This list includes 58 Roman names that start with C, from “Caecilia” to “Cyprianus”. The names cover praenomina, nomina, and cognomina, useful for writers, parents, genealogists, and students. Many entries serve as praenomina, nomina, or cognomina, reflecting personal, family, or descriptive uses.
Roman names that start with C are Latin personal and family names used in ancient Rome. Many come from family gentes, physical traits, or places, like “Caecilia”, linked to the gens Caecilia.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Gender, Pronunciation, Meaning, and Notes.
Name: The Roman name as recorded; you can scan it quickly for spelling, gendered forms, and variants.
Gender: Indicates male, female, or unisex usage so you can pick names appropriate for characters or family research.
Pronunciation: A practical phonetic guide helps you say names confidently in spoken scenes or presentations.
Meaning: A concise origin or translation gives cultural context and helps you choose names with the right sense.
Notes: Brief historical notes or famous bearers point you to notable usage and variant spellings.
Roman names that start with C
| Name | Gender | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caius | Masculine | Praenomen | Uncertain; perhaps from gaudere “rejoice” |
| Caeso | Masculine | Praenomen | Uncertain; likely from caedere “to cut” |
| Caecilius | Masculine | Nomen | From Latin caecus “blind” |
| Caecina | Masculine | Nomen | Etruscan origin; uncertain meaning |
| Caecilia | Feminine | Nomen | From caecus “blind” |
| Caelius | Masculine | Nomen | Linked to the Caelian Hill or Caelius gens |
| Caelia | Feminine | Nomen | Of the Caelius gens or Caelian Hill |
| Calpurnius | Masculine | Nomen | Uncertain; gentilic of Calpurnia family |
| Calpurnia | Feminine | Nomen | Female of Calpurnius |
| Calvus | Masculine | Cognomen | Bald; from Latin calvus “bald” |
| Camillus | Masculine | Cognomen | Youthful attendant; temple-servant origin |
| Caninius | Masculine | Nomen | From canis “dog” (likely) |
| Capito | Masculine | Cognomen | Big-headed (diminutive of caput “head”) |
| Cato | Masculine | Cognomen | Wise, shrewd |
| Catullus | Masculine | Cognomen | Diminutive of catulus “puppy” |
| Catulus | Masculine | Cognomen | Puppy, young one |
| Caepio | Masculine | Cognomen | Uncertain; ancient family name |
| Caesar | Masculine | Cognomen | Uncertain; perhaps “hairy” or “cut” |
| Celsus | Masculine | Cognomen | Lofty, tall |
| Censorinus | Masculine | Cognomen | Related to the office censor |
| Cerialis | Masculine | Cognomen | Of Ceres; religious association |
| Cicero | Masculine | Cognomen | Chickpea (cicer “chickpea”) |
| Cimber | Masculine | Cognomen | Uncertain; Thracian association |
| Cincinnatus | Masculine | Cognomen | Curly-haired |
| Cinna | Masculine | Cognomen | Uncertain; family cognomen |
| Claudius | Masculine | Nomen | Lame (from Latin claudus) |
| Claudia | Feminine | Nomen | Female of Claudius |
| Clodius | Masculine | Nomen | Plebeian form of Claudius |
| Clodia | Feminine | Nomen | Female of Clodius |
| Cluentius | Masculine | Nomen | Uncertain; gentilic name |
| Cluvius | Masculine | Nomen | Uncertain; gentilic name |
| Commodus | Masculine | Cognomen | Convenient, fitting (from commodus) |
| Cominius | Masculine | Nomen | Ancient gentilic name; uncertain meaning |
| Considius | Masculine | Nomen | Uncertain; gentilic name |
| Cornelius | Masculine | Nomen | Horned (from cornu “horn”) or uncertain |
| Cornelia | Feminine | Nomen | Female of Cornelius |
