Julien is the French form of Julian, which comes from the Roman family name Julius, and is usually explained as "youthful" or "downy-bearded", from the Greek ioulos. It is one of the most common boys' names in France and Quebec, and in the United States it gives the classic Julian a softer, continental twist. Julien ranked number 637 in 2000, peaked at number 533 in 2009 and has stayed between 580 and 710 since, ranking number 709 in 2025.