Cyrus () is a Persian-language masculine

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...

. It is historically best known as the name of several Persian kings, most notably including

Cyrus the Great Cyrus II of Persia ( ; 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Achaemenid dynasty (i. The clan and dynasty) Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Media ...

, who founded the

Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian peoples, Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, i ...

in 550 BC. It remains widespread among Zoroastrians, particularly in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, and is also relatively common in the Anglophone world.

Etymology

Cyrus, as a word in English, is the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

ized form of the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

Κῦρος, ''Kȳros'', from

Old Persian Old Persian is one of two directly attested Old Iranian languages (the other being Avestan) and is the ancestor of Middle Persian (the language of the Sasanian Empire). Like other Old Iranian languages, it was known to its native speakers as (I ...

''Kūruš''. According to the inscriptions, the name is reflected in

Elamite Elamite, also known as Hatamtite and formerly as Scythic, Median, Amardian, Anshanian and Susian, is an extinct language that was spoken by the ancient Elamites. It was recorded in what is now southwestern Iran from 2600 BC to 330 BC. Elamite i ...

''Kuraš'', Babylonian ''Ku(r)-raš/-ra-áš'' and

Imperial Aramaic Imperial Aramaic is a linguistic term, coined by modern Aramaic studies, scholars in order to designate a specific historical Variety (linguistics), variety of Aramaic language. The term is polysemic, with two distinctive meanings, wider (socioli ...

''kwrš''. The modern Persian form of the name is '' Kūroš''. The etymology of Cyrus has been and continues to be a topic of discussion amongst

historians A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

linguists Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds and equivalent gestures ...

, and scholars of

Iranology Iranian studies ( '), also referred to as Iranology and Iranistics, is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the research and study of the civilization, history, literature, art and culture of Iranian peoples. It is a part of the wider field ...

. The Old Persian name "kuruš" has been interpreted in various forms such as "the Sun", "like Sun", "young", "hero," and "humiliator of the enemy in verbal contest" and the Elamite "kuraš" has been translated as one "who bestows care". The name has appeared on many monuments and inscriptions in Old Persian. There is also the record of a small inscription in Morghab (southwestern Iran) on which there is the sentence (''adam kūruš xšāyaθiya haxāmanišiya'') in

meaning (''I am Cyrus the

Achaemenian The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian peoples, Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, i ...

King''). After a questionable proposal by the German linguist F. H. Weissbach that

Darius the Great Darius I ( ; – 486 BCE), commonly known as Darius the Great, was the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his death in 486 BCE. He ruled the empire at its territorial peak, when it included much of West A ...

was the first to inscribe in Persian, it had previously been concluded by some scholars that the inscription in Morghab refers to Cyrus the Younger. This proposal resulted from a false interpretation of a passage in paragraph 70 of the

Behistun inscription The Behistun Inscription (also Bisotun, Bisitun or Bisutun; , Old Persian: Bagastana, meaning "the place of god") is a multilingual Achaemenid royal inscriptions, Achaemenid royal inscription and large rock relief on a cliff at Mount Behistun i ...

by Darius the Great. Based on many arguments, the accepted theory among modern scholars is that the inscription does belong to Cyrus the Great. There are interpretations of the name of Cyrus by classical authors identifying with or referring to the Persian word for "Sun". The Historian

Plutarch Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...

(46–120) states that "the sun, which, in the

Persian language Persian ( ), also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Farsi (, Fārsī ), is a Western Iranian languages, Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian subdivision ...

, is called Cyrus". Also, the Physician

Ctesias Ctesias ( ; ; ), also known as Ctesias of Cnidus, was a Greek physician and historian from the town of Cnidus in Caria, then part of the Achaemenid Empire. Historical events Ctesias, who lived in the fifth century BC, was physician to the Acha ...

who served in the court of the Persian king

Artaxerxes II of Persia Arses (; 445 – 359/8 BC), known by his regnal name Artaxerxes II ( ; ), was King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 405/4 BC to 358 BC. He was the son and successor of Darius II () and his mother was Parysatis. Soon after his accession, ...

writes in his book ''Persica'' as summarized by Photios that the name Cyrus is from the Persian word "Khur" (the sun).Epitome of

' Persic
52
. These are, however, not accepted by modern scholars. Regarding the etymology of Old Persian ''kuruš'', linguists have proposed various etymologies based on Iranian languages as well as non-

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the northern Indian subcontinent, most of Europe, and the Iranian plateau with additional native branches found in regions such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, parts of Central Asia (e. ...

ones. According to Tavernier, the name ''kuraš'', attested in Elamite texts, is likely "the original form" as there is no Elamite or Babylonian spelling ''ku-ru-uš'' in the transcriptions of Old Persian ''ku-u-r(u)-u-š''. That is, according to Tavernier, ''kuraš'' is an Elamite name and means "to bestow care". Others, such as Schmitt, Hoffmann maintain that the Persian ''Kuruš'', which according to Skalmowsky, may be connected to (or borrowing from) the IE ''Kúru-'' from

Old Indic The Indo-Aryan languages, or sometimes Indic languages, are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family. As of 2024, there are more than 1.5 billion speakers, primarily concentrated east of the Indus river in Ban ...

can give an etymology of the Elamite ''kuraš''. In this regard, the Old Persian ''kuruš'' is considered with the following etymologies: One proposal is discussed by the linguist Janos Harmatta that refers to the common Iranian root "kur-" (be born) of many words in Old, middle, and new

Iranian languages The Iranian languages, also called the Iranic languages, are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family that are spoken natively by the Iranian peoples, predominantly in the Iranian Plateau. The Iranian langu ...

