Adrian is a form of the Latin

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the

Venetic Venetic is an extinct Indo-European language, usually classified into the Italic subgroup, that was spoken by the Veneti people in ancient times in northeast Italy (Veneto and Friuli) and part of modern Slovenia, between the Po Delta and ...

and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the main channel of the

Po River The Po ( , ; la, Padus or ; Ligurian language (ancient), Ancient Ligurian: or ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is either or , if the Maira (river), Mair ...

into the Adriatic Sea but ceased to exist before the 1st century BC.

Hecataeus of Miletus Hecataeus of Miletus (; el, Ἑκαταῖος ὁ Μιλήσιος; c. 550 BC – c. 476 BC), son of Hegesander, was an early Greek historian and geographer. Biography Hailing from a very wealthy family, he lived in Miletus, then under Per ...

(c.550 – c.476 BC) asserted that both the

Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *The Etruscan language, an extinct language in ancient Italy *Something derived from or related to the Etruscan civilization **Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan ...

harbor city of Adria and the Adriatic Sea had been named after it. Emperor

Hadrian Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...

's family was named after the city or region of Adria/Hadria, now Atri, in

Picenum Picenum was a region of ancient Italy. The name is an exonym assigned by the Romans, who conquered and incorporated it into the Roman Republic. Picenum was ''Regio V'' in the Augustan territorial organization of Roman Italy. Picenum was also ...

, which most likely started as an Etruscan or Greek colony of the older harbor city of the same name. Several

saints In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual res ...

and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, although it did not become common until modern times.

Religion

* Pope Adrian I (c. 700–795) * Pope Adrian II (792–872) * Pope Adrian III (died 885) *

Pope Adrian IV Pope Adrian IV ( la, Adrianus IV; born Nicholas Breakspear (or Brekespear); 1 September 1159, also Hadrian IV), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 4 December 1154 to his death in 1159. He is the only Englishman t ...

(c. 1100–1159), English pope * Pope Adrian V (c. 1205–1276) *

Adrian of Batanea Saint Adrian (died 308) travelled from Batanea to Caesarea Palaestina, where he was martyred together with Saint Eubulus. He is commemorated on 5 March; Eubulus on 7 March. Legend Eubulus had traveled with Adrian of Batanea to visit and mini ...

(died 308), Christian martyr and saint * Adrian of Canterbury (died 710), scholar and Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury *

Adrian of Castello Adriano Castellesi (-), also known as Adriano de Castello or Hadrian de Castello, was an Italian cardinal, an English agent in Rome, and a writer. He was born in Corneto, which is today's Tarquinia. He was the child of a modest family. Biograph ...

(1460–1521), Italian cardinal and writer * Adrian of May (died 875), Scottish saint from the Isle of May, martyred by Vikings *

Adrian of Moscow Patriarch Adrian (; born Andrey, Андрей; 2 October 1638 – 16 October 1700) was the last pre-revolutionary Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. According to historian Alexander Avdeyev, the future Patriarch Adrian was born in the last da ...

(1627–1700), last pre-revolutionary Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia *

Adrian of Nicomedia Adrian of Nicomedia (also known as Hadrian) or Saint Adrian ( el, Ἁδριανὸς Νικομηδείας, Adrianos Nikomēdeias, died 4 March 306) was a Herculian Guard of the Roman Emperor Galerius Maximian. After becoming a convert to Chr ...

(died 306), martyr and Herculian Guard of the Roman Emperor Galerius Maximian *

Adrian of Ondrusov Venerable Adrian of Ondrusov (died August 26, 1549) was a Russian Orthodox monk and saint, venerated as a Wonderworker. Born Andrew Zavalushin into a noble family, he was the owner of a rich estate (Andreevschina), which was located not far from ...

(died 1549), Russian Orthodox saint and wonder-worker * Adrian of Poshekhonye (died 1550), Russian Orthodox saint, hegumen of Dormition monastery in Yaroslavl region * Adrian of Transylvania (fl. 1183–1201), Hungarian bishop and chancellor * Adrian Fortescue (martyr) (1476–1539), English courtier at Henry VIII's court, beatified as a Roman Catholic martyr *

Adrian Gouffier de Boissy Adrian Gouffier de Boissy (died 1523) was a French people, French Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Bishop (Catholic Church), bishop and Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal. Biography A member of the Gouffier family, Adrian Gouffier de Boissy was born ...

(1479–1523), French Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal *

Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu (15 July 1923 – 30 December 2009) was a Ugandan Catholic priest who served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Masaka, in Uganda, from 11 November 1961 until 10 January 1998. Background and priesthood He was born on ...

(1923–2009), Ugandan Roman Catholic bishop *

Adrian Leo Doyle Adrian Leo Doyle AM (born 16 November 1936) is an Australian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the tenth Archbishop of Hobart. Early life and education Adrian Doyle was born in Hobart, Tasmania, to Leo and Gertrude (née O'Donnel ...

