A male name. the name of a Roman gens, of which the most famous member was Caius Julius Caesar. The Romans supposed the name to be derived from Greek ίουλος ‘downy’, but there is no good evidence of this. It was first used as a christian name in Italy in the Renaissance period (Giulio), and the first instance recorded in England is Cesare Adelmare (1558-1636), a Venetian physician to Queen Elizabeth, who later dropped his patronymic, adopted the christian name of Julius, and in due course became Sir Julius Caesar. The family is still in existence and still uses the name Julius. The French Jules also dates from the 16th C. The Welsh name Iolo is said to be derived from Julius.

(Cf. Julian, q. v.) Virgil sings that The boy Ascanius, now Iulus named— Ilus he was while Ilium’s realm still stood, thus relating him to the river Ilus (whence Ilium); commentators say that Ascanius was named Iulus from Greek ίουλος (loulos: ‘first growth of the beard’) because he was yet a beardless youth when he slew Mezentius. Virgil continues : A Trojan, by high lineage shall arise— Caesar Called Julius, from Iulus, mighty name.

But Iulus may be a diminutive of Latin dius, ‘divine.’ The imperatorial name and fame have ensured that, even to this day in Caesar-defeated England, Julius remains fairly frequent and, like Julian, of a distinguished nature. (Yonge.)

The Roman name, said to be derived from Julus or lulus (name of Ascanius, son of Æneas); from Greek ιουλος, the first down which appears on the cheeks of young persons at the age of puberty.

Latin (masculine) - Soft-haired.

Jew'-le-us, downy. The centurion into whose hands St. Paul was committed, to be conveyed to Rome. Acts xxvii. 1, &c.

Meaning: downy: hairy.

A Latin name, meaning: Downy-bearded.