Julie

♀ Girl

Pronounced JOO-lee /ˈdʒuː.li/High

Meaning: French feminine form of Julius, from the Roman family name Iulius, possibly from the Greek ioulos (downy-bearded) or associated with the god Julus; the name of a feminine saint and popular throughout French-speaking and English-speaking culturesHigh

In 30 seconds: Julie is the bright French feminine form of Julius, meaning youthful or from the Julian family. Simple, sunny, and widely loved, it was one of the defining names for American women born in the 1960s and 1970s.

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Origin HighLatin, French

MeaningFrench feminine form of Julius, from the Roman family name Iulius, possibly from the Greek ioulos (downy-bearded) or associated with the god Julus; the name of a feminine saint and popular throughout French-speaking and English-speaking cultures

U.S. rank (2025)#873 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births308 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1958

Total births (all-time)≈ 511,256

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Julie is the French feminine diminutive of Julius, from the ancient Roman family name Iulius. The origin of Iulius is debated: it may derive from the Greek ioulos (downy-bearded, referring to a young man's first beard, associated with youth and beauty) or from the legendary Trojan hero Iulus. The name was borne by Julius Caesar and became the most distinguished name in the Roman world.

Julie was enormously popular in France from the Middle Ages onward and spread to English-speaking countries in the 20th century. In the United States it ranked in the top 10 girls names from the late 1950s through the 1970s. Julie Andrews, Julie Christie, and other celebrities of the era made it a quintessentially mid-century feminine name. Today it carries a warm, classic, slightly retro quality.

Did you know? Julie Andrews, who played both Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Maria in The Sound of Music in the same year (1964–1965) — winning the Oscar for the latter — gave the name Julie its most beloved cultural embodiment in the 20th century.

Overall data confidence 91%

Behind the Name — Julie — French form etymology via JuliusU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

JuliaJulietteJuliet

Nicknames

Jules

Famous Bearers

★Julie Andrews (1935–present)
British actress and singer known for Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress.

If you like Julie…

Julia— the longer Latin form of the same Julius root

Josie— same cheerful, two-syllable mid-century American girls name feel

Claire— shares the crisp, sunny, classic French feminine quality from the same era

Lisa— same generation of simple, bright, two-syllable mid-century American feminine classics

Frequently Asked

What does the name Julie mean?

Julie means youthful or from the Julian family, as the French feminine form of Julius from the Roman Iulius.

How do you pronounce Julie?

It is said JOO-lee, with two syllables.

Is Julie a popular name?

Julie was a top-10 U.S. girls name in the 1960s and 1970s and remains a warm, familiar classic.

Is Julie the same as Julia?

Julie is the French diminutive form of Julia; they share the same root but Julie has a softer, more casual feel.