Cordius

Fairly obscure Roman nomen gentile that originated with a plebeian family that was native to the city of Tusculum, which was an important center of worship for the Dioscuri. Only one member of this family is known to history, namely Manius Cordius Rufus (1st century BC). He was a moneyer (triumvir monetalis) under Julius Caesar.

The etymology of this Roman family name is uncertain. It may have been derived from Latin cordus, which is a variant form of Latin chordus meaning "late-born" as well as "late in the season". An other etymological source for the name might be Latin corda, which is a variant form of Latin chorda meaning "cord, string". And last but not least, a derivation from cordis, the genitive singular of Latin cor "heart", is also a possibility. With regard to this last etymology, it is perhaps interesting to note that Manius Cordius Rufus minted coins that featured Venus Verticordia ("Venus the turner/changer of hearts").