How to say it
CAI · ro
ˈkaɪ.roʊ
Masculine
Cairo
The victorious
What it means
From the Egyptian capital Cairo, Arabic al-Qāhira, 'the victorious' or 'the conqueror.'
Cairo takes its name from Egypt's capital, in Arabic al-Qāhira, 'the victorious.' Like other bold place names, it has moved into first-name use, carrying a sense of grandeur and far-off cities. It rose alongside the Kairo spelling and reads confident and modern. It sits with the other strong K-and-hard-C names like Cyrus and Kairo. Said KY-roh.
How to spell Cairo
The standard spelling is Cairo. Common variants include Kairo, Khairo, Cyro, but Cairo is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #306 in 2022, currently #341 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed August 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Cairo and Kairo are the two common spellings.
- Worth knowing
A place name carrying the city's 'victorious' meaning.
Who's worn it
- Cairo the capital of Egypt, the name's source
Spelling variants
- Kairo
- Khairo
- Cyro
Names with the same feeling
See Cairo from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Cairo mean?
- From the Egyptian capital Cairo, Arabic al-Qāhira, 'the victorious' or 'the conqueror.'
- What does Cairo mean in Arabic?
- In Arabic, Cairo means "The victorious." Cairo takes its name from Egypt's capital, in Arabic al-Qāhira, 'the victorious.' Like other bold place names, it has moved into first-name use, carrying a sense of grandeur and far-off cities. It rose alongside the Kairo spelling and reads confident and modern. It sits with the other strong K-and-hard-C names like Cyrus and Kairo. Said KY-roh.
- How do you pronounce Cairo?
- Cairo is pronounced ˈkaɪ.roʊ. Say it as CAI-ro, with the stress on the "cai" syllable.
- How do you spell Cairo?
- The standard spelling is Cairo. Common spelling variants include Kairo, Khairo, Cyro.
- Is Cairo a boy or girl name?
- Cairo is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Cairo?
- Cairo ranked #341 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.