Julia
Top 1000
About Julia
Julia was an ancient Roman imperial name given to females in the house of a Julius, as in Caesar. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthful"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
An enduring classic, Julia has a lot going for it: ancient roots but a modern, fashionable feel, simplicity and sophistication, and connections to both saints and celebs, including actress Julia Roberts and Saint Julia of Corsica. The elegant Julia's one of the least problematic choices a parent could make.
Julia is also Shakespearean, Dickensian, Orwellian, and Harry Potter-related. The ground-breaking 1960s TV show Julia was the first to feature a non-stereotypical African American woman. Celebrity chef Julia Child is a notable namesake.
Julia has been in the US Top 150 since Social Security records have been kept and is still one of the most popular girl names that start with J. She's even more popular internationally, and is highly popular in the Netherlands in Spain, and in Germany, Belgium, France, Norway, and Sweden.
If you think Julia is too simple, you might want to move to Juliet, Juliette, or Juliana, or even the Italian Giulia. Sixties short form Julie has segued from cute to middle-aged. Jules is much more current.
Pronounced JOO-lyuh.
As of October 2026, Julia ranked #131 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #26 in 1880, Nameberry popularity #125.
Editor's take: The name Julia is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "youthful or sky father".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #86 | 3,605 | 2,018.1 |
| 2015 | #89 | 3,375 | 1,890.7 |
| 2016 | #88 | 3,344 | 1,887.1 |
| 2017 | #93 | 3,124 | 1,809.5 |
| 2018 | #94 | 3,008 | 1,768.3 |
| 2019 | #99 | 2,787 | 1,660.5 |
| 2020 | #108 | 2,508 | 1,551.5 |
| 2021 | #114 | 2,433 | 1,482.8 |
| 2022 | #111 | 2,543 | 1,550.5 |
| 2023 | #121 | 2,297 | 1,431.5 |
| 2024 | #116 | 2,359 | 1,456 |
| 2025 | #131 | 2,172 | 1,351.4 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Julia.
- Katherine
- Anna
- Abigail
- Catherine
- Laura
- Elizabeth
- Hannah
- Emily
- Isabel
- Victoria
- Sarah
- Madeline
- Caroline
- Natalie
- Rebecca
- Alexandra
- Kate
- Lillian
- Sophie
- Leah
Julia on lists
Famous Julias
- Julia Caesaris
daughter of Roman Emperor Julius Caesar
- Julia Augusta (born Livia Drusilla)
wife of Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar
- Julia the Elder
daughter of Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar
- Julia the Younger
daughter of Julia the Elder
- Julia
named in Paul's letter to the Romans (16:15)
- Julia Drusilla
name shared by the sister and daughter of Roman Emperor Caligula
- Julia Caesaris (Maria)
wife of Roman statesman Marius
- Julia Domna
wife of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus
- Saint Julia of Corsica
virgin,martyr
- Saint Julia
Portuguese martyr in Gaul
- Julia Gardiner Tyler
U.S. First Lady as wife of President John Tyler
- Julia Boggs Dent Grant
U.S. First Lady as wife of President Ulysses S. Grant
- Julia H. Johnston
hymnist
- Julia "Julie" Andrews
British actress and singer
- Julia Lennon
mother of musician John Lennon
- Julia Elizabeth Wells
birth name of Julie Andrews, English actress and singer
- Julia Carolyn Child
American chef
- Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis
Dreyfus, American actress and comedian
- Julia Fiona Roberts
American actress
- Julia O'Hara Stiles
American actress
- Julia Eileen Gillard
first woman Prime Minister of Australia
- Julia Ann "Julie" Harris
American actress
- Julia Mary "Julie" Walters
English actress
- Julia Marie Mancuso
American Olympic skier
- Julia Kathleen McKenzie
English actress
- Julia Zemiro
French,Australian TV presenter
- Julia Dunstall
Canadian model
- Julia Karin Ormond
English actress
- Julia Sawalha
English actress
- Julia Natasha Stone
singer of Australian duo Angus & Julia Stone
- Julia Francesca Barretto (Baldivia)
Filipina actress
- Julia Gorges
German tennis player
- Julia Baskin
American co,author of "The Notebook Girls"
- Julia Maria Ledóchowska
birth name of Saint Ursula Ledóchowska, Polish nun
- Julia Hartwig
Polish poet
- Julia Małgorzata Kamińska
Polish actress
- Julia Pietrucha
Polish actress and model
- Julia Teresa Pitera
Polish politician
- Julia Rosnowska
Polish actress
- Julia Szychowiak
Polish poet
- Julia Magdalena Wróblewska
Polish child actress
- Julia Wyszyńska
Polish actress
- Julia Brennan
American singer,songwriter
- Julia Alvarez
Dominican,American poet and novelist
- Julia Mimi Bella
daughter of actress Lacey Chabert
- Julia Stout (b. 2014)
daughter of American YouTubers Jason and Jessica "Aphmau" Stout
- Julia Stavickaja
German rhythmic gymnast
- Julia Derus
Polish rhythmic gymnast
- Julia Swayne Gordon
American actress
- Julia Bascom
American autism rights activist and President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network
- Julia Zelg
Brazilian YouTuber
Julia in pop culture
- Julia
character in Shakespeare's "The Two Gentlemen of Verona"
- Julia
character in George Orwell's "1984"
- Julia Willow
character in Shirley Jackson's "The Sundial"
- Julia McNamara
character on TV's "Nip/Tuck"
- Julia Cobb
a character on TV's "Cougar Town"
- Julia Braverman
character on TV's "Parenthood"
- Julia Mannering
character in "Guy Mannering" by Sir Walter Scott
- Julia Romano
character in Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper"
- Julia Salinger
character on TV's "Party of Five"
- Julia Sugarbaker
character on TV's "Designing Women"
- Julia
character in movie "Heart and Souls"
- Julia Wilcox
character on TV's "Frasier"
- Julia Myers
character in Jessica Burkhart's Canterwood Crest series
- Julia Mendes
character on German soap "Verboten Liebe"
- Julia
character in manga/anime, 'Rave Master'
- Julia Jason Andelius
character in "The dung,beetle flies at dusk" by Maria Gripe
- Julia
character in G. A. Henty's, The Young Carthaginian
- Julia Shumway
main character in the TV show "Under The Dome" based on the Stephen King novel of the same name.
- Julia Ingledew
character in Jenny Nimmo's "The Children of the Red King" series
- Julia Wicker
character in "The Magicians"
- Julia Grace Poldark
daughter of Ross and Demelza Poldark in the TV show '
- Julia
Muppet with autism on TV's "Sesame Street"
- Julia Rusakova Harper
character in film "Oblivion"
- "Julie & Julia
" memoir by Julie Powell and 2009 movie about Julia Child
- "Julia
" 1977 movie and main character
- "Julia
" 2008 French movie and main character
- "Julia
" song by The Beatles inspired by Julia Lennon
- Julia Wiles
a character from the Nickelodeon cartoon "Welcome To The Wayne"
- Julia
Spike's mysterious old flame in anime "Cowboy Bebop"
- Julia Sasaki
character on Netflix's "Atypical"
- Julia Dunne
Character in "Daisy Jones & The Six"
- Julia Blenkinsopp
character in series "Sweetpea"