Cyrus

Cyrus is a masculine first name that originates from Latin and traces back to the ancient Greek name Kyros (Κύρος). This, in turn, has its roots in the Old Persian Kurus (Kūruš). The meaning of the name is often interpreted as 'the ruler with the gracious judgment over enemies', but there are also simplified interpretations such as 'the far-sighted' and 'the young man', derived from the Old Persian Kūrush.

What does the name Cyrus mean?

The name Cyrus, a Latinized variant of the Greek Kyros (Κύρος), has its origins in the Old Persian Kurus (Kūruš). In its meaning, it is often understood as 'the ruler with the gracious judgment over enemies' or more simply as 'the far-sighted' and 'the young man', which derives from the Old Persian Kūrush. Furthermore, Cyrus could also stem from the Ancient Greek kýrios (κύριος), meaning 'the lord', 'the master', or 'the ruler'. In antiquity, the name was frequently associated with 'the sun', 'the son of the sun', or 'like the sun', based on the Old Persian terms kho or khur (خور) for 'the sun' and vash (وش) for 'may', 'good', or 'beautiful'. The name was particularly used in Puritan families in England, while today it is mainly prevalent in the USA. Since the 1960s, it has also gained significance in Germany. Variants of the name include Korosch, Kourosh (Persian), Kurosh, Kurosch, Kurush, and Kurusch (Old Persian), Koresh (Hebrew), Ciro (Spanish), Cyr (French), Kir, Cirus, and Syrus. The feminine form is Kyra. Korosch (Cyrus II) lived from 601 to 530 BC and is often referred to as 'the Great'; he is considered the founder of the Old Persian Empire and the first and most merciful ruler in history.

Where does the name Cyrus come from?

The first name Cyrus has its roots in Old Persian and means 'the ruler'. The Old Persian word combination Kūrush or Kūruš (کوروش) stands for 'far-sighted', 'visionary', and 'young', while kýrios (κύριος) in Ancient Greek means 'the lord'. The Old Persian terms kho or khur (خور) for 'the sun' and vash (وش) for 'may', 'good', or 'beautiful' also play a role in the etymology. The name can be found in biblical and English contexts.

How do you pronounce Cyrus?

The name Cyrus is pronounced as 'Zy-rus' [ˈtsyː.ʁʊs] and is two syllables. The long 'y' at the beginning opens the sound and gives it a special nuance. The short second syllable ends with a clear 's', which gives the name a distinctive and international sound – elegant and simple.

When is the name day of Cyrus?

The name day for Cyrus is celebrated on January 31.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Cyrus enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 1,881st in the list of the most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2010 at 1,169th. In the last ten years, Cyrus has been given as a first name about 120 times, placing it at 2,188th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 2,090th.

Nicknames & pet names

Cy / Cye / Cyr / Rus

Similar first names

Famous people

• Cyrus Adler (scholar from America)
• Cyrus Ainsworth (cricketer from Great Britain)
• Cyrus Broacha (actor from India)
• Cyrus Buddy Kalb (American singer)
• Cyrus Cassells (American writer)
• Cyrus Christie (Irish footballer)
• Cyrus Cotton Cy Hungerford (American illustrator)
• Cyrus David (German actor)
• Cyrus Edwin Dallin (American sculptor)
• Cyrus Faryar (Iranian composer)
• Cyrus Forough (American violinist)
• Cyrus Frederick Knight (bishop from America)
• Cyrus Frisch (Dutch film director)
• Cyrus Gichobi Njui (Kenyan long-distance runner)
• Cyrus H. Gordon (American linguist)
• Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis (American publisher)
• Cyrus Lakdawala (American chess player)
• Cyrus Lawrence (footballer from America)
• Cyrus Leroy Baldridge (American writer)
• Cyrus Nowrasteh (American film director)