Julian is a distinctive choice, ranked #314 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Julian in their class.
Origin & Meaning
Latin — Youthful, downy-bearded
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UK Rank 2025
#314
US Rank #25
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About the Name Julian
Julian has held its ground, ranked #314 in 2025 and never far from its best of #267 in 2022 — a name with lasting rather than trend-driven appeal. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
In terms of origin, Julian is rooted in Latin, where it means "Youthful, downy-bearded". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Julian is fairly common in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Julian in their class.
In the US it ranks even higher at #30, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Julian
Julian Assange — Julian Paul Assange is an Australian editor, programmer, and publisher who founded WikiLeaks in 2006.
Julian Nagelsmann — Julian Nagelsmann is a German professional football coach who is currently the manager of the Germany national team.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Julian
Unlikely. With around 141 UK babies named Julian per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Julian in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Julian has been fairly steady, ranked #314 in 2025 against #281 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #267 in 2022.
The name Julian has Latin origins and means "Youthful, downy-bearded". Names with clear etymological roots tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles and give children a story to tell about their name.
Notable people named Julian include: Julian Assange, Julian Nagelsmann and Julian Champagnie. Short summaries for each appear below.
Julian ranks #30 in the US (2024), making it comfortably inside the American top 100. It's well-liked on both sides of the Atlantic.
141
UK babies named Julian (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 33 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Julian
Almost certainly the only Julian in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Julian
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
The Académie Julian (French pronunciation: [akademi ʒyljɑ̃]) was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian.
Julian (Latin: Flavius Claudius Julianus; Ancient Greek: Ἰουλιανός Ioulianos; 331 – 26 June 363) was the Caesar of the West from 355 to 360 and Roman emperor from 361 to 363, as well as a notable philosopher and author in Greek.