boy's name
Cassius
KAS-ee-us (English)
- Origin Latin
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 13,200
the United States
#584
2025 births
Cassius is a boy's name from a Roman family, possibly derived from Latin cassus, "empty" or "vain." It's famous from Gaius Cassius Longinus, a leader of the plot against Julius Caesar, and from Cassius Clay, the birth name of Muhammad Ali.
- Cassius is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 2021, when 612 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 6,578 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Cassius Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 82 |
| 1890s | 35 |
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 95 |
| 1920s | 112 |
| 1930s | 47 |
| 1940s | 59 |
| 1950s | 34 |
| 1960s | 309 |
| 1970s | 189 |
| 1980s | 211 |
| 1990s | 419 |
| 2000s | 1,225 |
| 2010s | 3,643 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,301 |
What Cassius Means
Cassius may mean empty or hollow, a surprising sense for such a grand name. The Bump suggests a link to Latin cassis, a helmet, though the Roman family name has no firm etymology.
Where Cassius Comes From
The gens Cassia was a prominent Roman family, and its name is often connected with cassus, empty, though no ancient writer explains it. Gaius Cassius Longinus joined Brutus in assassinating Caesar in 44 BC, and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar gave him the lean and hungry look. Cassius Dio wrote a major history of Rome. A well-known American bearer was Cassius Marcellus Clay, the Kentucky abolitionist. The boxer's father, a Louisville sign painter, carried his name, and the champion took Muhammad Ali in 1964. Today it's used as a Roman-sounding name along with Atticus and Maximus.
Cassius in Use
The name has become fashionable in England and Wales. Cass and Cash are its likely short forms, and it's associated with both political intrigue and American sporting history.
How Popular Is Cassius?
In 2025, Cassius was given to 504 babies in the United States, ranking #584 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Cassius Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Cassius
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Cassius Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Cassius over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Cassius
- English KAS-ee-us
2 nicknames for Cassius
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Cassius in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Italian
- Cassio
Sibling Names for Cassius
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Cassius — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Cassius
What does the name Cassius mean?
It's possibly from Latin cassus, empty, a Roman family name.
Who was Cassius in Roman history?
A leader of the plot to kill Julius Caesar in 44 BC.
Was Muhammad Ali named Cassius?
Yes. He was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.
How popular is the name Cassius?
In 2025, Cassius was given to 504 babies in the United States, ranking #584 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Cassius a girl's or a boy's name?
Cassius is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Cassius?
Cassius has 3 syllables.
When was Cassius most popular?
Cassius peaked in 2021, when 612 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Cassius?
Cassius is usually shortened to Cass and Cash.
Is Cassius a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Cassius currently ranks #320 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.