(e.g. Kurdish). Accordingly, the name Kūruš means "young, youth...". Other Iranian etymologies have been proposed. The Indian proposal of Skalmowsky goes down to "to do, accomplish". Another theory is the suggestion of Karl Hoffmann that ''kuruš'' goes down to a ''-ru'' derivation from the IE root ''*(s)kau'' meaning "to humiliate" and accordingly "kuruš" (hence "Cyrus") means "''humiliator'' (of the enemy in verbal contest)".

People

Given name

Ancient world

Cyrus I Cyrus I (Old Persian language, Old Persian: ''Kuruš'') or Cyrus I of Anshan or Cyrus I of Persia, was King of Anshan (Persia), Anshan in Persia from to 580 BC or, according to others, from to 600 BC. Cyrus I of Anshan is the grandfather of C ...

( BC), King of Anshan *

( BC or 576 BC–530 BC) – also known as Cyrus II – the grandson of Cyrus I, an Achaemenid ruler and founder of the Great Persian Empire *

Cyrus the Younger Cyrus the Younger ( ''Kūruš''; ; died 401 BC) was an Achaemenid prince and general. He ruled as satrap of Lydia and Ionia from 408 to 401 BC. Son of Darius II and Parysatis, he died in 401 BC in battle during a failed attempt to oust his ...

(died 401 BC), brother to the Persian King Artaxerxes * Cyrus (architect), 1st century Greek architect who worked in Rome *Saint Cyrus (see Cyrus and John), 4th century Coptic saint * Cyrus I of Edessa, bishop (died 396) * Cyrus II of Edessa, bishop (died 498) * Cyrus of Alexandria (died 642), Melkite Patriarch and co-founder of Monothelism *

Cyrus of Panopolis Flavius Taurus Seleucus Cyrus ( 426–441), better known as Cyrus of Panopolis () from his birthplace of Panopolis in Roman Egypt, Egypt, was a senior East Roman Empire, East Roman official, epic poet, philosopher and a lover of Greek arts. He liv ...

, 5th-century Byzantine writer and official

Modern era

* Cyrus Leroy Baldridge (1889–1977), American artist, illustrator, author and adventurer * Cyrus Townsend Brady (1861–1920), American journalist, historian and adventure writer * Cyrus Broacha (born 1971), MTV India VJ * Cyrus Ramone Pattinson (born 1994), Team GB Boxer * Cyrus S. Ching (1876–1967), Canadian-American industrialist, civil servant, and union mediator * Cyrus Christie (born 1992), professional footballer who plays as right back for Hull City A.F.C * Cyrus Chothia (1942–2019), British scientist * Cyrus Edwin Dallin (1861–1944), American sculptor * Cyrus S. Eaton (1883–1979), Canadian-American banker, investor and philanthropist * Cyrus Edwards (1793–1877), American politician and lawyer * Cyrus West Field (1819–1892), American businessman who successfully laid the first transatlantic telegraph cable * Cyrus Frisch (born 1969), Dutch film director * Cyrus Herzl Gordon (1908–2001) was an American scholar of Near Eastern cultures and ancient languages * Cyrus Hamlin (general) (1839–1867), Union general during American Civil War, son of Vice President Hannibal Hamlin * Cy Hungerford (1889–1983), American editorial cartoonist * Cyrus Kabiru (born 1984), Kenyan visual artist *

Cy Kendall Cyrus Willard Kendall (March 10, 1898 – July 22, 1953) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1935 and 1950. Kendall's heavy-set, square-jawed appearance and deep voice were perfect for wiseguy roles such ...

(1898–1953), American actor * Cyrus B. Lower (1843–1924), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient *

Cyrus McCormick Cyrus Hall McCormick (February 15, 1809 – May 13, 1884) was an American inventor and businessman who founded the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which became part of the International Harvester Company in 1902. Originally from the Blue ...

(1809–1884), American inventor who developed the modern mechanical reaper * Cyrus Pallonji Mistry (born 1968), Irish-Indian businessman and Chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Group * Cyrus Mistry (writer) (born 1956), Indian author and playwright * Cyrus Patell (born 1961), American literary and cultural critic * Cyrus Peirce (1790–1860), founder of first public normal school (teachers' college) in the United States * Cyrus Poncha (born 1976), national squash coach in India * Cyrus S. Poonawalla (), Indian businessman * Cyrus Rollocks (born 1998), Canadian soccer player * Cyrus Sahukar (born 1980), MTV India VJ * C. R. Smith (1899–1990), longtime CEO of American Airlines * Cyrus Vance Sr. (1917–2002), American politician and lawyer,

U.S. Secretary of the Army The secretary of the Army (SA or SECARMY) is a senior civilian official within the United States Department of Defense, with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, insta ...

under Presidents

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

and

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...

