| Julian | Patrick | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Youthful | Nobleman |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | JOO-lee-un | PAT-rik |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2017 (8,455) | 1964 (14,692) |
| In 2025 | 7,603 | 1,495 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Julian | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 44,640 | 10,101 |
| 2010s | 79,530 | 25,312 |
| 2000s | 60,391 | 44,782 |
| 1990s | 27,674 | 92,931 |
| 1980s | 12,933 | 111,408 |
| 1970s | 6,800 | 91,240 |
| 1960s | 4,835 | 122,717 |
| 1950s | 4,827 | 96,851 |
| 1940s | 5,157 | 48,619 |
| 1930s | 4,860 | 18,390 |
| 1920s | 6,897 | 11,460 |
| 1910s | 4,650 | 6,120 |
| 1900s | 793 | 2,141 |
| 1890s | 558 | 2,233 |
| 1880s | 440 | 2,285 |
Julian comes from the Latin Julianus, from the family name Julius. Borne by saints and by the Roman emperor known as Julian the Apostate.
Patrick comes from the Latin patricius, “nobleman, patrician.” St Patrick, the 5th-century missionary, is the patron saint of Ireland, and the name is deeply Irish.
Julian is more popular than Patrick today: about 7,603 US babies were given the name Julian in 2025, compared with 1,495 named Patrick.
Julian means Youthful (Latin origin), while Patrick means Nobleman (Latin origin).
In US records, Julian first appears in 1880 and Patrick in 1880, so Julian has the longer recorded history.