The first name Julius
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “downy first beard hairs”, “devoted to jove”.
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒuːliəs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Julius means “downy first beard hairs”, “devoted to jove” in Latin.
Borrowed from Latin Iūlius, of uncertain origin, possibly from Ancient Greek ἴουλος (íoulos, “downy first beard hairs”), i.e. the young, or from Latin Jovilius (“devoted to Jove”). Doublet of Jules.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 31 boys were named Julius, making it the 976th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 41 births (#794).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Julius with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Julius at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 759 boys born in the United States were named Julius, the 424th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 1,416 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Julius in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Julius in Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German and Swedish too.
Famous people named Julius
252 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Julius Wagner-JaureggAustrian doctor, Nobel prize laureate and psychiatrist (1857–1940)
- Julius AxelrodAmerican biochemist (1912–2004)
- Julius ErvingAmerican basketball player (born 1950)
- Julius FučíkCzech journalist and revolutionary (1903–1943)
- Julius PlückerGerman mathematician and physicist (1801-1868)
- Julius Richard PetriGerman microbiologist (1852–1921)
- Julius von PayerAustrian mountain climber, painter, arctic explorer and nobleman (1841-1915)
- Julius RaabAustrian chancellor and politician (1891-1964)
- Julius RandleAmerican basketball player (born 1994)
- John Julius NorwichBritish historian (1929–2018)
- Julius FucikCzech composer (1872–1916)
- Julius DarmaatmadjaCatholic cardinal, born 1934
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Julius mean?
- Julius means “downy first beard hairs”, “devoted to jove” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Julius?
- Borrowed from Latin Iūlius, of uncertain origin, possibly from Ancient Greek ἴουλος (íoulos, “downy first beard hairs”), i.e. the young, or from Latin Jovilius (“devoted to Jove”). Doublet of Jules.
- How popular is the name Julius?
- In 2025, 31 boys born in England and Wales were named Julius, ranking 976th. Its peak was 2017, with 41 births.
- Is Julius a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 85,038 US babies named Julius since 1880 were boys.
- When was Julius most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 1,416 babies were named Julius, its highest rank at 118th.
- How do you pronounce Julius?
- Julius is /ˈd͡ʒuːliəs/, 2 syllables.
- Is Julius also a surname?
- Yes. Julius is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.