Cyril
/K-AY-R-IH-L/
Lordly, masterful, from Greek Kyrillos, a diminutive of kyrios (lord, master). Borne by Saint Cyril (827–869), the Byzantine scholar-missionary who, with his brother Methodius, created the Glagolitic alphabet to write Old Church Slavonic and bring the scriptures to the Slavic peoples. The Cyrillic script used across Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia and beyond bears his name. A name that gave literacy to a civilisation.
Get Cyril's full report — patron saint, feast day & a portrait — freeQuick — what every Christian parent asks about Cyril:
How well does Cyril fit your family?
This page tells you what Cyril means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
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Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Cyril is a Christian boy name of French origin, meaning “Lordly, masterful, from Greek Kyrillos, a diminutive of kyrios (lord, master). Borne by Saint Cyril (827–869), the Byzantine scholar-missionary who, with his brother Methodius, created the Glagolitic alphabet to write Old Church Slavonic and bring the scriptures to the Slavic peoples. The Cyrillic script used across Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia and beyond bears his name. A name that gave literacy to a civilisation.”.
Cyril is a boy's name of French origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Lordly, masterful, from Greek Kyrillos, a diminutive of kyrios (lord, master). Borne by Saint Cyril (827–869), the Byzantine scholar-missionary who, with his brother Methodius, created the Glagolitic alphabet to write Old Church Slavonic and bring the scriptures to the Slavic peoples. The Cyrillic script used across Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia and beyond bears his name. A name that gave literacy to a civilisation." and belongs to the Wisdom cluster — names meaning knowledge, insight, and thoughtful presence.
Common among French, European families, Cyril carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind Cyril
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. Cyril lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See Cyril's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See Cyril's saint & feast day →What does Cyril's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Cyril resonates in either tradition.
Cyril's destiny number is 4 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Cyril's full reading →
Does Cyril go with your family's names?
Cyril breaks into 5 sounds: /K-AY-R-IH-L/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Cyril sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Cyril beside your family's names →
Names similar to Cyril
If Cyril resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in French families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Wisdom cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Cyril
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Cyril — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Cyril
What does the name Cyril mean?
Cyril means "Lordly, masterful, from Greek Kyrillos, a diminutive of kyrios (lord, master). Borne by Saint Cyril (827–869), the Byzantine scholar-missionary who, with his brother Methodius, created the Glagolitic alphabet to write Old Church Slavonic and bring the scriptures to the Slavic peoples. The Cyrillic script used across Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia and beyond bears his name. A name that gave literacy to a civilisation.." It is a boy name of French origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Cyril a boy or girl name?
Cyril is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Cyril?
Cyril is of French origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among French, European families.
Is Cyril a Christian name?
Yes. Cyril is a boy name traditionally used in Christian families, of French origin.
What does Cyril mean in French?
Cyril originates from French, where it means "Lordly, masterful, from Greek Kyrillos, a diminutive of kyrios (lord, master). Borne by Saint Cyril (827–869), the Byzantine scholar-missionary who, with his brother Methodius, created the Glagolitic alphabet to write Old Church Slavonic and bring the scriptures to the Slavic peoples. The Cyrillic script used across Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia and beyond bears his name. A name that gave literacy to a civilisation.."
What is the numerology of Cyril?
Cyril has a Pythagorean destiny number of 4 — stability and disciplined work.
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