Cyrus

Anyone who grew up watching Disney Channel's Hannah Montana or listening to Miley Cyrus's songs will recognize Cyrus as a last name. However, it is mostly established as a first name. 

Cyrus comes from the Greek form of the Persian "Kurush." Its multiple possible meanings include "far sighted", "careful", or "young." Its meaning may be uncertain, but there's definitely Cyrus the Great in the Old Testament. The founder of the Persian Empire delivered the Jews from Babylon to Israel. 

Cyrus was first used in ancient Persia, where it was worn by several kings. Cyrus the Great was one of them. As with many Biblical names, Cyrus crossed into the English-speaking world through Puritan adoption in the sixteenth century. Xenophon's The Cyropaedia, an ancient book describing the education of Cyrus the Great that was rediscovered during the Renaissance, also increased the name's usage. 

In England, Cyrus only ranked in the top 200 in 1840. As an American name, Cyrus never ranked within the top 100 or 200. However, it has appeared in the top 1000 every year since 1880. Cyrus was most popular during the 1880s, hit its low point during the 1970s, and has since been rising again. 

Cyrus lacks international usage. However, according to Eleanor "Elea" Nickerson on British Baby Names, it has become more popular among Indian-English parents in the 1960s and 1970s.

If Isaac and Thomas are too popular, Cyrus would be the perfect substitute. It may not feel as classic as these two names, but Biblical Cyrus has still stood the test of time. Since it is usually not a surname, the Miley Cyrus association should not be a problem. 

VARIANTS:

Ciro, Kyros

STYLES:

Biblical, Classical

SISTERS:

Esther, Susannah, Mara, Phoebe, Amalia, Juliet, Dinah, Livia

BROTHERS:

Japheth, Tobias, Ezra, Abram, Reuben, Barnaby, Moses, Gideon

ALTERNATIVES:

Boaz, Caius, Cyan, Cyril, Emrys, Jonas, Linus, Myron

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Cyrus." Names, Behind the Name, 7 Dec. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/cyrus. 

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Cyrus." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 22 Jun. 2019, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2019/06/name-of-the-week-cyrus.html. 

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