Kirill

Meaning & origin

Kirill entered U.S. records in 1997 and has seen modest use, with a peak in 2014 when its rank was highest. Since 2013 its trajectory has been falling, though it remains a recognizable Eastern European choice. In 2025, it ranked 4857, with roughly 1 in 85,404 newborn boys given the name. Its top state is California, reflecting the state's diverse population. The name's etymology connects it to Saint Cyril, a key figure in Slavic history, giving it a strong cultural and religious backdrop for families with Eastern European heritage. While not common, Kirill offers a distinctive alternative to more familiar forms like Cyril.

Kirill is a Slavic form of the Greek name Kyrillos, which in turn derives from Kyros. The Greek Kyros may be related to the Persian word khur, meaning 'sun', or the Greek kyrios, meaning 'lord'. The name was borne by several early Christian saints, notably Saint Cyril, a 9th-century Byzantine missionary who, along with his brother Methodius, developed the Glagolitic alphabet and evangelized the Slavs. The Russian form Kirill remains common in Eastern Europe and has been used in the U.S. since the late 20th century.