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Boy name · Latin

Julian

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: from the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius

Julian is a boy's name that is of Latin origin: from the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius. It is used in English, Polish and German.

Meaning
From the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius
Origin
Latin
Gender
Boy
US rank
#25 in 2025

Meaning and origin of Julian

As a boy's name, Julian is of Latin origin: from the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius. It is used in English, Polish and German.

Julian is also a surname: the 2,427th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 14,572 people. See the most common last names.

Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names

How popular is Julian?

US rank in 2025
#25
7,603 babies, 4,451 per million boys
Best rank
#25 in 2025
Most babies: 8,455 in 2017
Babies since 1880
At least 264,985
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 2020s, at 4,308 per million.
Babies named Julian per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 2020s
1880s402 per million
1890s489 per million
1900s584 per million
1910s697 per million
1920s626 per million
1930s460 per million
1940s346 per million
1950s239 per million
1960s251 per million
1970s412 per million
1980s701 per million
1990s1,421 per million
2000s3,026 per million
2010s4,230 per million
2020s4,308 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#39#37#36#31#34#33#35#33#30#25

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Nicknames for Julian

Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.

  • Julescommon English nickname

Names spelled like Julian

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

  • JulienFrench form of Julianus, from Julius (Latin, boy)
  • JianHealthy, strong; to build (depends on characters) (Chinese, boy)
  • JuanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • JulianaFeminine form of Julian, from the Roman family name Julius (Latin, girl)
  • MarianaFeminine of Marianus, from the Roman family name Marius (Latin, girl)
  • RomanRoman, from Rome (Latin, boy)
  • TatianaFrom the Roman family name Tatius (Latin, girl)
  • VirginiaMaiden, from a Roman family name (Latin, girl)
  • AdrienneFrom Hadria, a Roman town (Latin, girl)
  • AntonellaPet form of Antonia, from the Roman family name Antonius (Latin, girl)
  • JuliaFeminine of Julius (Latin, girl)
  • SheilaFrom the Roman family name Caecilius (Latin, girl)
  • AnthonyMeaning unknown; from the Roman family name Antonius (Latin, boy)
  • AntonioFrom the Roman family name Antonius; the most common man's name in Spain (Latin, boy)
  • AntoniosFrom the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown origin (Latin, boy)
  • CamillaFrom the Roman family name Camillus (Latin, girl)
  • EimíleFrom the Roman family name Aemilius (Latin, girl)
  • EllianaVariant of Eliana, from Roman Aelius, traditionally linked to sun (Latin, girl)

Middle names for Julian

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.

  • BeauHandsome, beautiful (French, boy)
  • DeanFrom a surname meaning valley (Old English, boy)
  • EzraHelp, assistance (Hebrew, boy)
  • GrantGreat, large (Old French, boy)
  • HenryHome ruler (Germanic, boy)
  • HughHeart, mind (Germanic, boy)
  • LeoA lion (Latin, boy)
  • RhysArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, boy)

More boy names from Latin

  • MaxThe greatest (Latin, boy)
  • AdrianFrom Hadria (Latin, boy)
  • FelixLucky, happy (Latin, boy)
  • MartinDedicated to Mars (Latin, boy)
  • OliverOlive tree (Latin, boy)
  • AugustExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
  • MagnusThe great (Latin, boy)
  • MarcoOf Mars (Latin, boy)
  • MarcusOf Mars (Latin, boy)
  • PatrickNobleman, patrician (Latin, boy)
  • PaulSmall, humble (Latin, boy)
  • VictorThe conqueror (Latin, boy)
  • VincentConquering one (Latin, boy)
  • CelestinoHeavenly (Latin, boy)
  • ClemensMerciful (Latin, boy)
  • ConstantineConstant, steadfast (Latin, boy)
  • DanteEnduring, steadfast (Latin, boy)
  • EmilianoRival, striving to equal (Latin, boy)

Julian: common questions

What does the name Julian mean?

Julian is of Latin origin: from the Roman name Julianus, from the family name Julius. Checked against Behind the Name.

Is Julian a boy or girl name?

Julian is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 23 girls and 7,603 boys in the US were named Julian, according to Social Security Administration data.

What are nicknames for Julian?

Common nicknames for Julian include Jules.

How popular is the name Julian?

Julian ranked #25 in the US in 2025, with 7,603 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What names are similar to Julian?

Names spelled like Julian include Julien, Jian and Juan.

What middle names go with Julian?

Middle names that flow well with Julian include Beau, Dean, Ezra, Grant and Henry. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.