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Latin Names

Pamela Redmond
By Pamela Redmond
Updated Sun Jan 14 2024

Latin names are plentiful throughout English-speaking countries, as Latin is one of the root languages for English. Latin names include many of the most popular baby names in the Western world, including Lucy and Oliver, Julia, and Miles.

Latin names in the US Top 100 for girls include Ava, Clara, Lillian, Olivia, and Stella. For boys, Latin names in the US Top 100 include Dominic, Lucas, Julian, Roman, and Sebastian. In Rome, popular names include Cecilia, Viola, Christian, and Santiago. Of course, many unique baby names have Latin origins too, such as Sidra, Domino, and Vesper. Latin was the language of ancient Rome, another source for fashionable modern names, such as Augustus, Cassius, and Octavia. Browse all of our Latin baby names here, ordered by popularity on Nameberry.

RELATED:

Mythological Names

Ancient Roman Names

  1. Jude

    • Origin:

      Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "praised"

    • Description:

      Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
  2. Silas

    • Origin:

      Aramaic, Latin, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "of the forest; or prayed for"

    • Description:

      Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and Sebastian: polished and contemporary feeling names with plenty of history.
  3. August

    • Origin:

      German form of Latin Augustus

    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"

    • Description:

      The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US. And deservedly so, given its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames.
  4. Felix

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "happy, fortunate"

    • Description:

      Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks ranks with the standard Franks and Freds. Felix is also an international darling, ranking in the Top 100 in several European and English-speaking countries.
  5. Violet

    • Origin:

      English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "purple"

    • Description:

      Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett.
  6. Aurora

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dawn"

    • Description:

      The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
  7. Lucy

    • Origin:

      English variation of Lucia, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "light"

    • Description:

      A versatile classic, Lucy is both sweet and solid, a saint's name, and the heroine of several great novels. First fashionable in England and Wales, Lucy is now a popular choice in the US, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
  8. Ava

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Latin or Germanic

    • Meaning:

      "life; bird; water, island"

    • Description:

      Ava is one of the prime examples of a modern classic name, rising thought the course of a generation into the Top 10, where it has lingered for nearly 20 years.
  9. Aurelia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "the golden one"

    • Description:

      Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
  10. Lucas

    • Origin:

      Latin form of Luke

    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      Lucas is a Top 10 boys' name with a slightly-less-popular almost-identical twin brother, Luke. Like Elijah and Elias, Lucas and Luke come from the same root and have the same meaning and so feel even more popular than they are.
  11. Oliver

    • Origin:

      Germanic, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "elf army; ancestor's relic; olive tree"

    • Description:

      Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland. Why? Because Oliver is energetic and good-natured, stylish but classic, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness.
  12. Olivia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "olive tree"

    • Description:

      Olivia, a lovely Shakespearean name with an admirable balance of strength and femininity, is the Number 1 name for baby girls in the US and one of the top girls' names around the world.
  13. Atticus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from Attica"

    • Description:

      Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a real winner among boy names. Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004 and is a firm Nameberry favorite.
  14. Leo

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lion"

    • Description:

      Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for fourteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US thanks in part to Leonardo "Leo" DiCaprio.
  15. Clara

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bright, clear"

    • Description:

      Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
  16. Miles

    • Origin:

      English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"

    • Meaning:

      "soldier or merciful"

    • Description:

      Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century and now ranks at its highest point ever, in the Top 50.
  17. Mabel

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Amabel, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lovable"

    • Description:

      Mabel is cuddly Victorian favorite rising in popularity in the US, after a 50-year nap If you love offbeat old-fashioned names like Violet or Josephine, only sassier and bubblier, Mabel is one for you to consider. It is currently in the US Top 200 and the UK Top 50.
  18. Stella

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "star"

    • Description:

      Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina.
  19. Cecilia

    • Origin:

      Feminine form of Cecil, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "blind"

    • Description:

      Cecilia is a lovely classic name deservedly enjoying a new turn in the sun. Always among the Top 500 girls' names in the US, Cecilia is now at its highest point ever.
  20. Grace

    • Origin:

      English, virtue name

    • Description:

      Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.