Can We Use The Name Julian for a Girl?

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

THIS FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT NAME

Kim writes:

Our long-awaited daughter will be here this summer. While we are not formally Catholic or even particularly religious, during this pregnancy I have been drawn to St. Julian of Norwich and her repeated mantra: All will be well.

I could say more about why I feel drawn to this name. And to Julian specifically, not Juliana or Juliet.

But my question is: can I name my daughter Julian?

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

THINKING ABOUT JULIAN FOR A GIRL

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter!

First, the most direct and important answer: yes, you can name your daughter Julian. Nothing will keep you from it, in any way.

But that’s not what you’re asking, right? The real question is should you name your daughter Julian, and what are the possible downsides if you do?

Let’s talk about the name’s history, data on use, and then I’ll offer some suggestions.

JULIAN: ANCIENT NAME IN MODERN FORMS

Julian, Juliette, and the rest of the Jul- names all come from Julius, as in the Roman emperors. Sometimes we say it means youth or young, because the literal Latin meaning is something like “downy-bearded.” Others connect it to Jupiter, king of the gods in the Roman pantheon. After all, emperors liked to claim divine descent.

An early medieval saint answered to the name Julian. We typically call him St. Julian the Hospitaller. The exact date and place of his birth is debated, but the legend about his early life is widely-known.

It goes like this: on the night he was born, Julian’s dad saw a witch curse his child. The curse meant that one day Julian would kill his parents. They raised him despite this ominous warning. When Julian came of age and discovered the curse, he left home, traveling far away. But you know how curses go, right? Despite everyone’s best efforts, tragedy won. Julian swore his life to helping others, specifically, pilgrims at a river-crossing.

There’s more to the story, but let’s just say this: the saint’s story was popular, and the name spread widely. That included place and parish names, too, including a church in Norwich.

HAS JULIAN EVER BEEN UNISEX?

Actually, Julian started out unisex.

The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources notes that Juliana was more common for women than Julian for men. But their entry on Juliana shows many times the feminine name was recorded as just Julian.

One way to think about it: names routinely changed from formal Latin to vernacular English. Cecilia became Cecily and Lucia became Lucy. Juliana also dropped the final A to become Julian. And then evolved into Jillian, Gillian, and Jill.

By the time US data is compiled, starting with the year 1880, Julian is typically – but not exclusively – masculine.

WHO WAS JULIAN OF NORWICH?

At first glance, Julian of Norwich might appear to be one of these medieval women. Her famous writing dates to the 1370s, after all, when Juliana/Julian were interchangeably feminine in England.

But the story is a little more complicated.

Julian of Norwich lived as an anchoress, a woman voluntarily confined to a small set of rooms attached to a parish church. She spent her days devoted to spiritual life, praying and advising those who sought out her spiritual guidance.

In 1373, she experienced a series of visions that she later recorded as a book: Revelations of Divine Love.

People from across Europe pilgrimaged to seek her out her wisdom. It’s believed she was the first woman in England to write a book that has survived into today.

But here’s the thing: we don’t actually know her name. She lived within the confines of St. Julian’s Church, hence she was known by the church’s name. Her burial site refers to her as Mother Julian. It’s a title and an acceptable form of address, but it’s not necessarily the name she would’ve been known by in her youth.

She remains famous for her writings, and the oft-repeated “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” Here’s more on her incredible optimism.

I do think she’s recognized beyond a purely Catholic audience, in a more broadly spiritual sense.

BOY NAMES ON GIRLS

Some people really, really despise boy names on girls.

But … it’s not as if English presents us with hard, bright lines. Kate is (probably) a girl, while Nate is (mostly likely) a boy, and Tate? You’ll have to ask. Most of us know a few women with conventionally masculine names, and a smaller group of men with names that are more common for women now. Off the top of my head: Ryan, Hunter, Logan in the first category. For the second list: Taylor and Avery.

Names are fluid. Most people get that.

That said, in 2024 the name was given overwhelmingly to boys. Over 7300 boys were named Julian, along with just 18 girls.

No matter what history tells us, others will perceive your choice as giving a boy’s name to a girl.

SO SHOULD YOU NAME YOUR DAUGHTER JULIAN?

I default to a simple idea: Meaning Matters Most.

If Julian feels like the right name for your daughter, then why fight it? You have a story to tell and a source of inspiration for her to draw from.

But if you’d like some more specific questions to think this through:

1. How will you feel if others react negatively? Or, if others question your choice, are you comfortable saying “we were inspired by the medieval mystic Julian of Norwich?”
2. Will it bother you if your daughter comes home from 3rd grade or sophomore year and declares that she’s now Julie, because Julian is a boy’s name? Our children routinely dislike their names – it’s just part of growing up. But will this particular criticism cut a little closer, and does that idea cause you anxiety?
3. Do you hope to add to your family in the future? Can you imagine naming a sibling for a girl called Julian? I’m sure there are options and they’re findable, but if you have a strong idea about a second child’s name, one that conflicts with the name Julian, then is it worth changing course now?

My best advice is to choose a very conventionally feminine middle name to balance out Julian.

Julian Elizabeth, Julian Celeste, Julian Lucette … you get the idea.

But I think, for the reasons you’ve articulated and the ones you’ve left unsaid, that your daughter’s name is Julian.

Readers, over to you! What would you add about choosing Julian for a girl?