Julien

Julien is the French form of Julian, from the Roman name Julianus, a derivative of Julius. The origin of Julius is uncertain, but it has been linked with the Greek ioulos, meaning downy-bearded, which gives the traditional sense youthful. Several saints bore the name, among them Saint Julian the Hospitaller, the subject of a tale by Gustave Flaubert. In French literature, Julien Sorel is the ambitious carpenter’s son at the centre of Stendhal’s novel The Red and the Black. The Roman emperor Julian, called the Apostate, tried to restore pagan worship. Related forms include English Julian and Italian Giuliano.