gender neutral
Basil
royal, kingly
About Basil
Consider a name that combines botanical elegance with quiet strength. Basil represents a choice that defies categorization—it's neither trendy nor traditional in the conventional sense, instead occupying its own distinguished space. This name suggests intelligence and creativity, evoking images of herb gardens, classic literature, and British sophistication.
The practical advantages are numerous: it's short, memorable, and unlikely to be mispronounced. Basil works internationally, crossing cultural boundaries with ease. It's a name that commands respect without demanding attention.
For parents who value individuality, Basil delivers. It won't appear on every classroom roster, yet it's established enough that no one will question it. The name carries literary associations—Basil Hallward from "The Picture of Dorian Gray," detective Basil of Baker Street—suggesting artistic sensibility and sharp intellect.
Choose Basil for a son who'll forge his own path, who'll appreciate having a name that's distinctly his own while remaining timelessly appropriate.
Popularity of the Name Basil
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #572 | |||
| 1881 | #600 | |||
| 1882 | #541 | |||
| 1883 | #686 | |||
| 1884 | #574 | |||
| 1885 | #500 | |||
| 1886 | #613 | |||
| 1887 | #491 | |||
| 1888 | #418 | |||
| 1889 | #466 | |||
| 1890 | #436 | |||
| 1891 | #525 | |||
| 1892 | #406 | |||
| 1893 | #383 | |||
| 1894 | #349 | |||
| 1895 | #416 | |||
| 1896 | #324 | |||
| 1897 | #322 | |||
| 1898 | #379 | |||
| 1899 | #338 | |||
| 1900 | #359 | #87 | ||
| 1901 | #347 | #106 | ||
| 1902 | #348 | #103 | ||
| 1903 | #413 | #73 | ||
| 1904 | #328 | #94 | ||
| 1905 | #384 | |||
| 1906 | #378 | #85 | ||
| 1907 | #352 | #67 | ||
| 1908 | #366 | #83 | ||
| 1909 | #403 | #114 | ||
| 1910 | #383 | #81 | ||
| 1911 | #329 | #89 | ||
| 1912 | #359 | #80 | ||
| 1913 | #387 | #77 | ||
| 1914 | #375 | #85 | ||
| 1915 | #339 | #76 | ||
| 1916 | #341 | #106 | ||
| 1917 | #379 | #108 | ||
| 1918 | #387 | #75 | ||
| 1919 | #352 | #88 | ||
| 1920 | #383 | #100 | ||
| 1921 | #374 | #84 | ||
| 1922 | #382 | #81 | ||
| 1923 | #379 | #68 | ||
| 1924 | #354 | #84 | ||
| 1925 | #370 | #71 | ||
| 1926 | #385 | #82 | ||
| 1927 | #371 | #91 | ||
| 1928 | #431 | #79 | ||
| 1929 | #373 | #102 | ||
| 1930 | #386 | #90 | ||
| 1931 | #454 | #100 | ||
| 1932 | #396 | #103 | ||
| 1933 | #413 | #97 | ||
| 1934 | #447 | #87 | ||
| 1935 | #417 | #87 | ||
| 1936 | #401 | #119 | ||
| 1937 | #464 | #111 | ||
| 1938 | #460 | #122 | ||
| 1939 | #495 | #106 | ||
| 1940 | #490 | #118 | ||
| 1941 | #514 | #142 | ||
| 1942 | #472 | #121 | ||
| 1943 | #544 | #97 | ||
| 1944 | #564 | #121 | ||
| 1945 | #603 | #130 | ||
| 1946 | #594 | #150 | ||
| 1947 | #535 | #164 | ||
| 1948 | #628 | #161 | ||
| 1949 | #649 | #198 | ||
| 1950 | #657 | |||
| 1951 | #667 | #177 | ||
| 1952 | #687 | #180 | ||
| 1953 | #615 | #204 | ||
| 1954 | #681 | |||
| 1955 | #719 | |||
| 1956 | #717 | |||
| 1957 | #771 | #189 | ||
| 1958 | #731 | #188 | ||
| 1959 | #734 | |||
| 1960 | #732 | #218 | ||
| 1961 | #719 | #209 | ||
| 1962 | #779 | |||
| 1963 | #763 | |||
| 1964 | #784 | #233 | ||
| 1965 | #816 | #234 | #254 | |
| 1966 | #762 | #185 | ||
| 1967 | #848 | #273 | ||
| 1968 | #970 | |||
| 1969 | #989 | #238 | ||
| 1971 | #999 | #243 | ||
| 1972 | #1000 | #231 | ||
| 1970 | #281 | |||
| 1973 | #322 | |||
| 1975 | #295 | |||
| 1978 | #337 | |||
| 1986 | #320 | |||
| 2020 | #723 | |||
| 1992 | #1000 | |||
| 1996 | #997 |
Top names by country: United States · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Basil
Names Similar to Basil
Nicknames for Basil
- Baz
- Bas
- Sil
Famous People Named Basil
| Basil Rathbone | English actor known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes |
| Basil Wolverton | American cartoonist known for his unique style |
| Basil Spence | Scottish architect known for his modernist designs |
| Basil Dearden | British film director and producer |
| Basil Poledouris | American film composer, known for "Conan the Barbarian" score |
| Basil I of Byzantine | Byzantine Emperor from 867 to 886 |
| Basil II | Byzantine Emperor from 976 to 1025, known as "Basil the Bulgar Slayer" |
| Basil of Caesarea | Early Christian bishop and theologian |
| Basil Sellers | Australian businessman and philanthropist |
| Basil D'Oliveira | South African-English cricketer |
| Basil Zempilas | Australian television and radio presenter |
| Basil Brown | British archaeologist known for the Sutton Hoo excavation |
| Basil O'Connor | American lawyer and humanitarian, co-founder of the March of Dimes |
| Basil Bernstein | British sociologist and linguist |
| Basil Fitzherbert | British diplomat and writer |
| Basil Paterson | American politician and lawyer |
| Basil Schott | American football player and coach |
| Basil Kelly | Irish rugby player |
| Basil Tsimbidaros | Greek water polo player |
Characters Named Basil
| Basil Fawlty | Character from the British sitcom "Fawlty Towers" |
| Basil Hallward | Character from Oscar Wilde's novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" |
| Basil Exposition | Character from the "Austin Powers" film series |
| Basil of Baker Street | The mouse detective in Disney's "The Great Mouse Detective" |
| Basil Stag Hare | A character from the "Redwall" book series by Brian Jacques |
| Basil Karlo/Clayface | A DC Comics supervillain |
| Basilisk | A giant serpent creature in mythology and fiction |
| Basil E. Frankweiler | Character from the novel "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" |
| Basil Argyros | A character from the video game "Assassin's Creed" |
| Basil Hawkins | A character from the anime and manga series "One Piece" |
| Basil Q. Foutley | Character from the animated series "As Told by Ginger" |
| Basil Bertrand | A character from the book "The Little White Bird" by J.M. Barrie |
| Basil Plumley | A character from the film "We Were Soldiers" |
| Basil Brush | Fictional fox puppet character from British television |
| Basil Blackwood | A character from the novel "The Sorrows of Satan" by Marie Corelli |
| Basil Eidenbenz | A character from the TV series "The Witcher" |
| Basil Fotherington-Thomas | A character from the radio comedy "Beyond Our Ken" |
| Basil Farnham | A character from the movie "The Addams Family" |
| Basil the Bat Lord | A LEGO character from "LEGO Castle" sets |
| Basil Slogum | A character from the movie "Sneakers" |