THE NAME REPORT · FIRST-NAME VIEW
Cassius
KASH-us
MEANING
empty
NAME PROFILE
Pronunciation & Spelling
Occasional pronunciation friction
The spelling is not fully self-directing on first sight. A new reader can reasonably land on more than one pronunciation.
52/100
Everyday Use
Low risk
The name is comfortable to say repeatedly at normal conversational speed, which helps in ordinary daily use.
97/100
Lifetime Fit
Strong lifetime fit
The main lifetime trade-off is generational concentration. The name is more strongly associated with one age band than with the full age spectrum.
84/100
International Mobility
Mostly workable
Cross-market pronunciation is the main trade-off: the spelling stays recognizable, but the first reading can shift with local language rules.
84/100
NAME DETAILS
- IN OTHER LANGUAGES
- Cassio (Italian)
- Cássio (Portuguese)
About the name
Meaning
empty.
Origin and history
Cassius (Latin). Latin. Borne by Lucius Cassius Dio, a 3rd-century Roman historian, and by several early Christian saints. In American history, it is most prominently the birth name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. after his father, himself named for 19th-century American abolitionist and politician Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810-1903).
Style through life
Reads as a strong, classical-feeling adult name in US English, carrying the gravitas of a Roman family name and the specific historical resonance of Muhammad Ali's birth name. Three syllables with a somewhat unusual English spelling (the "-ius" ending is uncommon among common US given names), which can require some early spelling correction, though the anglicized pronunciation ("KASH-us") is not itself difficult once learned.
Regional and cultural use
Originated as a Roman family name (nomen gentilicium) rather than a personal given name in antiquity; its modern use as a first name draws heavily on its association with 20th-century American history via Muhammad Ali's birth name.
CULTURAL REFERENCES
Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)
Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810-1903)
Bottom line
On its own, Cassius holds up well, with a single specific point worth checking before you decide. If it stays on the shortlist, show the written name to someone seeing it for the first time and note where their pronunciation lands.