Caesar

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Caesar

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Caesar is the English form of the Latin name, Caesarius, possibly meaning “Head of Hair.”

History:
Caesar, of course, was a Roman name belonging to the great Roman general and Emperor: Gaius Julius Caesar (101BC-44BC).

After his murder, Caesar’s nephew Octavius seized the throne and adopted the name Caesar as a kind of royal title. He called himself Augustus Caesar, or “Great King”(in fact, the German title Kaiser, and the Russian title Tsar, or Czar, come from the title “caesar”). Caesar soon was a title and not a personal name.

During the Renaissance, that “rebirth” of learning, medieval Europeans rediscovered the writings of ancient Greece and Rome. The names of the ancient Greeks and Romans were also rediscovered and revived, especially in Italy. Many young Italians were soon christened Cesare. The name spread outward to Spain (Cesaro), France (César), and Britain (Caesar).

In 18th century Britain (and the American colonies), during the “Age of Reason,” admirers of ancient Rome also gave the name Caesar to their children, often in combination with Julius.

Pronunciation: see-zar.

Alternates: Cesar.
French: César, Césaire.
Italian: Cesare.
Latin: Caesarius.
Spanish: Cesaro, Cesario, Kesare.

Feminine: Cesara.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Cesare Pavese (1908-1950)
Italian writer.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Caesar Baronius (Cesare Baronio) (1538-1607)
Italian church historian.
Cesare, Marchese de Beccaria (1738-1794)
Italian philosopher.
Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909)
Founder of criminology.

Military:
Cesare Borgia (1476-1507)
Italian soldier.

Political Figures:
Caesar Rodney (1728-1784)
American statesman.
Cesare, Conte Balbo (1789-1853)
Italian statesman.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.034 % named Cesar
less than 0.004 % named Caesar

Popularity of Caesar:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: N/A
1910-1920: 842nd most popular.
1920-1950: N/A
1950-1960: 943rd most popular.
1960-2000: N/A