Basil
Meaning: “of the king, kingly, royal”
About the name Basil
Basil is a boy name with Ancient Greek roots, meaning “of the king, kingly, royal”. It is related to Vasilios, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a unique feel. In 2025, Basil ranked #2022 for boys in the US, with 74 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 1942. Since 2000, 81% of US babies named Basil were boys.
Etymology
Shares its root with Vasilios, which comes from Ancient Greek, meaning “of the king, kingly, royal”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Basil”, “Vasilios”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #2022
- In 2015
- #2430
- Babies in 2025
- 74
Popularity of Basil, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Names similar to Basil
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.