Roman God Names
Updated Fri Feb 02 2024
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Roman god names for baby boys are in the forefront of fashion, with playgrounds in trendy neighborhoods full of little boys named Jupiter and Apollo, with playmates named Odin, Juno, and Freya. Roman god names are among the best-known mythological names, though they haven't been used much for baby boys until recently.
Apollo is the only Roman god name currently in the US Top 1000, but rarer choices such as Caelum, Evander, Honor, and Sylvanus are just as accessible for a son today.
It does seem rather grand for a little boy to carry such a big name, but the fascination with mythology and ancient cultures makes Roman god names more possible now than ever before. You may want to consider one of these male names from Roman mythology for your little god or explore the wider range of mythological names for boys.
Here are the names of Roman gods currently being used for baby boys, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
RELATED:
- Evander
Origin:
Scottish; GreekMeaning:
"bow warrior; strong man"Description:
Evander is a name that could build on the popularity of shorter form Evan, and could work and play well with schoolmates like Zander and Xander.
- Apollo
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"destroyer"Description:
With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option.
- Sol
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"sun"Description:
Although pinochle-playing partner Sam came out of retirement, we don't see it happening to Sol. Near soundalike Saul has more of a shot.
- Caelum
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"heaven"Description:
A constellation name that could have broad appeal beyond astronomers and astrophysicists. Although they bear similarity, Caelum is unrelated to the Scottish name Callum.
- Remus
Origin:
Latin, meaning unknownDescription:
Remus is one of the legendary twins who, with brother Romulus, founded Rome. An unusual yet classic name for the extremely adventurous who can put aside the stereotyped image of Uncle Remus. Though because of that "ream" first syllable, we prefer Romulus.
- Lucifer
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"light-bearer"Description:
Lucifer is the name of the archangel cast into hell -- theologians disagree on whether he and Satan are separate beings -- and as such has long been on the forbidden list for religious parents. Still banned in New Zealand, Lucifer is occasionally used in the contemporary U.S.: Six boys were given the name in the most recent year counted.
- Mars
Origin:
Roman mythologyMeaning:
"god of war; male; red planet"Description:
Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work as an alternative to popular Brooks, Max, Atlas, or Miles - and given to around 150 boys - and 35 girls - in a recent year, it is unusual but recognisable.
- Aeneas
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"the praised one"Description:
He was the legendary son of Venus, hero of Troy and Rome, and broke the heart of Queen Dido of Carthage. Sure, its more challenging than Charlie - but if you're looking this name up, that's probably part of its appeal.
- Jupiter
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"godfather"Description:
Jupiter's partner Juno has entered the mainstream, so it's possible that her divine mate could follow. But not necessarily for boys — Jupiter is currently mostly female in the US, thanks to its similarity to Juniper. Stars including Ed Sheeran and Ashley Tisdale recently welcomed daughters named Jupiter, which could shift the balance even more towards the girls.
- Romulus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"citizen of Rome"Description:
He was the original Roman, Remus's twin and a founder of Rome. But parents attracted to this name are advised to read the legend first. Romulus does have some less than savory characteristics, including killing his twin brother and making Rome in his own image, and is later deified as Quinnius. Romy and Quinn might make good twin names.
- Mercury
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"Roman messenger god"Description:
Adventurous parents are starting to look back to names of ancient gods like Mercury, Zeus, and Apollo. This one is also a planet and a metallic element, and has a friendly nickname, Merc. The Roman god Mercury, which derives from the Latin words for trade or wages, is the patron of tradesmen and travelers and the fastest-moving planet in the solar system. Mercury is the planet associated with the sign of Virgo, so this is one of the prime names for Virgo babies.
- Janus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"doorway"Description:
The meaning of this ancient Roman god's name relates to transitions, hence its connection to the name of the first month of the new year, a time of fresh beginnings. Janus is usually depicted as a two-faced god facing in opposite directions, since he looks both to the future and the past. It's no surprise then, that Janus is one of the premiere January baby names. The Slavic form Janusz is more commonly used than the English, represented by the Polish cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, who has shot all of Steven Spielberg's films from Schindler's List to Lincoln.
- Vulcan
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"to flash"Description:
Vulcan was the Roman god of fire (from which, volcano) and metalworking, but this name is now more familiar as the pointy-eared humanoids on "Star Trek," represented by Mr. Spock.
- Silvanus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wood; forest"Description:
In Roman mythology, Silvanus was the god of the forests. He protected farmers and fields and was credited with developing a system for marking field boundaries.
- Saturn
Origin:
Roman mythology nameDescription:
If you've rejected all the names on earth, you might move on to the sixth planet from the sun, also the Roman god of agriculture and plenty, and the origin of Saturday.
- Honor
Origin:
English word, virtue nameMeaning:
"honor"Description:
A classic virtue name for girls stretching back to the Pilgrim times, in more recent years, Honor has become one of the unisex baby names with a near-even gender split. Rarely used on boys before the 2010s, it has nearly doubled in use over the last decade.
- Phoebus
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"shining, brilliant"Description:
One of the names of the sun god Apollo, this is better known in its feminine form, Phoebe.
- Caelus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"sky; heavens"Description:
In Roman mythology, Caelus was the god of the sky prior to Jupiter. It's one of the few names that's virtually one-of-a-kind yet fits in with current stylish choices such as Caius and Callum (neither of which Caelus is etymologically related to).
- Pluto
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"rich"Description:
The Roman god of the underworld, the former ninth planet, a cartoon dog...but not a baby.
- Jove
Origin:
Mythological nameDescription:
Another name for Jupiter, king of the Roman gods, this jovial name is eminently ready for modern use. Feminine variations include Jovita and Jovie.