Cyril

Cyril is a masculine given name of Greek origin, derived from Kyrillos, meaning “lordly” or “of the lord.” The name has variants in different languages, including Kirill in Russian and Cyrille in French, with Cyrilla or Cyrielle as less common feminine forms.

Historically, several saints and scholars named Cyril have been influential in Christian tradition. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 370–444) was the Patriarch of Alexandria and a key Church Father who defended the unity of Christ’s two natures during theological disputes. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313–386) served as bishop and is known for his catechetical lectures and early Christian teachings. The most widely known modern association is Cyril with Cyril and Methodius, two Byzantine brothers (Cyril, born Constantine, c. 826–869, and Methodius, c. 815–885) who evangelized the Slavic peoples, created the Glagolitic alphabet, and influenced the development of the Cyrillic script.

In contemporary contexts, Cyril is used as a given name across many cultures. Notable individuals include Cyril Ramaphosa (born 1952), South African president and politician; Cyril Connolly (1903–1974), English writer and editor; and the fictional character Cyril Figgis from the animated series Archer. The name is also associated with the Cyrillic alphabet, a writing system named in honor of Saint Cyril and used for Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Serbian, and many other languages.