Julus
A Latin name derived from "iulus", meaning catkin or caterpillar.
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Julus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Julus today is around 115 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Julus births was 1929 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Julus. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Julus is about 115 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Julus' were born before 1921.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Julus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1929
11 babies that year
Average age
115
years old
1932 SSA rank
#4,043
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Julus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Julus from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 63 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Julus 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 Julus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Julus
The name Julus is derived from the Latin word "iulus," which means "catkin" or "caterpillar." The name's origins can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was used as a personal name during the Roman Republic and Empire periods.
In Roman mythology, Iulus was an alternative name for Ascanius, the son of the Trojan hero Aeneas. Iulus is mentioned in Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid, where he plays a significant role in the story of Aeneas and the founding of Rome.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Julus can be found in ancient Roman inscriptions and records. Among the notable individuals who bore this name in ancient times was Julus Antonius, a Roman politician and general who lived in the 1st century BC. He was the son of Mark Antony and his wife Fulvia.
During the Middle Ages, the name Julus fell out of widespread use, but it resurfaced during the Renaissance period. One notable figure from this time who bore the name was Julus Caesar Scaliger (1484-1558), an Italian scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of chronology and the study of ancient texts.
In the 17th century, Julus Reichelt (1637-1717) was a German composer and organist who worked in the court of the Elector of Saxony. His compositions for organ and harpsichord were highly regarded during his lifetime.
Another notable figure with the name Julus was Julus Obsequens (4th century AD), a Roman writer and historian who compiled a collection of prodigies and omens from ancient Roman sources. His work, known as the Liber de Prodigiis (Book of Prodigies), provides valuable insights into Roman beliefs and superstitions.
In the 19th century, Julus von Sacken (1832-1908) was a German-born American military officer who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He earned distinction for his leadership and bravery in several battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg.
While the name Julus has been relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been borne by a number of notable individuals from various fields, including literature, music, military, and academia. The name's Latin origins and connections to ancient Roman culture and mythology have contributed to its enduring appeal and historical significance.
People
Julus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Julus as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Julus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Julus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Julus 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Julus a common name?
We classify Julus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 85 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Julus most popular?
The single biggest year for Julus was 1929, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Julus is about 115 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 Julus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Julus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Julus 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 Julus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Julus 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 Julus 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 common is the name Julus?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Julus at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.