Basil
#5,410 for girls in 2025, 23 births · #2,020 for boys in 2025, 74 births
Given to boys 97.3% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1897 · 33 births
- Debut · boys
- 11 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 13,172since 1880
Basil over time
Rank among boys' names. Basil has never cracked the top 300 here.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #5,410 | 23 | #2,020 | 74 |
| 2024 | #6,167 | 19 | #2,012 | 76 |
| 2023 | #5,248 | 24 | #2,032 | 74 |
| 2022 | #4,793 | 28 | #1,826 | 88 |
| 2021 | #4,607 | 29 | #2,000 | 74 |
| 2020 | #6,325 | 18 | #2,323 | 58 |
| 2019 | #4,773 | 28 | #2,042 | 71 |
| 2018 | #5,007 | 26 | #2,065 | 69 |
| 2017 | #5,191 | 25 | #2,240 | 59 |
| 2016 | #5,796 | 22 | #2,228 | 60 |
| 2015 | #7,266 | 16 | #2,429 | 52 |
| 2014 | #6,987 | 17 | #2,705 | 44 |
| 2013 | #6,017 | 21 | #2,278 | 56 |
| 2012 | #6,110 | 21 | #2,632 | 46 |
| 2011 | #13,347 | 7 | #2,699 | 44 |
| 2010 | #9,790 | 11 | #2,579 | 47 |
| 2009 | #13,704 | 7 | #2,287 | 57 |
| 2008 | #17,504 | 5 | #3,486 | 31 |
| 2007 | — | #2,257 | 58 | |
| 2006 | #13,606 | 7 | #2,062 | 64 |
| 2005 | — | #2,399 | 48 | |
| 2004 | — | #2,599 | 41 | |
| 2003 | — | #2,006 | 57 | |
| 2002 | — | #1,943 | 57 | |
| 2001 | — | #1,841 | 60 | |
| 2000 | — | #1,742 | 64 | |
| 1999 | — | #1,778 | 56 | |
| 1998 | — | #1,585 | 66 | |
| 1997 | — | #1,773 | 54 | |
| 1996 | — | #1,421 | 73 | |
| 1995 | — | #1,477 | 65 | |
| 1994 | — | #1,383 | 71 | |
| 1993 | — | #1,420 | 67 | |
| 1992 | — | #1,321 | 73 | |
| 1991 | — | #1,382 | 67 | |
| 1990 | — | #1,336 | 69 | |
| 1989 | — | #1,615 | 49 | |
| 1988 | — | #1,319 | 61 | |
| 1987 | — | #1,248 | 61 | |
| 1986 | — | #1,153 | 67 | |
| 1985 | — | #1,485 | 45 | |
| 1984 | — | #1,422 | 45 | |
| 1983 | — | #1,000 | 78 | |
| 1982 | — | #1,254 | 55 | |
| 1981 | — | #1,294 | 51 | |
| 1980 | — | #1,176 | 60 | |
| 1979 | — | #1,270 | 52 | |
| 1978 | — | #1,214 | 54 | |
| 1977 | — | #1,099 | 62 | |
| 1976 | — | #1,210 | 51 | |
| 1975 | — | #1,099 | 58 | |
| 1974 | — | #1,198 | 48 | |
| 1973 | — | #1,074 | 57 | |
| 1972 | — | #1,000 | 65 | |
| 1971 | — | #998 | 66 | |
| 1970 | — | #1,016 | 64 | |
| 1969 | — | #989 | 60 | |
| 1968 | — | #968 | 57 | |
| 1967 | — | #848 | 71 | |
| 1966 | — | #762 | 92 | |
| 1965 | — | #815 | 82 | |
| 1964 | — | #784 | 92 | |
| 1963 | — | #763 | 101 | |
| 1962 | — | #779 | 95 | |
| 1961 | — | #720 | 113 | |
| 1960 | — | #733 | 110 | |
| 1959 | — | #735 | 109 | |
| 1958 | — | #732 | 103 | |
| 1957 | — | #772 | 95 | |
| 1956 | — | #718 | 104 | |
| 1955 | — | #720 | 103 | |
| 1954 | — | #682 | 112 | |
| 1953 | — | #616 | 139 | |
| 1952 | — | #688 | 103 | |
| 1951 | — | #668 | 109 | |
| 1950 | — | #658 | 113 | |
| 1949 | — | #649 | 111 | |
| 1948 | — | #629 | 116 | |
| 1947 | — | #535 | 158 | |
| 1946 | — | #592 | 117 | |
| 1945 | — | #603 | 101 | |
| 1944 | — | #564 | 117 | |
| 1943 | — | #544 | 132 | |
| 1942 | — | #472 | 169 | |
| 1941 | — | #513 | 132 | |
| 1940 | — | #487 | 140 | |
| 1939 | — | #495 | 135 | |
| 1938 | — | #460 | 157 | |
| 1937 | — | #463 | 145 | |
| 1936 | — | #401 | 189 | |
| 1935 | — | #417 | 175 | |
| 1934 | — | #447 | 159 | |
| 1933 | — | #413 | 172 | |
| 1932 | — | #396 | 200 | |
| 1931 | — | #454 | 154 | |
| 1930 | — | #386 | 219 | |
| 1929 | — | #373 | 238 | |
| 1928 | — | #431 | 191 | |
| 1927 | #4,805 | 5 | #371 | 249 |
| 1926 | — | #385 | 232 | |
| 1925 | — | #370 | 259 | |
| 1924 | — | #354 | 281 | |
| 1923 | — | #379 | 245 | |
| 1922 | — | #382 | 247 | |
| 1921 | — | #374 | 266 | |
| 1920 | — | #383 | 243 | |
| 1919 | #3,817 | 7 | #352 | 262 |
| 1918 | — | #387 | 239 | |
