108 Roman Last Names for Your Baby Boy or Girl

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Roman antiquity expert Dash Rendar explains the naming convention called the tria nomina

Co-authored by Dash Rendar and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: July 11, 2026 Fact Checked

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• For Boys
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• For Girls
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• Roman Naming Conventions
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• More Names to Explore
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If you were a citizen of ancient Rome, your name would have been chosen based on very strict guidelines, whether you were a boy or a girl. For example, if you were a boy, you might have had up to 3 names by the end of your lifetime. If you were a girl, you might have only had one name, which you shared with your sister! But that might not have been such a bad thing, because most Roman surnames—male and female—sounded really cool. For this article, we partnered with a Roman antiquity expert to get the full scoop on Roman naming conventions. Keep reading to discover fascinating ancient Roman second names for boys and ancient Roman names for girls, plus learn about the tria nomina naming convention behind the name of every citizen in Rome.

Common Ancient Roman Last Names

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Roman antiquity expert Dash Rendar says Ancient Roman men took the name of their father's clan as their surname. Julius, Claudius, and Antonius were all popular surnames, or nomen. Women traditionally only had one name, which was a feminine version of their father's nomen.

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Section 1 of 4:

Ancient Roman Second Names for Boys

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1. 
   Famous Roman second names for boys include Aelius, Claudius, and Julius. In ancient Rome, all boys had a first name (praenomen) followed by their family name (nomen). The family name told everyone he met the name of his father's clan, which would give them an idea of his family's social status. According to Rendar, this name also tied you to political alliances, client networks, and prestige. For example, someone whose clan's name was Julius would have Julius as his surname. Here's a list of common male second names from ancient Rome with their meanings—any of them would make a cool, powerful-sounding first name for your little one!

   • Aelius: "Sun" or "sunshine."
   • Aemilius: "Rival" or "eager." Rendar says this name was given to many consuls.
   • Annaeus: Unknown meaning.
   • Antonius: "Highly praiseworthy" or "priceless." Rendar says this was Mark Antony’s gens. The origins are unclear, but it was popular in the late Republic.
   • Aurelius: "Golden" or "gilded."
   • Babullius: Unknown meaning; belonged to a friend of Julius Caesar.
   • Caecilius: "Blind" or "dim-sighted."
   • Calpurnius: May be derived from calpar, which is Latin for "chalice" or "cup."
   • Claudius: "Strong-willed" or "lame." Rendar says this name had major political clout.
   • Cornelius: "Horn." Rendar says this was one of the most powerful and prolific names and was often given to military legends.
   • Domitius: "Having been tamed." Rendar says this name belonged to Nero’s family on one side.
   • Egnatius: "Fiery" and "ardent."
   • Ennius: Unknown meaning.
   • Erucius: Unknown meaning.
   • Fabius: "Bean grower" or "bean farmer." Rendar says this name had agricultural roots.
   • Fabricius: "Craftsman," "artificer," or "maker."
   • Flavius: "Yellow hair" or "blonde."
   • Flaminius: "Priestly."
   • Gerillanus: Unknown meaning.
   • Gessius: Unknown meaning.
   • Helvius: "Honey-yellow" or "blonde"; may also be derived from a Celtic tribe called Helvii.
   • Horatius: "Timekeeper," "hour," or "season."
   • Hostilius: Unknown meaning; name of the third king of Rome.
   • Iulius (or Julius): "Devoted to Jove" and "woolly beard"; name of Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome. Rendar says this name was linked to Iulus, son of Aeneas (Trojan hero) and was famously connected to Julius Caesar and the Julio-Claudian emperors. It was often tied to youth or divine descent claims, Rendar notes.
   • Laronius: Unknown meaning.
   • Liberius: "Free."
   • Licinius: May mean "bent," "turned upward," or "upturned."
   • Livius: "Livid" or "envious."
   • Lucretius: "Gain" and "profit."
   • Lucius: Unknown meaning.
   • Mamilius: May be derived from mamilla, the Latin word for "breast."
   • Marcius: "Dedicated to Mars."
   • Mescinius: Unknown meaning.
   • Naevius: May mean "mole on the body."
   • Numitorius: May be related to nurturing or fostering.
   • Octavius: "Eighth."
   • Olius: Unknown meaning.
   • Pelagius: "Of the sea."
   • Petronius: "Stone" or "countryside dweller."
   • Pompeius: "Five."
   • Porcius: "Pig."
   • Quinctius: "Fifth" or "of the fifth."
   • Rasennius: Unknown meaning.
   • Sabinus: A Sabine man or "of the Sabine tribe."
   • Salvius: "Safe."
   • Septimius: "Seventh."
   • Servilius: "Of a slave," "slavish," or "servile."
   • Sextilius: "Sixth."
   • Terentius: "Tender" or "smooth"
   • Titinius: Unknown meaning; the name of Brutus's supporter in Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
   • Trebellius: Unknown meaning.
   • Tullius: Unknown meaning.
   • Ulpius: May mean "wolf."
   • Valerius: "Strong" and "healthy." Rendar says this name was given to early heroes and statesmen.
   • Verrinius: May be derived from verres, meaning "boar."
   • Vipsanius: Unknown meaning.
   • Volusius: "Strong" and "healthy."

