Justin

Justin comes from the Latin word “Justinus” meaning quite literally “just” (from “iustus” – “upright, equitable”). The Proto-Indo-European root word (*yewes-) means “law” in the sense of a body of laws rather than specific civic laws (it had more to do with a “sacred formula” in a pre-Christianity sense). Post-Christianity, the word “just” conveyed a more religious definition – i.e., “righteous in the eyes of God”. The names Justin and Justus were borne by a couple of early saints who ensured the popularity and endurance of the name through the Middle Ages when their cults spread. St. Justin the Martyr lived in the 2nd century born to pagans in Palestine. He was a seeker of truth through reason; until he happened upon an old man at the sea shore who told him about Christianity (some believe this mysterious old man to have been a vision of Jesus himself). Justin converted and went about traveling to Rome to spread The Good Word. He was arrested during the persecutions under Marcus Aurelius and beheaded for his beliefs in the year 165. The other popular Saint Justin was a young boy who lived in 3rd century Gaul (present-day France) also during a time of Roman Christian persecution. He was arrested by soldiers after being reported as a “Christian magician” and, upon confessing he was indeed a Christian (but perhaps not a magician), he was immediately beheaded. Legend has it that after his beheading, Justin stood upright with his head in his hands, prompting the Roman soldiers to flee in fear. During the Middle Ages, Christianized Europeans held tight to these types of saintly legends (and medieval babies were readily named after saints). The so-called “Cephalophore” saints (i.e., head-carrying saints) were especially revered (even if we might consider that a tad bit creepy today). The name Justin was resurrected in the latter half of the 20th century and has become a modern-day favorite.