Basil
Boy name · #2022 in 2025 · Very rare
Basil is currently the #2022 boy name in the United States — 74 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2429, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 24,324 boys born in 2025 was named Basil.
The 145-year story
Basil first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 11 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 281 boys were named Basil — good for #354 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Basil per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Basil against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Basil in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Basil is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Basil will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Basil is most common
State-level data for Basil is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Basil
Statistically, parents drawn to Basil tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cyril, Lemuel, Emil, Cecil, and Hershel.
CyrilLemuelEmilCecilHershelEmileHoseaAubrey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Basil | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74 | #2020 |
| 2024 | 76 | #2012 |
| 2023 | 74 | #2032 |
| 2022 | 88 | #1826 |
| 2021 | 74 | #2000 |
| 2020 | 58 | #2323 |
| 2019 | 71 | #2042 |
| 2018 | 69 | #2065 |
| 2017 | 59 | #2240 |
| 2016 | 60 | #2228 |
| 2015 | 52 | #2429 |
| 2014 | 44 | #2705 |
| 2013 | 56 | #2278 |
| 2012 | 46 | #2632 |
| 2011 | 44 | #2699 |
| 2010 | 47 | #2579 |
| 2009 | 57 | #2287 |
| 2008 | 31 | #3486 |
| 2007 | 58 | #2257 |
| 2006 | 64 | #2062 |
| 2005 | 48 | #2399 |
| 2004 | 41 | #2599 |
| 2003 | 57 | #2006 |
| 2002 | 57 | #1943 |
| 2001 | 60 | #1841 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Basil a popular boy name?
Basil ranked #2022 among boys in 2025 with 74 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2429.
When was the name Basil most popular?
Basil peaked in 1924, when 281 American boys received the name (ranked #354 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Basil?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 24,324 newborn American boys was named Basil. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.