| Cyrus | Darius | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Sun; or lord | Possessor of good |
| Origin | Persian | Persian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | SY-rus | DAIR-ee-us |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2024 (1,389) | 1994 (2,184) |
| In 2025 | 1,284 | 322 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Cyrus | Darius |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,618 | 2,338 |
| 2010s | 6,603 | 6,548 |
| 2000s | 4,970 | 12,436 |
| 1990s | 2,295 | 19,665 |
| 1980s | 1,527 | 7,177 |
| 1970s | 1,010 | 3,144 |
| 1960s | 789 | 1,351 |
| 1950s | 831 | 587 |
| 1940s | 755 | 252 |
| 1930s | 794 | 170 |
| 1920s | 1,102 | 178 |
| 1910s | 934 | 128 |
| 1900s | 252 | 0 |
| 1890s | 287 | 10 |
| 1880s | 441 | 22 |
Cyrus comes from the Old Persian Kūruš. Its meaning is debated: it has been connected to “sun,” to “young,” and to “lord.” Cyrus the Great founded the Persian Empire.
Darius comes from the Old Persian for “possessing goodness,” borne by Persian kings.
Cyrus is more popular than Darius today: about 1,284 US babies were given the name Cyrus in 2025, compared with 322 named Darius.
Cyrus means Sun; or lord (Persian origin), while Darius means Possessor of good (Persian origin).
In US records, Cyrus first appears in 1880 and Darius in 1880, so Cyrus has the longer recorded history.