(born 1936), Australian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church

Government and politics

Adrian Amstutz Adrian Amstutz (born 2 December 1953) is a Swiss politician. He was a member of the Swiss National Council from the Canton of Berne from 2003 to 2019. Life Amstutz was born and lives in the rural village of Sigriswil. As a young man, he served ...

(born 1953), Swiss politician *

Adrian Arnold Adrian King Arnold (April 27, 1932 - December 15, 2018) was an American politician in the state of Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of th ...

(1932–2018), American politician * Adrian Bailey (born 1945), British politician *

Adrian Baillie Sir Adrian William Maxwell Baillie, 6th Baronet DL (5 May 1898 – 8 January 1947) was a British MP for two constituencies. Early life Baillie was born on 5 May 1898. He was the second son of Sir Robert Alexander Baillie, 4th Baronet (1859� ...

(1898–1947), British politician *

Adrian A. Basora Adrian Anthony Basora (born July 18, 1938) is an American diplomat, and former United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic. He is a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute researching democratization in the post-Communist states ...

(born 1938), American diplomat *

Adrian Benepe Adrian Benepe was the 14th Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, serving in that role from February 4, 2002, to August 29, 2012, under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. During his tenure, he oversaw 7,000 parks' staff, the ex ...

, American Commissioner * Adrian Bennett (1933–2006), Australian politician *

Adrian Benjamin Bentzon Adrian Benjamin Bentzon (22 April 1777 – 15 January 1827) was Governor of the Danish West Indies from 1816 to 1820. Biography He was born in Tønsberg, Norway. He was the son of Hans Jacob Bentzon (1739–1810) and Sophia Hedvig Købke ( ...

(1777–1827), Norwegian politician *

Adrian Berry, 4th Viscount Camrose Adrian Michael Berry, 4th Viscount Camrose (15 June 1937 – 19 April 2016) was a British hereditary peer, journalist, and global warming denier. Biography Berry was born in 1937, the elder son of Michael Berry, who was later created Lord ...

(1937–2016), British hereditary peer and journalist *

Adrian P. Burke Adrian Paul Burke (October 2, 1904 in The Bronx, New York City – September 3, 2000 in Lauderhill, Broward County, Florida) was an American lawyer and politician. Life He was the son of Thomas F. Burke and Rose Mary (Daw) Burke. He graduated from ...

(1904–2000), American judge and politician *

Adrián Fernández Cabrera Adrián Fernández Cabrera (born 28 October 1967) is a Mexican politician from the National Action Party. From 2006 to 2009 he served as Deputy of the LX Legislature of the Mexican Congress representing the Federal District A federal distr ...

(born 1967), Mexican politician *

Adrian Cochrane-Watson Adrian Cochrane-Watson (born 18 February 1967) is an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim between 2015 and 2016. He succeeded Danny Kinahan Daniel de Burgh Kinahan (b ...

(born 1967), Irish politician *

Adrian Davis (civil servant) Adrian Derek Davis is a British economist and civil servant, who was the Governor of Montserrat from 2011 to 2015. From 1989, he worked for the Department for International Development, and before that its predecessor, the Overseas Developmen ...

, British economist and civil servant * Adrian Delia (born 1969), Maltese politician * Adrian Fenty (born 1970), American politician, mayor of Washington D.C. *

Adrian Flook Adrian John Flook (born 9 July 1963) is a British Conservative politician, and a former Member of Parliament (MP). Early life Flook was educated at King Edward School, Bath and Mansfield College, Oxford where he studied (BA) Modern History. H ...

(born 1963), British politician * Adrian Foster (politician), Canadian politician * Adrian Hasler (born 1964), Liechtenstein politician * Adrian Knatchbull-Hugessen (1891–1976), Canadian lawyer and senator * Adrián Vázquez Lázara (born 1982), Spanish politician *

Adrian Molin Adrian Leopold Molin (5 March 188010 August 1942) was a Swedish far-right writer and political activist. Early ideas Born in Varberg, Molin attended the University of Gothenburg and received his doctorate from the institution in 1906.Franklin Dani ...

(1880–1942), Swedish writer and political activist * Adrian Năstase (born 1950), Romanian politician *

Adrian Neritani Adrian Neritani was the Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations. He assumed the position in 2006, replacing Agim Nesho, and remained in it until 2009. Concurrently he served as non-resident ambassador to Cuba. Education N ...

, former Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations *

Adrián Rivera Pérez Adrián Rivera Pérez (born 8 July 1962) is a Mexican politician affiliated with the PAN. As of 2013 he served as Senator of the LX and LXI Legislatures of the Mexican Congress representing Morelos. He also served as Deputy during the LVIII Le ...

(born 1962), Mexican politician *

Adrian Piccoli Adrian Piccoli (born 24 March 1970) is a former Australian politician who represented the electoral district of Murray in the New South Wales L