​
​
Advanced Search

Gladiator Baby Names

  1. Severus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "stern"

    • Description:

      Though it has literary credentials--making an appearance in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and as the mean-spirited teacher Severus Snape in the Harry Potter books, most modern parents would find it too--well--severe.
  2. Nero

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "stern"

    • Description:

      The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories.
  3. Valerius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "strength, health"

    • Description:

      Valerius is an ancient Roman family name turned first name. While Valerius is more familiar as its derivatives Valerie and Valerian, the rise of Roman names ending in S for boys may inspire a revival of this strong choice.
  4. Vinicius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "wine / vine"

    • Description:

      An Ancient Roman clan name, deriving from Latin vinum ("wine"). Marcus Vinicius was a Roman consul, general, and friend of the emperor Augustus.
  5. Claudius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lame; enclosure"

    • Description:

      Claudius is one of the most user-friendly of the ancient Roman names – even though it's associated with the villainous character in Shakespeare's Hamlet. But as with feminine form Claudia, the "lame" meaning may stymie the rise of Claudius. Some etymologists theorize that the name may relate to the word for enclosure or clause, an alternate meaning that may appeal to a child with a form of this otherwise-appealing name.
  6. Primus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "first"

    • Description:

      The revival of long-dormant Roman names would put this back in the lexicon if it wasn't so connected to a telecommunications network.
  7. Pontius

    • Origin:

      Roman

    • Meaning:

      "fifth"

    • Description:

      This Roman name is featured in the New Testament as that of the governor of Judea.
  8. Octavius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "eighth"

    • Description:

      Octavius, which was at one time used for the eighth child in a family, has the worn leather patina of all the ancient Roman names now up for reconsideration. As a Roman family name, it derives from the uncommon forename Octavus, which designated an eighth son.
  9. Decimus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "tenth"

    • Description:

      Decimus is one of the Roman numeral names used in large Victorian families--in this case for the tenth child. It is now seeing some new life thanks to the cutting-edge fashion for ancient Roman names.
  10. Sergius

    • Origin:

      Latin, a Roman clan name

    • Description:

      Rarely heard in modern times, it was used by Norman Mailer for the hero of his book The Deer Park.
  11. Spartacus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from the city of Sparta"

    • Description:

      Spartacus is the famous name of an ancient Roman slave -- and star of his own eponymous TV series! -- who led a slave revolt and became a renowned gladiator, only to die in the ring. Not considered baby-appropriate for centuries, Spartacus just might rise again along with the names of his fellow gladiators.
  12. Sextus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "sixth born"

    • Description:

      Just think about those inescapable "sexy" nicknames. The related Sixtus is not a huge improvement.
  13. Ambrosius

    • Description:

      Ambrosius is a masculine name of Greek and Latin origin, derived from the Greek word "ambrosios," meaning "immortal" or "divine." It is the original Latin form of the more common Ambrose. The name carries significant historical weight, having been borne by Saint Ambrosius of Milan, an important 4th-century theologian and one of the four original doctors of the Catholic Church. Throughout European history, the name appeared among clergy, nobility, and scholars, maintaining associations with learning and spiritual devotion. While Ambrosius has never been widely popular in modern English-speaking countries, it retains appeal for parents drawn to names with classical roots and substantial historical significance. The name projects dignity and intellectual seriousness, with potential nicknames including Ambrose, Brose, or even Sio.

  14. Junius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "born in June"

    • Description:

      Junius is one of those names that's growing on us, along with many of its Roman countrymen such as Julius and Atticus. We once thought it was a combination of the least attractive elements of Junior and Julius but now we think...well, we think it's okay. Not great, but okay.
  15. Seneca

    • Origin:

      Latin surname and Native American

    • Meaning:

      "people of the standing rock"

    • Description:

      Seneca's distinguished heritage as the name of the ancient Roman philosopher-playwright who tutored Nero, and of an Iroquois tribe makes this an interesting choice for either sex.
  16. Faustus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "fortunate one"

    • Description:

      Faustus is a masculine name with ancient Roman origins, derived from the Latin word 'faustus' meaning 'lucky' or 'favorable.' It shares roots with the word 'auspicious' and was used during the Classical period to denote good fortune.
  17. Antonius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from Antium; priceless"

    • Description:

      This is the original Roman form of Anthony, and it might just be ready for revival, now that Latin names like Maximus and Atticus have hit the big time. Antonius is also a form used in the Netherlands. The Roman general Mark Antony (as in Antony and Cleopatra) was born Marcus Antonius.
  18. Arrius

    • Origin:

      Roman family name

    • Description:

      Arrius appears in the fourteenth century writings of Geoffrey Chaucer, but this name is even older. Arrius was a Roman general, and he appears briefly in Starz original series Spartacus. With names like Maximus and Julius in favor, Arrius fits right in.
  19. Silvius

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "wood, forest"

    • Description:

      With the rise of ancient Roman names, the now-obscure Silvius may be rediscovered. Sleek and silvery, Silvius was the name of several legendary kings and an early saint. It survives in the contemporary world in its Spanish and Italian form Silvio, used for the character played by Steven Van Zandt on The Sopranos, while its traditional form appears in the Shakespeare play, As You Like It.
  20. Lucretius

    • Origin:

      Latin clan name

    • Meaning:

      "wealth"

    • Description:

      Lucretius is the name of the Roman philosopher who invented Epicureanism. But even in these days of old Roman name revival, Lucretius sounds a bit long-white-beardish, though it can be enlivened with the nickname Luc.

Introducing the Nameberry App

Nameberry App
Find your perfect baby name together with our new mobile app.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Sign up to be notified when the app launches and to receive a discount on full access.
Nameberry App Logo