Cyril is a masculine given name of Greek origin. It comes from the Greek name Kyrillos (Κύριλλος), which is derived from kyrios (κύριος), meaning "lord." Etymology and Historical ContextThe name carry a deep religious resonance because kyrios is the word used frequently in the Greek New Testament to refer to God or Jesus Christ. This connection ensured the name's popularity among early Christians. Several important saints bear the name, including Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century), who was a bishop and Doctor of the Church, and Cyril of Alexandria (5th century), a prominent theologian. Arguably the most famous Cyril is Cyril the Philosopher (826–869), a Greek missionary to the Slavs. Along with his brother Methodius, he created the Glagolitic alphabet to translate the Bible into Old Church Slavonic. The later Cyrillic alphabet, used in many modern Slavic languages, is named in his honor.Cultural and Geographic DistributionCyril has been especially well-used in Eastern Europe and regions where Orthodox Christianity is prevalent. Variants include the Russian Kirill, Bulgarian Kiril, Ukrainian Kyrylo, and others. The name also came into general use in England during the 19th century. Notable BearersBeyond saints, notable figures named Cyril include Polish-born naturalist Cyril Houdayer,and Scottish telecommunications innovator Cyril Veinot.Meaning: "lord"Origin: GreekType: Given nameUsage: Czech, English, French, Slovak, and many Eastern European cultures