Cyrus

At a Glance: Name: Cyrus – Origin: Old Persian (via Greek Kŷros) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: SY-rus

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Cyrus is a boy's name with Old Persian roots, arriving in English by way of the Greek form Kyros. It's often said to mean "the sun," but that gloss isn't actually backed by the sourced etymology — the true meaning of the Old Persian original remains unresolved among the theories on record. Pronounced SY-rus, it fits into the classic, bold, worldly style categories.

Meaning & Origin of Cyrus

Origin: Old Persian (via Greek Kŷros).

A common claim: the sun Actually: There's no reliable evidence that Cyrus means 'the sun' — the meaning of the original Old Persian name remains genuinely unresolved.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Cyrus

Phonetic: SY-rus   IPA: /ˈsaɪrəs/

Popularity of Cyrus

Cyrus reached its all-time high in 1880 at #216, with 54 babies given the name that year. In 2024, it sat at #254 with 1,380 babies — a lower rank than its 1880 peak, but a far larger count.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Cyrus Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Cyrus, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Azar
• Keyvan
• Xerxes
• Arash
• Arian
• Bahram

FAQ

What does the name Cyrus mean?

the sun There’s no reliable evidence that Cyrus means ‘the sun’ — the meaning of the original Old Persian name remains genuinely unresolved.

How do you pronounce Cyrus?

Cyrus is pronounced SY-rus (IPA: /ˈsaɪrəs/).

Is Cyrus a popular name right now?

Cyrus peaked at #216 in 1880 and is ranked #254 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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