| 1917 | — | #379 | 221 | |
| 1916 | — | #341 | 244 | |
| 1915 | — | #339 | 243 | |
| 1914 | — | #375 | 161 | |
| 1913 | — | #387 | 120 | |
| 1912 | — | #359 | 114 | |
| 1911 | — | #328 | 69 | |
| 1910 | — | #383 | 46 | |
| 1909 | — | #403 | 37 | |
| 1908 | — | #365 | 39 | |
| 1907 | — | #351 | 39 | |
| 1906 | — | #378 | 32 | |
| 1905 | — | #384 | 30 | |
| 1904 | — | #328 | 37 | |
| 1903 | — | #411 | 23 | |
| 1902 | — | #348 | 32 | |
| 1901 | — | #347 | 28 | |
| 1900 | — | #357 | 37 | |
| 1899 | — | #336 | 28 | |
| 1898 | — | #377 | 27 | |
| 1897 | — | #321 | 33 | |
| 1896 | — | #323 | 34 | |
| 1895 | — | #414 | 22 | |
| 1894 | — | #349 | 27 | |
| 1893 | — | #383 | 22 | |
| 1892 | — | #404 | 22 | |
| 1891 | — | #524 | 12 | |
| 1890 | — | #434 | 17 | |
| 1889 | — | #464 | 16 | |
| 1888 | — | #416 | 20 | |
| 1887 | — | #488 | 13 | |
| 1886 | — | #605 | 10 | |
| 1885 | — | #498 | 14 | |
| 1884 | — | #570 | 11 | |
| 1883 | — | #677 | 8 | |
| 1882 | — | #540 | 12 | |
| 1881 | — | #595 | 9 | |
| 1880 | — | #571 | 11 | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Basil was already there! It came in at #571, and was given to 11 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1884, when fewer than 13 boys a year got the name.
Where Basil is popular in 1972
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- New Jersey#500 · 1 in 7,648
- Illinois#691 · 1 in 11,819
- New York#853 · 1 in 17,411
Best ever in a state: #60 in Maine, 1912.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | #500 | 6 | 1 in 7,648 |
| Illinois | #691 | 7 | 1 in 11,819 |
| New York | #853 | 7 | 1 in 17,411 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| California | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Texas | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Basil
- 8 spots since 2024 (#2,012 → #2,020)
- 303 spots since 2020 (#2,323 → #2,020)
- 409 spots since 2015 (#2,429 → #2,020)
- Biggest jump: 254 spots in 1983 (#1,254 → #1,000)
- Biggest drop: 422 spots in 1984 (#1,000 → #1,422)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1897 at #321 (33 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 93 yrs · run 1880–1969
- Highest: 1 in 3,275 boys born in 1911 were named Basil (0.03%)
- Latest: 1 in 23,082 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
- Its best rank, #321 in 1897, was only 1 in 3,417 (0.03%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 18.6% of all boys named Basil (2,451) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 124 | #416 (1888) | #542 |
| 1890s | 244 | #321 (1897) | #387 |
| 1900s | 334 | #328 (1904) | #367 |
| 1910s | 1,719 | #328 (1911) | #363 |
| 1920s | 2,451 | #354 (1924) | #380 |
| 1930s | 1,705 | #386 (1930) | #433 |
| 1940s | 1,293 | #472 (1942) | #559 |
| 1950s | 1,090 | #616 (1953) | #699 |
| 1960s | 873 | #720 (1961) | #816 |
| 1970s | 577 | #998 (1971) | #1,118 |
| 1980s | 572 | #1,000 (1983) | #1,297 |
| 1990s | 661 | #1,321 (1992) | #1,488 |
| 2000s | 537 | #1,742 (2000) | #2,262 |
| 2010s | 548 | #2,042 (2019) | #2,390 |
| 2020s | 444 | #1,826 (2022) | #2,036 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Basil in 1972
Top boys' names in 1972
More about 1972
boys
1,621,608 boys got a published name in 1972; 1 in 24,948 of them was named Basil, which outranked 82.6% of the 5,751 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #993Murray66
- #993Nestor66
- #993Wes66
- #1,000Basil65
- #1,000Desi65
- #1,000Hassan65
- #1,000Lesley65
- #1,007Chadrick64
- #1,007Corwin64
- #1,007Forest64
Tied with 6 names at #1,000; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.