Basil
Boy name · English · Greek · Latin
Meaningroyal · Greek
- US rank
- #2,020
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #321 in 1897
74 babies were named Basil in the US in 2025. It has climbed 303 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Basil you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Basil
Basil Poledouris
Greek-American composer, conductor, and orchestrator of film and television scores (1945-2006)
Choose Basil and your child shares a first name with Basil Poledouris, a Greek-American composer, conductor, and orchestrator of film and television scores. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Basil, like who?” Basil Poledouris's Wikipedia article is available in 29 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Basil Poledouris on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 23,095 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Basil, 74 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Basil would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryBasil has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Basils, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1897, when it ranked #321. Today it's #2,020, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendBasil has climbed 303 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #2,020. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Boy or girlBasil is given to both boys and girls: 76% of the 97 babies named Basil in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Greek, Basil means “royal”. Our records link it to English, Greek and Latin roots.
About the name Basil
Basil is a boy name of English, Greek and Latin origin meaning “royal”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with B and ending in “-sil”. US birth records list Basil for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1897, when it ranked #321 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #2,020, with 74 babies.
Origin:English namesGreek namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 113 | 8,883 boys |
| 1890s | 213 | 4,696 boys |
| 1900s | 246 | 4,061 boys |
| 1910s | 259 | 3,861 boys |
| 1920s | 222 | 4,496 boys |
| 1930s | 162 | 6,186 boys |
| 1940s | 89 | 11,222 boys |
| 1950s | 54 | 18,443 boys |
| 1960s | 45 | 22,252 boys |
| 1970s | 35 | 28,629 boys |
| 1980s | 31 | 32,196 boys |
| 1990s | 34 | 29,490 boys |
| 2000s | 27 | 37,120 boys |
| 2010s | 29 | 34,176 boys |
| 2020s | 43 | 23,346 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Basil
What does the name Basil mean?
Basil means “royal” in Greek.
What is the origin of the name Basil?
Basil has English, Greek, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Basil a boy or girl name?
Basil is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Basil?
Basil ranked #2,020 for US boys in 2025, given to 74 babies. Its best year was 1897 (#321).