Gaius
/ˈɡaɪ.əs/noun
A common ancient Roman male given name.
Did you know?Gaius was so common in Roman naming that it became a standard placeholder in legal formulas, and the famous abbreviation C. for names like Gaius may reflect an older form of the name, Caius.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Rome
Latin
Gaius
“A very common Roman personal name, used by citizens across classes.”
Classical Latin
Latin
Caius
“A variant spelling of the same name, especially in inscriptions and later tradition.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
C.
“An abbreviation used in Roman names, commonly expanded as Gaius or Caius.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Gaius/Caius
“A transmitted scholarly and ecclesiastical form of the Roman name.”
Modern English
English
Gaius
“The classical Roman name, chiefly known from history, literature, and legal tradition.”