Casian
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "of a light complexion".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Casian. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Casian today is around 2 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Casian births was 2024 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Casian. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Casian with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Casian. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
2024
8 babies that year
Average age
2
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,099
Tracked since 2023
Popularity
Casian: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Casian by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Casian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 14 | 0 | 14 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Casian
The given name Casian has its origins rooted in ancient Roman culture, derived from the Latin word "Cassius," which itself is believed to have evolved from the Roman family name "Cassia." The name Cassius held significance in ancient Rome, associated with a prominent patrician family that played influential roles in the Republic's political landscape.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Casian can be found in the historical accounts of the early Christian church. Saint Casian of Imola, a Christian martyr and bishop who lived in the 3rd century AD, is revered as one of the earliest known individuals to bear this name. His unwavering faith and eventual martyrdom during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian have left an indelible mark on the name's legacy.
In the realm of literature, the name Casian appears in the works of the 5th century monk and theologian John Cassian, who is credited with introducing the principles of Eastern monasticism to the Western world. His seminal work, "Institutes" and "Conferences," had a profound impact on the development of monastic life in Europe.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Casian. One such individual was Casian of Nantes, a 6th century Frankish bishop and hagiographer, whose writings on the lives of saints have contributed significantly to our understanding of early medieval Christianity in Gaul.
Another prominent figure was Casian of Augsburg, a 9th century Benedictine monk and scholar who played a vital role in the Carolingian Renaissance, a period of cultural and intellectual revival in Western Europe. His contributions to the preservation and dissemination of ancient texts have been invaluable to our understanding of the era.
In the realm of art, the name Casian is associated with Casian del Pozzo, a 16th century Italian painter and architect who was a prominent figure during the Renaissance period. His works, which include frescoes and architectural designs, have left an enduring legacy in the artistic and cultural heritage of Italy.
These are just a few examples of the historical individuals who have borne the name Casian, each contributing to the rich tapestry of its legacy and significance across various disciplines and eras.
People
Casian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Casian as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Casian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Casian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Casian going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Casian a common name?
We classify Casian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 14 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Casian most popular?
The single biggest year for Casian was 2024, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Casian is about 2 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Casian in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Casian a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Casian in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Casian still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Casian in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Casian can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Casian?
Want to know how many Americans are named Casian? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.