A 1910s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Julius since 1880
Babies named Julius per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1918, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Julius's real moment was 1910.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,605 |
| 1890s | 1,717 |
| 1900s | 2,038 |
| 1910s | 10,193 |
| 1920s | 10,982 |
| 1930s | 6,122 |
| 1940s | 5,562 |
| 1950s | 5,348 |
| 1960s | 4,155 |
| 1970s | 3,766 |
| 1980s | 5,140 |
| 1990s | 4,512 |
| 2000s | 8,190 |
| 2010s | 9,945 |
| 2020s | 5,353 |
Meaning & origin
Julius is a name of ancient Roman origin, borne by one of history's most famous figures, Julius Caesar. In the United States, it first appeared on record in 1880 and reached its peak rank of 424 in 2025. The name currently has an incidence of about 1 in 2,250 newborns. It experienced a revival beginning in 1994 and has been steadily rising since. In the 1910s, Julius was particularly favored, with some revival in recent decades. Its highest per-capita usage occurs in Rhode Island, New Mexico, and New Hampshire. The name's long history and strong classical roots give it a sturdy, distinguished quality, while its nickname Jules keeps it approachable. Julius fits well with other traditional Roman names and has numerous European variants, making it a cross-cultural classic.
Julius is a Roman family name (nomen) of the gens Julia, whose most famous member is Gaius Julius Caesar. Its exact derivation is uncertain; it may come from Greek ioulos (downy-bearded), indicating youth, or be related to Latin Iuppiter (Jupiter). The name has been used throughout Europe since the Renaissance and was popular among early Christians, including Pope Julius I. In the United States, Julius has remained in consistent use since the 1880s.
Where Julius is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Julius” around the world
Where Julius lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
New Zealand
10
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Jules, Jule
Sibling names for Julius
Names that share Julius's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Claudia, Livia, Julia, Octavia, Aurelia, Cornelia, Faustina, Felicitas, Lavinia, Lucretia, Ofelia, Cleopatra, Floria, Hortensia, Lavenia, Seneca, Zenobia, Artelia, Charmian, Clelia, Druscilla, Fredonia, Hilaria, Martia, Maurita, Otelia, Prisca, Quintessa, Aemilia, Anysia, Maxima, Morrisa, Narcissa, Numa, Tonjia, Ovida, Accalia, Carnelia, Drucella, Lucilia, Marcelia, Marchia, Marsia, Octa, Porcia, Verginia
Brothers: Augustus, Maximus, Lucius, Marcus, Titus, Caesar, Cassius, Cornelius, Cyrus, Horace, Marcellus, Napoleon, Aurelius, Ceasar, Josephus, Lucious, Marius, Octavian, Octavius, Tiberius, Vergil, Aeneas, Antonius, Ceaser, Claudius, Isidor, Juluis, Maxximus, Ovid, Remus, Romulus, Casmer, Cicero, Claudis, Corneilus, Corneluis, Denarius, Festus, Gustavus, Hannibal, Horatio, Marcellous, Marinus, Nero, Octavious, Octavis, Plato, Trajan, Tyberius, Ulyses, Theodus, Cornellius, Janus, Julies, Leonidus, Marcelus, Maricus, Quintus
Names like Julius
Names whose popularity has moved with Julius's over the last 50 years.
