Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Aurelia

Aurelia is a name that comes from the Latin Aurelius from “aureus” meaning “golden”. Aurelius dates back to the ancient days of Rome and was first used as a cognomen (family name) in the Old Roman three part naming system. Cognomens were often derived from nicknames, such as in this case: golden, gilded – probably in reference to a person’s golden hair. In the early days of the Roman Republic, Aurelius was a clan name used among the plebian classes but by the 3rd century B.C. it became more patrician. The name was most notably borne by a 2nd century Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, considered a philosopher-king who symbolized much of what was good about Roman civilization (he was the last of the so-called “Five Good Emperors”). The female form of the name, Aurelia, essentially means “the golden one” and was borne by the mother of Julius Caesar (Aurelia Cotta). As a given name, Aurelius perpetuated after the collapse of the Roman Empire in large part due to a couple notable saints. For instance, Saint Aurelius was a 5th century theologian, friend and contemporary of Augustine of Hippo. In the 9th century, Aurelius and his wife Natalia were added to the list of the Martyrs of Córdoba (back when the Muslims occupied much of the Iberian Peninsula). They were beheaded for renouncing Islam and professing their Christian faith. Such legends of admired saints were popular during the Middle Ages which served to strengthen the popularity of names.

All About the Baby Name – Aurelia

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME AURELIA

The number Four personality is marked by stability and discipline. This is the personality that follows the rules and is conservative by nature.  They have an earth-bound energy that prefers to build things methodically on top of firm foundations; they don't cut corners. Fours take their time and don't like to be hurried. But the outcome of their endeavors is likely to result in some strong and useful structure, which makes them great engineers and inventors. Fours are anything but frivolous or controversial. This is a trustworthy, straight-forward personality that embodies dedication and organization. They are the backbone and anchor in their relationships, careers and communities. They are tidy, punctual, and full of integrity. Hard-work comes naturally to a Four and they are immensely reliable. This is the personality you can always count on.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME AURELIA

You’d be hard pressed to find a person who doesn’t think Aurelia is a pretty name. Not only that, but it’s super neglected and underused, therefore making it quite an original choice by today’s standards. As a Latin name, Aurelia also follows a current naming trend in America today that favors some of these girly-girl, flowery sounding names. Aurelia dates back to at least 1880 on the charts (which is as far back as we have available data). The name was quasi-familiar in terms of usage, but by the late 1930s, Aurelia fell out of style. In fact, the last year Aurelia was used with enough frequency to even make the Top 1000 list was in 1950. In other words, this is a name that’s essentially been out of circulation for over 60 years. Parents looking for something ancient, something classic, and something frilly and pretty ought to give Aurelia some serious consideration. This may indeed be your next “golden” child.

Quick Facts

ON AURELIA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

Latin

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

833

PRONUNCIATION:

uh-REEL-yah

SIMPLE MEANING:

Golden

Characteristics

OF AURELIA

Dependable

Solid

Practical

Hard-working

Industrious

Studious

Conservative

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Aurelia

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME AURELIA

Countess Aurelia is a central character and the eponymous “madwoman” in French playwright Jean Giraudoux’s 1943 satirical drama “The Madwoman of Chaillot”. The first act of the two-act play is set inside a Parisian café in the district of Chaillot where audience goers are introduced to some nefarious businessmen intent upon demolishing Paris in order to dig up oil reserves they believe to be located under the city. Aurelia, the self-styled Countess and neighborhood madwoman, decides she must save the day: “Nothing is ever so wrong in this world that a sensible woman can't set it right in the course of an afternoon.” The drama features a collection of memorable characters, fellow eccentrics and oddballs, whom the Countess recruits in her efforts to save the world (the Ragpicker, the Street Singer, the Sewer Man, the Sergeant, the Flower Girl, and Mademoiselles Constance, Gabrielle and Josephine). In the second act, located in the cellar apartment where Aurelia lives, the plan is carried out. The evil capitalists and their equally greedy entourage are sent down a door in the floor – drawn by the smell of oil – into the intricate sewer system that lies underneath the streets of Paris – presumably never to be heard from again. At last, Aurelia can get back to what is really important: feeding her cats. “My poor cats must be starved. What a bore for them if humanity had to be saved every afternoon.” No wonder Giraudoux selected the “golden” name of Aurelia for his delightfully eccentric heroine – to contrast against the sooty evil she must conquer to restore hope in the future.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME AURELIA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Aurelia


Popular Songs

ON AURELIA

Aurelia
a song by Kendra Smith

Famous People

NAMED AURELIA

Aurélia de Souza (Portuguese painter)
Aurelia Dobre (Romanian gymnast)
Aurelia Plath (mother of Sylvia Plath)
Aurelia Tizón (first wife of Argentine president Juan Perón)
Aurelia Jadrny (mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger)

Children of Famous People

NAMED AURELIA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Aurelia

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME AURELIA

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Aurelia