| Cornificius | Masculine | Nomen | Uncertain; gentilic of Cornificii |
| Corvinus | Masculine | Cognomen | Raven-like (corvus “raven”) |
| Corvus | Masculine | Cognomen | Crow, raven |
| Corbulo | Masculine | Cognomen | Uncertain; possibly “small raven” |
| Crassus | Masculine | Cognomen | Thick, fat; heavy |
| Crispus | Masculine | Cognomen | Curly-haired |
| Crispinus | Masculine | Cognomen | Diminutive of crispus “curly-haired” |
| Cotta | Masculine | Cognomen | Uncertain; ancient family name |
| Crepereius | Masculine | Nomen | Uncertain; Oscan/Etruscan origin likely |
| Crepereia | Feminine | Nomen | Female form of Crepereius |
| Curius | Masculine | Nomen | Of the curia or clan origin |
| Curio | Masculine | Cognomen | Of the curia or civic function |
| Curtius | Masculine | Nomen | Gentilic name; uncertain origin |
| Cuspius | Masculine | Nomen | Uncertain; likely Oscan origin |
| Cossus | Masculine | Cognomen | Uncertain; ancient Sabine/Etruscan root |
| Cossutia | Feminine | Nomen | Female of Cossus/Cossutius family |
| Cotta | Feminine | Nomen | Female of Cotta cognomen |
| Cotys | Masculine | Cognomen | Thracian name adopted into Latin |
| Crescens | Masculine | Cognomen | Growing, increasing (from crescere) |
| Crescentia | Feminine | Cognomen | Growing, flourishing |
| Curiacius | Masculine | Nomen | From Roman/Italian roots; gentilic |
| Cyprianus | Masculine | Cognomen | From Cyprus or Cypriot origin |
Descriptions
Caius
Common praenomen (classical form of Gaius); frequent in Cicero and inscriptions. Pronounced KAI-us in classical Latin. Attested in legal and literary sources.
Caeso
Rare archaic praenomen (e.g., Caeso Fabius). Attested in early Republic lists and inscriptions; feels old-fashioned to modern readers.
Caecilius
Well-known gens Caecilia; senators and writers (e.g., Metellus marriages). Attested in Livy, Cicero, inscriptions.
Caecina
Etruscan gentilic (Aulus Caecina). Attested in Roman and Etruscan sources; pronounced kai-KEE-na in reconstructed Latin.
Caecilia
Female form of Caecilius; many Roman women named Caecilia appear in inscriptions and literature.
Caelius
Gentilic name (e.g., Marcus Caelius Rufus). Attested in Cicero and inscriptions; pronounced KAI‑lee-us.
Caelia
Female form; used by Roman women of the Caelius family; seen in inscriptions and legal texts.
Calpurnius
Prominent gens (Calpurnii), e.g., Calpurnia wife of Julius Caesar. Attested in Cicero and inscriptions.
Calpurnia
Wife of Julius Caesar (Calpurnia Pisonis). Common female gentilic in late Republic.
Calvus
Common cognomen (e.g., Gaius Licinius Calvus). Many literary and epigraphic attestations.
Camillus
Famous as cognomen of Marcus Furius Camillus. Also a religious term; attested in Livy and inscriptions.
Caninius
Gentilic name (gens Caninia). Attested in inscriptions and Republican sources.
Capito
Frequent cognomen across Roman families; attested in Cicero and inscriptions.
Cato
Historic cognomen of the Porcii (Cato the Elder, Cato the Younger). Widely attested in literature.
Catullus
Famous as Gaius Valerius Catullus, the poet. Pronounced KA‑tul‑lus in classical Latin.
Catulus
Cognomen used by several Republican families (e.g., Lutatii Catuli). Attested in Livy and inscriptions.
Caepio
Cognomen of the Servilii (Quintus Servilius Caepio). Noted in Livy and Sallust.
Caesar
Iconic cognomen of the Julii (Gaius Julius Caesar). Attested in many literary sources; pronounced KAI‑sar.
Celsus
Common cognomen (e.g., Aulus Cornelius Celsus). Found in inscriptions and medical writings.
