Name: Julius
Meaning: “youthful; downy”
Origin: Latin
Current Popularity: #334
Evergreen Julius has experienced sustained popularity throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, but it wasn’t always so widely used in the English-speaking world until the nineteenth century. Not as popular as similar name, Julian, Julius might be on the verge of making a breakthrough in popularity with the rise of interest in ancient Roman names (think Cassius, Augustus, Felix, Tiberius) amongst parents seeking something unique yet familiar.
Nickname Potential: Jay (or just “J”), Jules, Joolie
Associations: The most famous Julius of all is Caesar himself, who gave his clan name to the month we now know as July (Caesar’s full name was Gaius Julius Caesar). Julius is also the name of famous basketball hall-of-famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving, the birth name of Groucho Marx, and the name of a characters in the novel Artemis Fowl. It is also the name chosen by a number of popes.
Similar Names: Atticus, Aurelius, Benedict, Caius, Cassian, Cornelius, Florian, Ignatius, Junius, Lucien, Magnus, Maximus, Quint, Tiberius
Why We Love It: We are fans of names that are fresh and familiar, and Julius falls right in the middle of that Venn diagram. Its long form holds weight and seriousness while never sounding too severe, and its potential nicknames give options for playfulness.
Who Might Like It: Parents looking for a sweet spot name with powerful associations might look to this name for their future child. Lovers of ancient Western history might also select this name.