, U.S. Secretary of Defense under Lyndon B. Johnson and U.S. Secretary of State under

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

** Cyrus Vance Jr. (born 1954), American politician and lawyer, son of Cyrus Sr. and former

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

(2010–2021) * Cyrus Villanueva, Australian singer who won ''The X Factor Australia'' in 2015

In literature

* ''

The Garden of Cyrus ''The Garden of Cyrus'', or ''The Quincuncial Lozenge, or Network Plantations of the Ancients, naturally, artificially, mystically considered'', is a discourse by Thomas Browne concerned with the quincunx—a pattern of five points arranged in an ...

'', a discourse by the English physician-philosopher

Thomas Browne Sir Thomas Browne ( "brown"; 19 October 160519 October 1682) was an English polymath and author of varied works which reveal his wide learning in diverse fields including science and medicine, religion and the esoteric. His writings display a d ...

Fictional characters

*Cyrus, from ''The Revenge of Magic'' book series by James Riely *Cyrus Beene, from the television series ''Scandal'' *Cyrus Trask, from

John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck ( ; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social percep ...

's novel '' East of Eden'' * Cyrus Spitama, the grandson of

Zoroaster Zarathushtra Spitama, more commonly known as Zoroaster or Zarathustra, was an Iranian peoples, Iranian religious reformer who challenged the tenets of the contemporary Ancient Iranian religion, becoming the spiritual founder of Zoroastrianism ...

and main character of

Gore Vidal Eugene Luther Gore Vidal ( ; born Eugene Louis Vidal, October 3, 1925 – July 31, 2012) was an American writer and public intellectual known for his acerbic epigrammatic wit. His novels and essays interrogated the Social norm, social and sexual ...

's novel ''Creation''. * Cyrus Borg, a character in '' Ninjago'' * Cyrus Bortel, from the animated TV series ''Kim Possible'' * Cyrus Goodman, from ''

Andi Mack ''Andi Mack'' is an American family comedy-drama television series created by Terri Minsky that premiered on Disney Channel on April 7, 2017. It ran for three seasons and 57 episodes, concluding on July 26, 2019. The series stars Peyton Elizab ...

'' and

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

's first gay main character * Cyrus Lupo, a detective from ''Law & Order'' * Cyrus Simpson, the brother of Abraham Simpson in ''The Simpsons'' * Cyrus, from the TV series ''

Trailer Park Boys ''Trailer Park Boys'' is a Canadian mockumentary television sitcom created by Mike Clattenburg that began airing in 2001 as a continuation of his 1999 film bearing the same name. The show follows the misadventures of a group of trailer park resi ...

'' * Cyrus, from the animated series ''

Sonic Underground ''Sonic Underground'' ( French: ''Sonic le Rebelle'') is an animated musical television series co-produced by DIC Productions, L.P., Les Studios Tex S.A.R.L. and TF1. It is the third ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' animated series, and the last to be pro ...

'' * Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom, in the 1997 film ''

Con Air ''Con Air'' is a 1997 American action thriller film directed by Simon West and starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and John Malkovich in the lead roles. Written by Scott Rosenberg and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the film centers on a pr ...

'', played by

John Malkovich John Gavin Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and ...

* Cyrus, a gang leader in the 1979 film '' The Warriors'' *

Cyrus Cyrus () is a Persian-language masculine given name. It is historically best known as the name of several List of monarchs of Iran, Persian kings, most notably including Cyrus the Great, who founded the Achaemenid Empire in 550 BC. It remains wid ...

, the leader of Team Galactic and the main antagonist of ''Pokémon Diamond'', ''Pearl'', and ''Platinum'' * Cyrus Gold, the DC Comics character Solomon Grundy *

Cyrus Smith Cyrus Smith (named Cyrus Harding in some English translations) is one of the protagonists of Jules Verne's 1875 novel '' The Mysterious Island''. He is an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is a very skilled man and a fi ...

, the leading character in Jules Verne's novel '' Mysterious Island'' * Cyrus, a vampaneze from the novel ''

The Vampire Prince ''The Saga of Darren Shan'' (known as ''Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan'' in the United States) is a young adult 12-part book series written by Darren O'Shaughnessy about the struggle of Darren Shan, a boy who has become involved in ...

'' by Darren Shan *

, in the video game ''Chrono Trigger'' * Cyrus, a Redguard pirate and hero in the video game '' The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard'' * Cyrus Albright, one of the eight main protagonists of the video game '' Octopath Traveler'' * Cyrus, an NPC in the video game ''

Genshin Impact ''Genshin Impact'' is a 2020 action role-playing game produced by MiHoYo, MiHoYo/HoYoverse. The game features an anime-style open world environment and an action-based Role-playing battle systems, battle system using Classical element, element ...

'' * Cyrus, an alpaca NPC introduced in '' Animal Crossing: New Leaf''

Citations

General and cited references

* * * * * * * {{given name, type=both English masculine given names Masculine given names