Censorinus
Cognomen borne by descendants of a censor; attested in inscriptions and historical texts.
Cerialis
Cognomen (e.g., Sextus Vettulenus Cerialis). Suggests a connection to goddess Ceres or ritual.
Cicero
Famous cognomen of Marcus Tullius Cicero. Pronounced KIK‑e‑ro; widely attested in Cicero and later sources.
Cimber
Cognomen borne by Publius Cimber, one of Caesar’s assassins. Attested in literary accounts of the Ides of March.
Cincinnatus
Famous legendary figure Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. Name evokes Roman virtue; found in Livy.
Cinna
Used by Lucius Cornelius Cinna and others. Attested in Republican histories and inscriptions.
Claudius
Powerful gens (Claudius); emperors and statesmen. Attested throughout Roman literature.
Claudia
Very common female gentilic; many historical Claudias in inscriptions and literature.
Clodius
Used by Publius Clodius Pulcher after plebeian adoption. Attested in Cicero and legal sources.
Clodia
Notable Clodia Metelli (often equated with Lesbia). Attested in Cicero and poetry.
Cluentius
Member of a Samnite/Italian family; appears in Cicero’s speeches (Pro Cluentio).
Cluvius
Gentilic name (e.g., historian Cluvius Rufus). Attested in Tacitus and inscriptions.
Commodus
Infamous emperor Commodus (Marcus Aurelius’ son). Attested in imperial histories and inscriptions.
Cominius
Old Roman gens attested in Livy and early republican lists.
Considius
Gentilic (gens Considia). Attested in Cicero and inscriptions.
Cornelius
Very prominent gens (Cornelii). Attested everywhere in republican and imperial sources.
Cornelia
Common female gentilic; many famous Cornelias in Roman history and literature.
Cornificius
Less common gens but attested in inscriptions and Tacitus.
Corvinus
Cognomen of several Romans (e.g., Marcus Valerius Corvinus). Attested in Livy and inscriptions.
Corvus
Military cognomen (Publius Valerius Corvus). Appears in Republican anecdotes and inscriptions.
Corbulo
Famous general Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Attested in Tacitus and Suetonius.
Crassus
Notable cognomen of the Licinii (Marcus Licinius Crassus). Frequent in literary sources.
Crispus
Used as cognomen and agnomen (e.g., Flavius Julius Crispus). Attested in inscriptions and histories.
Crispinus
Derivate cognomen; appears in inscriptions and legal texts.
Cotta
Common cognomen among Aurelii and Lutatii (e.g., Quintus Lutatius Catulus Cotta). Attested in Livy, Cicero.
Crepereius
Gentilic name attested in inscriptions and funerary epitaphs (e.g., Crepereia Tryphaena).
Crepereia
Documented female name in a famous Pompeian bronze doll inscription; attested epigraphically.
Curius
Ancient gens (Gaius Curius Dentatus). Attested in Livy and Festus.
Curio
Cognomen in the Scribonii (Gaius Scribonius Curio). Attested in Cicero and Caesar.
Curtius
Gentile name (Curtii), notably Quintus Curtius Rufus. Found in Livy and inscriptions.
Cuspius
Lesser-known gentilic (Cuspius); attested in inscriptions and some late Republican mentions.
Cossus
Ancient cognomen borne by figures like Publius Valerius Cossus. Attested in Livy.
Cossutia
Famous as an early wife/fiancée of Julius Caesar; attested in biographical traditions.
Cotta
Female form used in families with the Cotta cognomen; attested in inscriptions.
Cotys
Thracian-origin cognomen occasionally used by Romans in the imperial period; attested in inscriptions.
Crescens
Common Roman cognomen in imperial era; attested in inscriptions and military diplomas.
Crescentia
Female form found in inscriptions, later used in Christian hagiography.
Curiacius
Less common gentilic attested epigraphically; Latinized family name.
Cyprianus
Late-Roman cognomen used by individuals with eastern connections; attested in inscriptions and late sources.