Julian
Julian comes from the Latin "Iulianus," the family name of the Roman emperor Julian (331-363), known as "the Apostate" for his attempt to restore paganism. The root is the same as Julius — the Julian gens. Julian of Norwich (c.1342-c.1416) was a 14th-century English mystic whose "Revelations of Divine Love" (1395) is the first book in English known to be written by a woman. Julian has been in the US top 1000 every year since 1880, with a dramatic surge in the 2000s. It entered the top 50 in 2016 and continues to climb. Julian (the actor Julian Sands, 1958-2023) and Julian (the actor Julianne Moore, born 1960 — though she is a woman) gave the name contemporary visibility. Julian Assange (born 1971), the WikiLeaks founder, gave the name a political charge. I find Julian has an elegant, slightly Latin quality — the "J" opening is firm, the "l" gives it warmth, and the "an" ending gives it length. Julian is one of the most successful Latin revival names. Julian is a male name of Latin origin that means "Youthful, downy-bearded (from Julius)". Elegant, Latin, and quietly intellectual. The name sounds graceful. Julians tend to be artistic. US top 50 since 2016. Rising. Well-known people named Julian include Emperor Julian the Apostate, Julian of Norwich (mystic), Julian Assange (WikiLeaks), Julian (Latin name). Common variations and related forms of Julian include Julien (French), Juliano (Italian), Giuliano (Italian), Iulian (Romanian).