The name 'Basil' (royal,
kingly), pronounced /ˈ
bæzəl/, has origins from the male Greek name
Vassilios (Greek: Βασίλειος, female version Bασιλική) which first appeared during the Hellenistic period. It is derived from "basileus" (Greek: βασιλεύς) a Greek word of pre-Hellenic origin meaning "king", from which words such as basilica and basilisk (via Latin), as well as the eponymous herb (via Old French) derive,
Basil has many variant forms: Basel, Basile, Basilic, Basilides, Basileios, Basilie, Basilio, Basilius, Bazeel, Bazeelius, Bazil,
Bazyli, Breasal, Pasi1, Vasil, Vasile, Vaseleos, Vasileos, Vasilije,
Vasilios, Vasilios, Vasilius,
Vasilus, Vassilis, Vasili, Vassili, Vasily, Vassilij, Vassily and Wassily.