Darius (given name)

King Darius I of Persia (Darius the Great).
Pronunciation	/dəˈraɪəs/ or /dɛəriːəs/
Gender	Male
Word/name	Persian
Meaning	"He possesses"
Related names	Dariush, Dario

Darius is a male given name. Etymologically it is the English transliteration of the Persian name Dariush, meaning "he possesses" or "rich and kingly". It can be pronounced as either də-RY-əs or dair-EE-əs. The name also has another meaning: "He who holds firm to good."

The Latin , Greek Dareîos, Aramaic drwš, drywš, Elamite Da-ri-ya-(h)u-(ú-)iš, Akkadian Da-(a-)ri-muš, Egyptian tr(w)š, trjwš, intr(w)š, intrjwš, Lycian Ñtarijeus-, and Old Persian Dārayauš, are short forms of Old Pers. Dārayavauš, (Greek Dareiaîos, Aramaic dryhwš, Elamite Da-ri-(y)a-ma-u-iš, Akkadian Da-(a-)ri-ia-(a-)muš). The longer Old Persian Dārayavauš is composed of Dāraya- [hold] + va(h)u- [good], meaning "holding firm the good".