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Dash Rendar is a Roman antiquity expert and ancient weaponry expert with 10+ years of experience. He is passionate about sharing history with his large following on both YouTube and TikTok.
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Section 2 of 4:

Ancient Roman Second Names for Girls

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1. 
   Popular Roman nomen-inspired names for girls are Adriana, Claudia, and Hortensia. Girls in Rome didn't have multiple names, nor did they have unique first names. Instead, they were named a feminine version of their father's clan's name, or nomen. When they got married, they kept the name they were given at birth and added the possessive form of their husband's cognomen, or third name. Below, you’ll find a list of names that a girl might have had in ancient Rome. They’re undeniably beautiful, and each of them would make a lovely first name for your daughter-to-be!

   • Adriana: “From Hadria.”
   • Aemiliana: “Rival” or “eager.”
   • Antonia: “Highly praiseworthy.”
   • Aurelia: “Golden.”
   • Boadicea: “Victory.”
   • Caecilia: “Blind” or “hidden.”
   • Calpurnia: “Chalice” or “cup.”
   • Camilla: “Helper to the priest.”
   • Claudia: “Lame” or “enclosure.”
   • Cornelia: “Horn.”
   • Domitilla: “Having been tamed.”
   • Ennia: Family name.
   • Fabricia: “Craftsman” or “works with the hands.”
   • Fausta: “Favorable.”
   • Faustina: “Lucky” or “auspicious.”
   • Flaminia: “He who burns offerings.”
   • Flavia: “Golden” or “yellow-haired.”
   • Fortunata: “Lucky” or “fortune.”
   • Fulvia: “Yellow,” “tawny,” or “blond one”.
   • Horatia: “Hour,” “time,” “season,” “speech,” or “eloquence.”
   • Hortensia: “Garden.”
   • Ignatia: “Fiery one” or “fire.”
   • Julia: “Youthful” or “Jove’s child.”
   • Livia: “Blue” or “envious.”
   • Lucretia: “Profit” or “wealth.”
   • Marceline: “Dedicated to Mars” or “young warrior.”
   • Marcella: “Warlike,” “strong,” or “young warrior.”
   • Marcia: “Dedicated to Mars.”
   • Naevia: “Mole.”
   • Octavia: “Eight.”
   • Olivia: “Olive.”
   • Oppia: Family name.
   • Pellagia: “Of the ocean.”
   • Plotina: Family name.
   • Pompeia: Family name.
   • Porcia: “Pig.”
   • Quinta: “Fifth.”
   • Sabina: “Sabine.”
   • Saturnina: “Of Saturn” or “to sow.”
   • Servia: Family name.
   • Severa: “Severe.”
   • Terentia: Family name.
   • Tiberia: “Of the Tiber.”
   • Titania: “Giant” or “of the Titans.”
   • Tullia: “Downpour,” “heavy rain,” or “fountain jet.”
   • Ulpia: Family name.
   • Ursula: “Bear.”
   • Valeria: “Healthy,” “strong,” or “brave.”
   • Vernia: “Springtime.”
   • Vipsania: Family name.
   • Virginia: “Maiden.”

Section 3 of 4:

Ancient Roman Naming Conventions Explained

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1. 1
   Boys in ancient Rome had up to 3 names: a praenomen, nomen, and cognomen. Rendar says the classic Roman male name had three parts (though not everyone always used all three). The “three names” became the hallmark of Roman identity and citizenship, and communicated a person’s clan loyalty and personal vibe along with a cheeky nickname, Rendar explains. Collectively, these three names were called the tria nomina ("three names").

   • The praenomen was basically the Roman equivalent of a modern first name. Rendar says there were only about a dozen or so common first names. Parents picked from this small pool, and this was the name used by family or close friends.
     • Rendar says some of the most common first names included Gaius, Marcus, Lucius, Publius, Titus, and Sextus.
   • The nomen, or second name, was their family name, the equivalent of a last name or surname. According to Rendar, this name identified your clan or extended family group, and it was passed down through the male line. It was used mainly in formal settings.
     • Many second names ended in -ius (like Julius, Cornelius, Claudius), says Rendar.
   • The cognomen was a name added later in a man's life to describe a notable trait, his occupation, his geographic location, or an important accomplishment. Rendar says it could be inherited, earned for achievements, or based on physical traits, personality, or funny stories.
     • Rendar says that over time (especially in the Empire), the cognomen took over as the main identifier as the system got more flexible.
     • For example, Caesar's full name was Gaius (praenomen) Julius (nomen) Caesar (cognomen).
2. 2
   Ancient Roman girls were named after their father and their place in the family order. Rendar says women usually got a feminized version of the father’s nomen and weren’t typically given a first name. For example, if Gaius Julius Caesar had a daughter, she would most likely be named Julia. Women were also sometimes referred to in public by the possessive form of their father's cognomen. Using the same analogy, a daughter of Caesar might be named Julia Caesaris. Later, if she got married, she would use the possessive form of her husband's cognomen (e.g., Julia Metelli, the wife of Gaius Marius Metellus).

   • If a family had two daughters, they might have an additional name like maior ("elder") or minor ("younger") to help people distinguish them from one another.
   • If a family had more than two daughters, they would attach a Latin number to their name to indicate their place in the order of children.
   • For example, the eldest daughter in the Antonius clan might be called Antonia Prima, the second daughter would be Antonia Secunda, and the third daughter would be Antonia Tertia.
   • See what your Roman name would have been with wikiHow's Roman Name Generator!
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Section 4 of 4:

More Names to Explore

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1. Looking for more ancient or old names? We’ve got you covered! Check out our lists of first and last names from throughout history:

   • Female Roman Names
   • Ancient Greek First Names
   • Male Greek God Names
   • Medieval First Names
   • Medieval Last Names
   • Ancient Norse Names

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