Octavian

Octavian - A very unique male name

Octavian appeared on the charts for the first time in 1986 on position #2713. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Octavian and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Octavian? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Octavian. The baby boy name Octavian was given to 5 baby boys in 2025, ranking #4207 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 293,257 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Octavian peaked in popularity 29 years ago in 1997 on position 2399.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Octavian, 1-5?

Octavian is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Octavian is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #2,708 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,708.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Octavian is where you live.

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Octavian origin and meaning

Latin

From Latin Octavianus, from Octavius, a Roman family name built on octavus, 'eighth'

Octavian is the name history gives the young Augustus — Gaius Octavius, adopted by Julius Caesar and known as Octavian before he took the title Augustus and became Rome's first emperor. As a modern given name it is a rare classical revival, in US data from 1986 with its best year in 2024.

Attested etymology

Octavian is a 8 letter name with 4 syllables.

To see famous people named Octavian, pop culture references for the name Octavian and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Octavian

We've found the following names that sound similar to Octavian, sorted by popularity.

Octavio / Octavius / Octavious / Octaviano / Octave / Octavia / October /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Octavian

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Octavian a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Octavian?

4 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ok-TAY-vee-an · /ɒkˈteɪviən/

Around the world

• Ottaviano (Italian) — Italian form of the same name
• Octavien (French) — French form

Spellings and nicknames

• Octavius — The Roman family name behind it
• Octavio — Spanish form of the family name

Nicknames: Tav

Famous bearers

• Octavian — Gaius Octavius, adopted heir of Julius Caesar, who as Augustus became the first Roman emperor (63 BCE–14 CE) Historical

Style

ClassicRoyalInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Octavian for an imperial Roman name with real historical weight and a grand, unhurried sound.

Worth knowing

• Most people know the story under the name Augustus, so the connection needs explaining