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Cybill

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Cybill

Pronounced SIB-il /ˈsɪb.əl/High

Meaning: Cybill is a distinctive respelling of Sybil, which comes from the Greek sibylla, the title of the ancient female prophets or oracles. The specific spelling Cybill is famously that of the actress Cybill Shepherd, whose family formed it from her grandfather Cy and her father Bill. The name carries the old 'prophetess' meaning of Sybil in a personal, modern spelling.Medium

In 30 seconds: Cybill is a respelling of Sybil, Greek for 'prophetess', made famous by actress Cybill Shepherd, whose family built it from Cy and Bill. It peaked in the early 1970s (said SIB-il).

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Origin MediumGreek

MeaningCybill is a distinctive respelling of Sybil, which comes from the Greek sibylla, the title of the ancient female prophets or oracles. The specific spelling Cybill is famously that of the actress Cybill Shepherd, whose family formed it from her grandfather Cy and her father Bill. The name carries the old 'prophetess' meaning of Sybil in a personal, modern spelling.

U.S. rank (1997)#14221 ↘ Falling

1997 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1973

Total births (all-time)≈ 135

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cybill is a personal respelling of Sybil, an ancient name from the Greek sibylla, the priestess-prophets of the classical world consulted for oracles. The Cybill spelling is inseparable from the actress Cybill Shepherd, who broke through in the early 1970s and whose parents coined the spelling from the names Cy and Bill. Her later sitcom, simply titled Cybill, kept the spelling in the public eye.

Cybill has always been very rare as a spelling, borne by only a few dozen girls a year around its early-1970s high point, closely tracking Cybill Shepherd's own rise to fame. A girl given the name then would be in her early fifties today. It is essentially a celebrity-linked spelling of Sybil; the classic Sybil carries the prophetess meaning, and Cybill personalizes it.

Did you know? Actress Cybill Shepherd's unusual spelling was a family invention, stitched together from her grandfather Cy and her father Bill, and her rise in the early 1970s lines up with this spelling's brief moment.

Overall data confidence 60%

References - Cybill / Sybil — Greek sibylla 'prophetess'; Cybill Shepherd family coinage from Cy + Bill

Variations

SybilSibylSybilleCybil

Nicknames

CyBillie

Famous Bearers

★Cybill Shepherd (1950-present)
American actress and model known for Moonlighting and the sitcom Cybill; the Cybill spelling was her family's coinage.

If you like Cybill…

Sybil— the standard spelling Cybill personalizes, same 'prophetess' meaning

Sibyl— another classic spelling of the same ancient name

Cyndi— a same-era Cy- name with matching vintage feel

Sydney— shares the crisp S/C opening and two-beat rhythm

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cybill mean?

Cybill is a respelling of Sybil, from the Greek word for 'prophetess' or 'oracle'.

How do you pronounce Cybill?

It is said SIB-il /ˈsɪb.əl/ - two syllables, stress on the first, exactly like Sybil.

Is Cybill a boy or girl name?

Cybill is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Cybill?

Cybill has always been very rare, a celebrity-linked spelling of Sybil tied to actress Cybill Shepherd.