Boy · Arabic · Muslim
Basil
باسلSay it BAA-sil
- Meaning today
- Brave, courageous, lion
- Original meaning
- "courageous, strong-hearted in battle; a hero; the lion" Lane, p. 206
- Say it
- BAA-sil
- Written
- باسل
- Other spellings
- Basel, Baasil, Bassel
Basil
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Basil meaning
Basil (باسل) is a Muslim boy's name of Arabic origin.
Courageous, strong-hearted in battle; a hero; the lion
Also used to mean: brave
Basil (باسل) is Arabic bāsil, from the root b-s-l. Lane's lexicon defines it as courageous or strong-hearted in war, a man who defends himself boldly against his opponent; it can also describe a face set stern with courage or anger, and al-bāsil is a name for the lion. Steingass gives the Persian sense as a strong, intrepid man, a hero, a lion. Name lists give "brave" or "courageous", which matches the dictionaries. The Arabic name is also spelled Basel or Baasil; the Christian name Basil, used in Kerala, is a separate name of Greek origin.
Source: Lane, An Arabic–English Lexicon (1863–93), Book I, Part 1, p. 206 · entry bāsil (بَاسِلٌ), root b-s-l · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Lane, Arabic–English Lexicon, bāsil (بَاسِلٌ), Book I p. 206 · Steingass, bāsil, p. 147
Spellings
Basil · Basel · Baasil · Bassel