Adrianus

Adrianus is a masculine given name of Latin origin. It is the Latin form of Adrian and the adjectival form Hadrianus, meaning “of Hadrian” or “from Adria.” The root is linked to Adria, an ancient city in northern Italy, and by extension to the Adriatic region. In Roman times, Adrianus appeared in Latin texts as a personal name; with the spread of Christianity, the name was used by saints, scholars, and clergy, and was subsequently Latinized in scholarly and ecclesiastical records.

In modern use, Adrianus has been adopted in various European languages with local variants. Dutch and Flemish use Adrianus and Adriaan; French uses Adrien; Italian uses Adriano; Spanish and Portuguese use Adrián or Adriano; English historically used Adrien or Hadrian, while the form Adrianus appears most often in Latinized or historical documents. In Indonesia, Catholic and other communities influenced by Dutch naming practices sometimes retain the Latin form Adrianus.

Notable bearers include saints in early Christian hagiography and medieval scholars who are recorded with Latinized names. The name remains in use today primarily in Dutch-speaking communities, as well as in countries with Catholic or classical-education traditions, where it may be shortened to Adrien, Adriaan, or Adrian.