Revision History

loadingDate    Editor    Change Summary
12/7/2022, 9:35 PM Mike C update #113
1/21/2022, 9:40 PM Mike C update #111
4/25/2021, 10:07 PM Mike C update #110
11/20/2020, 10:42 PM Mike C update #109
5/29/2020, 9:30 PM Mike C update #108
11/16/2019, 11:04 AM Mike C update #105
6/13/2019, 12:17 AM Mike C update #104
4/16/2019, 9:13 PM Mike C update #103
2/28/2019, 2:08 PM Mike C update #102
12/8/2017, 12:41 PM Mike C update #97
7/2/2017, 10:39 PM Mike C update #95
10/20/2016, 1:17 AM Mike C update #93
8/26/2016, 12:51 PM Mike C update #92
9/1/2013, 10:30 PM Mike C update #87
2/12/2007, 1:03 AM Mike C earliest recorded revision

Gender Masculine
Pronounced Pron. YOO-lee-oos(Latin, Swedish) JOO-lee-əs(English) YOO-lee-uws(German) YOO-leews(Finnish) YUW-lyuws(Lithuanian) YOO-lyoos(Danish) YOO-li-yuws(Czech)

Meaning & History

From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.

Although this name was borne by several early saints, including a pope, it was rare during the Middle Ages. It was revived in Italy and France during the Renaissance, and was subsequently imported to England.