Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Julius m. Latin Julius, a Roman patrician nomen, of uncertain origin. It was supposed, by the Romans, to have derived from Greek ιουλος 'downy-beared', though there is not much evidence to support this. Another hypothesized origin is Latin *Iovilios 'pertaining to Jove'.

The name of a famous Roman Republic dictator, one of the most influential men in antiquity who was lauded in the Middle Ages, as well as a 4th C pope and saint, and two 16th C popes.

The name came into use in Italy with the Renaissance, and did not reach England until the 16th C; the English form July derives from Middle English, Anglo-Norman julie, from Old French jule, and may sometimes be a variant of Joly. The compound Julius Caesar was also used as a given name after the Renaissance.

England
Latin
1568 July (nom) RegSoAMar p. 5; 1571 July (nom) RegSoABap p. 17; 1594 July (nom) RegSoAMar p. 17
France
Latin
1153 Julius (nom) CartNDSaintes IX
Germany
Latin
1157 julius (nom) quix-vol1 44
Italy
Latin
1527 Julii (gen) Rome1527 p. 88, Julij (gen) ibid. p. 89, Julius (nom) ibid. p. 83
Italian
1513x1521 Giulo LeoX p. 24, Iulio ibid. p. 13
Spain
Latin
1011 Jolius (nom) CDCB-XV MMCLXX
Catalan
1510 Jolia valencia1510 727, Julio ibid. 3594
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Julius". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Julius.