Cairo

♂ Boy

Pronounced KY-roh /ˈkaɪ.roʊ/High

Meaning: From the Arabic Al-Qahira, meaning 'the victorious' or 'the conqueror', a name associated with the planet Mars and given to the Egyptian capital founded by the Fatimid dynasty in 969 CE.High

In 30 seconds: Cairo is a bold geographic name drawing on the Arabic meaning 'the victorious' — the name of Egypt's ancient capital city. Exotic, strong, and visually striking, it brings North African grandeur to modern naming.

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Origin HighArabic

MeaningFrom the Arabic Al-Qahira, meaning 'the victorious' or 'the conqueror', a name associated with the planet Mars and given to the Egyptian capital founded by the Fatimid dynasty in 969 CE.

U.S. rank (2025)#341 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births965 boys (0.05% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,409

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

The name Cairo comes from the Arabic Al-Qahira, meaning 'the conqueror' or 'the victorious', a name given to the Fatimid capital city founded in 969 CE on the eastern bank of the Nile. The city is now the largest city in Africa and the Arab world, and it sits adjacent to the ancient sites of Giza and Memphis.

As a given name, Cairo has gained traction in the English-speaking world in the twenty-first century, part of a broader trend of geographic place names used as given names. Its striking two-syllable sound, the exotic K-Y combination, and its associations with ancient civilization make it appealing to parents seeking a name with global grandeur. It charts in the US top 500 for boys.

Did you know? Cairo was founded on August 5, 969 CE by the Fatimid general Jawhar al-Siqilli, who named it Al-Qahira (The Victorious) in honor of the planet Mars, which was in the ascendant on the night the city's foundations were laid — making the name simultaneously astronomical and triumphant.

Overall data confidence 88%

Wehr, Hans. A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic — Root qahara and Al-Qahira etymologySocial Security Administration Name Data — US popularity trends for Cairo

Variations

KairoKyro

Nicknames

KaiRo

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cairo…

Atlas— two-syllable geographic-mythological name with the same bold, world-spanning significance

Zion— two-syllable geographic name with spiritual resonance and similar modern US naming appeal

Cairo

Frequently Asked

What does the name Cairo mean?

Cairo means 'the victorious' or 'the conqueror', from Arabic Al-Qahira, the name of the Egyptian capital founded in 969 CE.

How do you pronounce Cairo?

Cairo is pronounced KY-roh (/ˈkaɪ.roʊ/), two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Cairo a boy or girl name?

Cairo is used predominantly as a boy's name, though it occasionally appears for girls.

How popular is Cairo?

Cairo has entered the US top 500 boys' names as geographic place names grow in popularity for given names.