This list includes 57 Roman names that start with A, from “Acilius” to “Praeconius? (excluded)”. Many entries are family names (nomina) and cognomina found in inscriptions and literature, useful for fiction, genealogy, and historical reference.
Roman names that start with A are personal and family names beginning with A, including praenomina, nomina, and cognomina. Many such names, like “Aulus” and “Antonius”, appear often in inscriptions and Roman literature.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Type, Gender, Pronunciation, Meaning, and Notes.
Name: The actual Roman name as recorded; you use this to scan or copy entries for characters, research, or records.
Type: Identifies whether the entry is a praenomen, nomen, or cognomen, helping you place the name in Roman naming structure.
Gender: Shows the typical gender use, so you choose names suited to male or female individuals and family lines.
Pronunciation: Provides a simple phonetic guide so you pronounce names consistently when reading or voicing characters.
Meaning: Gives a concise translation or root meaning where known, aiding your understanding of name origin and connotation.
Notes: Lists brief context, historical usage, or variant forms so you can assess rarity or suitability for your project.
Roman names that start with A
Name
Type
Gender
Meaning
Aulus
Praenomen
Male
uncertain; Italic origin
Appius
Praenomen
Male
uncertain (possibly Oscan)
Avius
Praenomen
Male
uncertain (rare, Oscan influence)
Aemilius
Nomen
Unisex
rival (Latin aemulus)
Aemilia
Nomen
Female
rival (Latin aemulus)
Aelius
Nomen
Unisex
possibly Etruscan origin
Acilius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain; possibly tree-related
Annius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain
Annia
Nomen
Female
same as Annius
Antonius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain
Antonia
Nomen
Female
same root as Antonius
Antistius
Nomen
Unisex
possibly Oscan origin
Appuleius
Nomen
Unisex
from ‘Appulus’ or regional root
Apuleius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain; possibly Oscan/Italic
Aponius
Nomen
Unisex
probably from a divine or local root
Apronius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain; possible local origin
Aquilius
Nomen
Unisex
from aquila “eagle” (Latin)
Arria
Nomen
Female
from gens Arrius/Arria
Arrius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain
Atilius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain (possibly Italic)
Attius
Nomen
Unisex
Oscan origin
Aufidius
Nomen
Unisex
Oscan origin
Aurelius
Nomen
Unisex
golden (Latin aureus)
Aurelia
Nomen
Female
golden (Latin aureus)
Autronius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain
Albius
Nomen
Unisex
white (Latin albus)
Asinius
Nomen
Unisex
possibly from root asin- “ass” or personal name
Arruntius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain
Anicius
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain; old Roman family
Avienus
Nomen
Unisex
uncertain
Praeconius? (excluded)
Nomen
—
—
Africanus
Cognomen
Male
from Africa (Latin)
Ahenobarbus
Cognomen
Male
bronze-beard (aeneus + barba)
Agrippa
Cognomen
Male
uncertain (possibly archaic praenomen origin)
Albinus
Cognomen
Male
white-haired (Latin albus)
Albus
Cognomen
Male
white (Latin albus)
Aquila
Cognomen
Unisex
eagle (Latin aquila)
Aquilinus
Cognomen
Male
little eagle (diminutive)
Atticus
Cognomen
Male
of Attica/Greece
Afer
Cognomen
Male
African (Latin afer)
Asprenas
Cognomen
Male
unknown
Agricola
Cognomen
Male
farmer (Latin agricola)
Ambustus
Cognomen
Male
burnt (Latin ambustus)
Aper
Cognomen
Male
boar (Latin aper)
Aelianus
Cognomen
Male
pertaining to Aelius (derivative)
Anullinus
Cognomen
Male
diminutive of Anullus (uncertain)
Apicius
Cognomen
Male
unknown; linked to gourmet tradition
Apianus
Cognomen
Male
of the bee (Latin apis)
Anicius (cognomen form)
Cognomen
Male
from gens Anicia
Avitus
Cognomen
Male
ancient, “grandfather” sense (Latin avus)
Allectus
Cognomen
Male
Celtic/Latinized origin
Aemilianus
Cognomen
Male
pertaining to Aemilius (derivative)
Acron? (excluded)
Cognomen
—
—
Apro
Cognomen
Male
possibly related to boar or local root
Asterius (rare)
Cognomen
Male
star-like (Greek origin)
Auctor? (excluded)
Cognomen
—
—
Avianus
Cognomen
Male
related to Avienus/Avius
Descriptions
Aulus
AU-lus; very common Roman praenomen, borne by Aulus Gabinius and Aulus Plautius; archaic, everyday use.
Appius
AP-pee-us; archaic praenomen chiefly used by the Claudii, e.g., Appius Claudius Caecus (App-ee-us).
Avius
AY-vee-us; rare archaic praenomen attested in early inscriptions and fasti.
Aemilius
eh-MEE-lee-us; gens Aemilia, one of Rome’s oldest patrician families (e.g., M. Aemilius Lepidus, Scipio Aemilianus).
Aemilia
eh-MEE-lee-a; feminine form of the gens Aemilia; women like Aemilia Tertia appear in sources.
Aelius
AY-lee-us; gens Aelia, imperial link via Publius Aelius Hadrianus (Hadrian); common in inscriptions.
Acilius
ah-KEE-lee-us; gens Acilia known from Republican and imperial records (e.g., Manius Acilius Glabrio).
Annius
AN-nee-us; gens Annia, attested in Republican and imperial families (Marcus Annius Verus).
Annia
AN-nee-a; feminine nomen of the Annia gens (e.g., Annia Galeria Faustina).
Antonius
an-TOH-nee-us; gens Antonia, famously Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) and his descendants.
Antonia
an-TOH-nee-a; feminine form used widely, e.g., Antonia Minor.
Antistius
an-TIS-tee-us; gens Antistia attested in Republican-era sources and inscriptions.
Appuleius
ap-oo-LAY-ee-us; gens Appuleia, includes Lucius Appuleius Saturninus.
Apuleius
ah-poo-LAY-ee-us; gens Apuleia — Lucius Apuleius, author of The Golden Ass.
Aponius
ah-POH-nee-us; nomen Aponius appears in inscriptions (epigraphic attestation).
Apronius
ah-PROH-nee-us; gens Apronia known from Republican and imperial inscriptions.
Aquilius
ah-KWIL-ee-us; gens Aquilia/Aquil(i)us attested in Republican records.
Arria
AR-ree-a; feminine nomen of the Arria gens; famous bearer: Arria, wife of Caecina Paetus.
Arrius
AR-ee-us; gens Arrius appears in Republican and imperial sources.
Atilius
ah-TIL-ee-us; gens Atilia includes Marcus Atilius Regulus.
Attius
AT-ee-us; archaic nomen attested in early Roman and Italic sources.
Aufidius
aw-FID-ee-us; gens Aufidia attested in late Republic and imperial literature/inscriptions.