Julian
Julian is a boys' name of Latin origin meaning “youthful; downy-bearded.” It ranked #25 in the United States in 2025. From the Latin Iulianus, a derivative of Julius.
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how do you pronounce Julian?
JOO-lee-an
where does the name Julian come from?
From the Latin Julianus, meaning belonging to Julius, and Julius itself is a Roman family name of contested origin — possibly from Iulus, the son of Aeneas, which is how the Julii claimed descent from Venus.
Julian the Apostate was a 4th-century Roman emperor, and Saint Julian of Norwich was a 14th-century mystic author. The name has been consistently popular across Western cultures.
how popular is this name?
Julian has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 146 years since 1880. It peaked at #25 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #25 |
| 2024 | #30 |
| 2023 | #33 |
| 2022 | #35 |
| 2021 | #33 |
| 2020 | #34 |
| 2019 | #31 |
| 2018 | #36 |
| 2017 | #37 |
| 2016 | #39 |
| 2010 | #53 |
| 2000 | #87 |
| 1990 | #123 |
| 1980 | #280 |
| 1970 | #309 |
| 1960 | #352 |
| 1950 | #302 |
| 1940 | #238 |
| 1930 | #219 |
| 1920 | #195 |
| 1910 | #201 |
| 1900 | #224 |
| 1890 | #207 |
| 1880 | #291 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Julian fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Julian
Julian the Apostate, emperor from 361, attempted to restore paganism and lost, which fixed his epithet permanently. A very different bearer is Julian of Norwich, the fourteenth-century anchoress whose Revelations of Divine Love is the earliest surviving English book written by a woman. The Julian calendar carries the family name too.
who are famous people named Julian?
- Julian Lennon (musician)
- Julian Assange (publisher)
- Julian of Norwich (mystic)
what are the nicknames and variants of Julian?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
what names are similar to Julian?
what names go well with Julian?
Sibling names that share Julian's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Julian
What does the name Julian mean?
Julian means “youthful; downy-bearded”.
What is the origin of the name Julian?
Julian comes from the Latin naming tradition. Related forms include Julien, Giuliano and Julián.
How popular is the name Julian?
Julian ranked #25 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 2025, at #25, and it has spent 146 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Julian a boy or girl name?
Julian is primarily a boys' name.
How do you pronounce Julian?
Julian is pronounced JOO-lee-an, with 3 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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