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