The name 'Basil' (royal, kingly),
pronounced /ˈbæzəl/, 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.