Cyril

Cyril - A very unique male name

Cyril appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #333. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Cyril and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Cyril? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Cyril. The baby boy name Cyril was given to 6 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3562 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 244,381 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Cyril peaked in popularity 110 years ago in 1916 on position 289.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Cyril, 1-5?

Cyril is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Cyril is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #2,253 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,253.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Cyril is where you live.

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Cyril origin and meaning

Greek

From Greek Kyrillos, from kyrios, 'lord' — 'lordly'

Cyril is the name of great Greek church fathers, including Cyril of Alexandria, and of the missionary saint Cyril, whose mission to the Slavs stands behind the Cyrillic alphabet tradition. In America it peaked in 1921 and has faded to 6 births in 2025. The alphabet association is the name's most famous legacy.

Attested etymology

Cyril is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Cyril, pop culture references for the name Cyril and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Cyril

We've found the following names that sound similar to Cyril, sorted by popularity.

Carl / Charlie / Carroll / Charley / Carlo / Carol / Carrol / Curley / Carlyle / Charly /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Cyril

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Cyril a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Cyril?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

SEER-il · /ˈsɪərɪl/

Around the world

• Kirill (Russian) — Russian form of the same Greek name
• Kyrillos (Greek) — The original Greek form

Spellings and nicknames

• Kirill — Russian form recorded in the data

Famous bearers

• Saint Cyril of Alexandria — 5th-century Patriarch of Alexandria and Church Father (c. 376–444) Historical

Style

ClassicInternational

Why parents choose it

Cyril is a scholarly, pan-European classic that vintage-revival parents may reclaim.

Worth knowing

• The Cyrillic alphabet is the first association for many; pronunciation is SEER-il, not SY-ril for most bearers.