Basil (name)

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Basil
Given Name
Pronunciation BAZ-el [ˈbæzɪl]
Gender Male
Meaning "royal, kingly"
Origin Greek
Related names Basile, Basilic, Basilides, Basileios, Basilie, Basilio, Basilius, Bazeel, Bazeelius, Bazil, Bazyli, Vasil, Vasile, Vasileos, Vasili, Vassili, Vasilije, Vasilios
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The name 'Basil' (royal, kingly), pronounced as BAZ-el [ˈbæzɪl], has origins from the male Greek name Βασίλειος[1] (female version Bασιλική[2]) which first appeared during the Hellenistic period. It is derived from "basile΄us" (Greek: βασιλεύς) a Greek word of pre-Hellenic origin meaning "king", from which words such as basilica and basilisk (via Latin), as well as the eponymous herb (via Old French) derive.

It was brought to England by the Crusaders, having been common in the eastern Mediterranean. It's more often used in Britain and Europe than in the US and is also the name of a common herb. In Arabic, the name means "brave". Different derived names in different languages include: Basile in French; Basilius in German; Basilio in Italian and Spanish and Vasil in Bulgarian and Albanian.

Basil has many variant forms: Basile, Basilic, Basilides, Basileios, Basilie, Basilio, Basilius, Bazeel, Bazeelius, Bazil, Bazyli, Vasil, Vasile, Vasileos, Vasilije, Vasilios[3], Vasilios[4], Vasilius, Vasilus, Vassilis[5], Vasili, Vassili, Vasily, Vassilij, Vassily[6] and Wassily[7].

Contents

[edit] People

[edit] As a first name

[edit] As a surname

[edit] Historical religious leaders

[edit] Historical emperors

  • Basil I the Macedonian, Byzantine E. (811-886, ruled from 867)
  • Basil II Bulgaroktonus, Byzantine E. (958-1025, ruled from 976)
  • Basil of Trebizond (died 1340, ruled from 1332)

[edit] Generals

  • Basil (Byzantine general) Byzantine general in the 10th century who reconquored Cyprus.

[edit] As a fictional character

[edit] Sources