Basil Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BAZ-uhl //ˈbæz.əl//
Origin: Greek; Latin
Meaning: Greek: royal; Latin: kingly
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Basil originates from the Greek word "basileus," meaning "king" or "royal." This term was used in ancient Greece to denote a ruler or sovereign, and it is derived from the earlier Greek root "basis," which means "foundation" or "base." The name was adopted into Latin as "Basilicus," which also carries the connotation of royalty or nobility. The transition into English occurred through the Old French form "Basile," which was used in medieval contexts, particularly in reference to saints and notable figures.
Historically, the name Basil has significant associations with early Christian saints, most notably Saint Basil the Great, who lived in the 4th century. He was a prominent theologian and one of the Cappadocian Fathers, instrumental in the development of Christian monasticism and liturgical practices.
His influence is reflected in the Eastern Orthodox Church, where he is celebrated for his contributions to Christian doctrine and the formulation of the Nicene Creed. The name gained further prominence through the translation of the Bible into various languages, including the King James Bible in the early 17th century, where the name appears in reference to biblical figures and contexts.
Culturally, the name Basil has been associated with qualities of leadership and authority, resonating with its royal etymology. In various traditions, it has been linked to the idea of sanctity and wisdom, particularly due to the legacy of Saint Basil.
The name has also been adopted in various forms across different cultures, with diminutives such as "Baz" appearing in some contexts. Overall, the enduring significance of the name Basil reflects its deep historical roots and the cultural values associated with kingship and piety.
Famous people named Basil
In this section, you will find notable people named Basil. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Basil who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Basil who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Basil Rathbone is an actor best known for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Mark of Zorro.
Basil II is a Byzantine Emperor best known for his military conquests and the expansion of the Byzantine Empire.
Basil the Great is a Christian bishop best known for his contributions to Christian monasticism and the development of the Nicene Creed.
Fictional characters named Basil
The following list of fictional characters named Basil is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Basil of Baker Street is a fictional character from the children's book series by Eve Titus. He is a mouse detective who solves mysteries in the style of Sherlock Holmes.
Basil Fawlty is a fictional character from the British television sitcom Fawlty Towers. He is the rude and incompetent owner of a seaside hotel, known for his short temper and comedic misadventures.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Basil, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Basil. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Basil was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Basil has ranked as high as #647 nationally, which occurred in 1924, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, and California.
In the past 5 years the name Basil has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Basil is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Basil was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Basil (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 6 | |
| WA | 5 | |
| MI | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Basil.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 76 |
| 2023 | 74 |
| 2022 | 88 |
| 2021 | 74 |
| 2020 | 58 |
| 2019 | 71 |
| 2018 | 69 |
| 2017 | 59 |
| 2016 | 60 |
| 2015 | 52 |
| 2014 | 44 |
| 2013 | 56 |
| 2012 | 45 |
| 2011 | 44 |
| 2010 | 47 |
| 2009 | 56 |
| 2008 | 31 |
| 2007 | 58 |
| 2006 | 64 |
| 2005 | 48 |
| 2004 | 41 |
| 2003 | 57 |
| 2002 | 57 |
| 2001 | 60 |
| 2000 | 64 |
| 1999 | 56 |
| 1998 | 65 |
| 1997 | 54 |
| 1996 | 73 |
| 1995 | 65 |
| 1994 | 71 |
| 1993 | 67 |
| 1992 | 73 |
| 1991 | 67 |
| 1990 | 69 |
| 1989 | 49 |
| 1988 | 61 |
| 1987 | 61 |
| 1986 | 67 |
| 1985 | 45 |
| 1984 | 45 |
| 1983 | 78 |
| 1982 | 55 |
| 1981 | 51 |
| 1980 | 60 |
| 1979 | 52 |
| 1978 | 54 |
| 1977 | 62 |
| 1976 | 51 |
| 1975 | 58 |
| 1974 | 48 |
| 1973 | 57 |
| 1972 | 65 |
| 1971 | 66 |
| 1970 | 64 |
| 1969 | 60 |
| 1968 | 57 |
| 1967 | 71 |
| 1966 | 92 |
| 1965 | 82 |
| 1964 | 92 |
| 1963 | 101 |
| 1962 | 96 |
| 1961 | 112 |
| 1960 | 110 |
| 1959 | 109 |
| 1958 | 103 |
| 1957 | 95 |
| 1956 | 104 |
| 1955 | 103 |
| 1954 | 112 |
| 1953 | 139 |
| 1952 | 103 |
| 1951 | 109 |
| 1950 | 113 |
| 1949 | 111 |
| 1948 | 116 |
| 1947 | 158 |
| 1946 | 117 |
| 1945 | 101 |
| 1944 | 117 |
| 1943 | 132 |
| 1942 | 169 |
| 1941 | 132 |
| 1940 | 140 |
| 1939 | 135 |
| 1938 | 157 |
| 1937 | 145 |
| 1936 | 189 |
| 1935 | 175 |
| 1934 | 159 |
| 1933 | 172 |
| 1932 | 200 |
| 1931 | 154 |
| 1930 | 219 |
| 1929 | 238 |
| 1928 | 191 |
| 1927 | 249 |
| 1926 | 232 |
| 1925 | 259 |
| 1924 | 281 |
| 1923 | 245 |
| 1922 | 247 |
| 1921 | 266 |
| 1920 | 242 |
| 1919 | 263 |
| 1918 | 239 |
| 1917 | 221 |
| 1916 | 244 |
| 1915 | 243 |
| 1914 | 161 |
| 1913 | 120 |
| 1912 | 114 |
| 1911 | 69 |
| 1910 | 46 |
| 1909 | 37 |
| 1908 | 39 |
| 1907 | 39 |
| 1906 | 32 |
| 1905 | 30 |
| 1904 | 37 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1902 | 32 |
| 1901 | 28 |
| 1900 | 37 |
| 1899 | 28 |
| 1898 | 27 |
| 1897 | 33 |
| 1896 | 34 |
| 1895 | 22 |
| 1894 | 27 |
| 1893 | 22 |
| 1892 | 22 |
| 1891 | 12 |
| 1890 | 17 |
| 1889 | 16 |
| 1888 | 20 |
| 1887 | 13 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1885 | 14 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1883 | 8 |
| 1882 | 12 |
| 1881 | 9 |
| 1880 | 11 |