Julia Name Meaning

If you are looking for a simple and beautiful baby name with ancient origins, consider the name Julia.

Julia is the feminine form of the Roman family name, Julius, which derives from the name of the mythological Roman god, Jupiter. Jupiter presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. 

Julia can also mean "youthful," a derivative of the Latin word "iuvenale."

How Popular Is the Name Julia?

Julia was quite rare during the Middle Ages but experienced a revival during the Italian Renaissance. The name is currently used all over the world, but it wasn't until the 18th century that it became well-used by English-speakers.

Julia has been a consistently popular name in the United States. According to the Social Security Administration, since the year 1900, Julia has never dipped below position 142, its lowest ever ranking.

Julia's most popular year was 2001, when it peaked at position 27. This could be related to the rising popularity of actress Julia Roberts, who starred in "Notting Hill," "Runaway Bride," and "Erin Brockovich" in the years preceding.

Julia was a top 100 name between the years 1900-1933, 1939-1943, and 1980-2019. As of the 2020 data, Julia was the 107th most popular girl name.

Name Variations

Julia has variations in many languages all over the world. The following are variations of Julia:

• Ghjulia (Corsican)
• Giulia (Italian)
• Giulietta (Italian)
• Iulia (Romanian)
• Iuile (Irish)
• Julie (English)
• Juliette (French)
• Julija (Croatian)
• Julija (Latvian)
• Julinja (Portuguese)
• Juliska (Hungarian)
• Juliya (Russian)
• Xulia (Galacian)
• Yulia (Russian)
• Yuliya (Russian)

Similar Names

Names that sound similar to Julia:

• Jewel
• Julianna
• Julianne
• Leana
• Liane
• Liana
• Lianna
• Uliana
• Ulyana

Other names with Ancient Roman origins:

• Aurelia
• Aurora
• Cornelia
• Fabiana
• Silvia

Other names starting with J:

• Jaclyn
• Jade
• Jane
• Jessica
• Joie
• Jordan
• Josie

Common Nicknames

Common nicknames for Julia include:

• Jewel
• Jools
• Jules
• Julita
• Juul
• Lia
• Lieke
• Lilli

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Julia? Here are some popular options:

• Alicia
• Anthony
• Ashley
• Camila
• Elisa
• Evelyn
• Gianna
• Hannah
• Jane
• Jack
• Jonny
• Kara
• Liam
• Lucas
• Noah
• Oliver
• Olivia
• Piper
• Sara
• Sam

Famous People Named Julia

Notable people who share the name Julia:

• Julia Boggs Grant, former First Lady of the United States, wife of Ulysses S. Grant, and author of "The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant"
• Julia Carolyn Child, American cooking teacher, author, and television personality known for bringing French cuisine to the American public
• Julia Cohen, American former professional tennis player who won the USTA National Spring Championships 12-Under Division Championship
• Julia Fiona Roberts, American actress and producer
• Julia Gillard, Australian politician who served as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and Leader of the Labor Party from 2010 to 2013, the first and only woman to date to hold either role
• Julia Glushko, Israeli tennis player
• Julia Görges, German former professional tennis player
• Julia Hall Bowman Robinson, American mathematician noted for her contributions to the fields of computability theory and computational complexity theory
• Julia Hunt Morgan, American architect and engineer
• Julia Karin Ormond, English actress
• Julia Kathleen Nancy McKenzie, English actress, singer, presenter, and theater director
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, American actress, comedian, and producer known for her work on "Saturday Night Live"
• Julia Margaret Cameron, British photographer who is considered one of the most important portraitists of the 19th century
• Julia Margaret Duffy, American film, stage, and television actress
• Julia O'Hara Stiles, American actress
• Julia, Princess of Battenberg, wife of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine
• Julia Schruff, retired professional German tennis player
• Julia Stegner, German model
• Julia Ward Howe, American poet and author, known for writing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"