At a Glance
- Meaning
- Likely a theophoric name meaning 'dedicated to En,' a local Messapian deity
- Origin
- Messapian (pre-Roman southern Italian)
- Gender
- Boy
- Pronunciation
- EN-ee-us
Ennius is a Messapian (pre-Roman southern Italian) boy's name meaning “likely a theophoric name meaning 'dedicated to En,' a local Messapian deity”. It appears in our list of 175+ Latin Baby Boy Names Rooted in Ancient Rome.
Meaning & Origin of Ennius
Meaning: Likely a theophoric name meaning 'dedicated to En,' a local Messapian deity.
Origin: Messapian (pre-Roman southern Italian).
A common claim: Sometimes said to mean 'nine,' linked to an Oscan/Sabine numeral (and sometimes tied to being a ninth child or the nine Muses) Actually: The 'nine' connection is an old folk/numerological association recorded in ancient sources; modern etymological scholarship instead favors a Messapian theophoric root meaning 'dedicated to En.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Ennius
EN-ee-usIPA /ˈɛniəs/
Popularity of Ennius
Ennius doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.
Lists That Include Ennius
Similar Names
Sallust · Cincinnatus · Flaccus · Tacitus · Varro · Priscus
