Basil
The name Basil comes from the male Greek name Vassilios, which first appeared during the Hellenistic period. It is derived from "basileus", a Greek word of pre-Hellenic origin, meaning "king", from which words such as basilica and basilisk as well as the eponymous herb basil derive, and the name of the Italian region Basilicata, which had been long under the rule of the Byzantine Emperor.
Meaning & Origin of Basil
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The name Basil comes from the male Greek name Vassilios, which first appeared during the Hellenistic period. It is derived from "basileus", a Greek word of pre-Hellenic origin, meaning "king", from which words such as basilica and basilisk as well as the eponymous herb basil derive, and the name of the Italian region Basilicata, which had been long under the rule of the Byzantine Emperor.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Basil
Basil first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 11 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 281 Basils were born — ranking #354 that year. As of 2026, Basil ranks #1,920 for baby boys with 83 births, rising sharply (+21% over the past five years). In total, more than 13K Basils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Basil
Phonetically similar names — useful when Basil is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Basil
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About the name Basil
Basil is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 13K births in the dataset. Basil's peak popularity came in 1924 when it ranked #321. Use the chart and map above to compare Basil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1924 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.