Fun Facts About the Name Cassian
- More than 2 thousand babies named Cassian: U.S. records list 2,903 babies given the name Cassian from 1880 through 2025. Even 14 girls received the name Cassian - about 1 girl for every 206 boys.
What Does the Name Cassian Mean?
Cassian is an English form of the Latin name Cassianus, meaning 'belonging to Cassius' or 'of Cassius.' Cassianus is a derivative of the Roman family name Cassius, formed with the suffix -ianus, which often indicated adoption, descent, or association. The literal sense is relational rather than descriptive: the name identifies someone connected with a Cassius or with the Cassii.
The ultimate meaning of Cassius is uncertain. One old suggestion connects it to Latin cassus, 'empty' or 'hollow,' but that derivation is not securely established, and other explanations have been proposed. Because Cassius itself is not fully explained, the deeper etymology of Cassian remains uncertain. The meaning 'belonging to Cassius' is the established linguistic relationship, not a symbolic interpretation.
Cassian Name History & Origins
The name Cassianus belonged to the Roman name system, where it served as a cognomen or family-derived name. From Latin it passed into Greek as Kassianos (Κασσιανός) and into the languages of Christian Europe in forms such as Italian Cassiano, French Cassien, Spanish Casiano, Portuguese Cassiano, and Russian Kassian. The English Cassian follows the Latin and French pattern.
Early Christian veneration helped keep the name in use. Saint Cassian of Imola was an early martyr associated with that city, and traditional accounts describe him as a schoolmaster. Saint John Cassian (c. 360 - 435) was a monastic writer born in Scythia Minor who traveled in Egypt and Palestine and later founded monasteries near Marseille. His Institutes and Conferences were widely read in medieval monasteries, and he is also remembered in Eastern Orthodox tradition as Kassianos. These saints are historical and traditional reference points for the name.
As an English given name, Cassian appears in modern fiction, including Cassian Andor in the Star Wars franchise and Cassian in Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Such uses are literary associations, not the origin of the name.
How Popular is the Name Cassian?
Cassian recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #479 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #10,467 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #16,361 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #479 | 633 | 0.0371% |
| 2024 | #616 | 462 | 0.0269% |
| 2023 | #531 | 555 | 0.0325% |
| 2022 | #936 | 244 | 0.0140% |
| 2021 | #969 | 230 | 0.0132% |
| 2020 | #1,036 | 196 | 0.0114% |
| 2019 | #1,353 | 132 | 0.0074% |
| 2018 | #1,328 | 136 | 0.0075% |
| 2017 | #1,379 | 128 | 0.0069% |
| 2016 | #4,978 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2015 | #4,914 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2014 | #4,907 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #6,304 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #4,414 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2011 | #7,086 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #6,090 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #5,361 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2008 | #6,454 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #8,854 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #8,256 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #10,924 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #9,482 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Cassian
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with C
How the Name Cassian Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Cassian's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Cassian's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.