Darius
Say it: DAR-ee-us
BoyMeans usually explained as "holding firm to the good"6 letters3 syllables
#329
in Ireland (2025)
#319 with spellings combined
12
babies in 2025
#228
best rank (2019)
234
babies since 2000
Down 11
10-year rank change
Darius through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #319 |
| 2024 | 10 | #360 |
| 2023 | 13 | #308 |
| 2022 | 14 | #297 |
| 2021 | 14 | #300 |
| 2020 | 10 | #369 |
| 2019 | 21 | #228 |
| 2018 | 13 | #313 |
| 2017 | 18 | #263 |
| 2016 | 11 | #353 |
| 2015 | 14 | #308 |
| 2014 | 8 | #428 |
| 2013 | 5 | #535 |
| 2012 | 6 | #500 |
| 2011 | 7 | #455 |
| 2010 | 7 | #448 |
| 2009 | 11 | #337 |
| 2008 | 6 | #472 |
| 2007 | 7 | #404 |
| 2006 | 6 | #385 |
| 2005 | 4 | #448 |
| 2003 | 6 | #337 |
| 2002 | 8 | #267 |
| 2000 | 3 | #390 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Darius mean?
Usually explained as "holding firm to the good"
Old Persian, from Darayavaush, the name of several Persian kings, through Greek and Latin.
Say it right
DAReeus
The older English way is da-RY-us, with the stress in the middle.
The story of Darius
Darius comes from the Old Persian royal name Dārayavauš, which reached English through Greek and Latin. It is usually explained as “holding firm to the good”, from a root meaning to hold.
Several kings of the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia bore the name, most famously Darius the Great, who ruled a vast empire in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. The name is still used in Iran as Dariush, and it is a common name in Lithuania.
Darius first appears in the CSO records in 2000. It grew slowly, and its best year was 2019, with 21 boys in 2019 and a place at number 229. It has held steady since, with 12 boys in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Darius (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Darius (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Darius | 12 | 234 |
In Northern Ireland
#395 in 2025 with 3 babies. Best rank #342 (2015); 10 babies since 2015.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.