
- PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- SebastianMan of sebaste, venerable (Greek, boy)
Cyril: common questions
What does the name Cyril mean?
Cyril comes from Greek and means "lordly".
Is Cyril a boy or girl name?
Cyril is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Cyril come from?
Cyril comes from Greek and means "lordly". Today it is used in English, Greek and Russian.
How popular is the name Cyril?
Cyril ranked #3,143 in the US in 2025, with 38 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Cyril?
Forms of Cyril with the same meaning and origin include Cirilo (Spanish), Cyrille (French) and Kyrillos (Greek).
What middle names go with Cyril?
Middle names that flow well with Cyril include Everett, Fletcher, Gideon, Glenn and James. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.