Fabian
/ˈfeɪ.bi.ən/noun
A masculine given name and surname derived from the Roman family name Fabianus, also associated with the Fabian Society and its gradualist political strategy.
Did you know?The name became politically charged through the Fabian Society, founded in 1884 and named after Roman general Fabius Maximus, whose delaying tactics inspired gradual social change.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Latin
Latin
faba
“Bean; the root associated with the Roman family name Fabius”
Ancient Rome
Latin
Fabius
“A Roman family name, traditionally connected with faba, “bean””
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Fabianus
“Belonging to or descended from Fabius”
3rd Century CE
Latin
Fabianus
“The name of Pope Fabian, later venerated as a Christian saint and martyr”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Fabianus
“A personal name used in Christian Europe”
Middle English
English
Fabian
“A personal name inherited through medieval European naming traditions”
Modern English
English
Fabian
“A given name, surname, and reference to gradualist political tactics”