Meaning: Its source is Justinus, a Latin name meaning "Fair-minded."

Languages: This boy's name is used in German.

Popularity: The name Justus ranked 707th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics.

Narrative: This name was popular among early Christians, who favored names that celebrated cherished concepts like justice. This is understandable, given that many of the common names of the time -- such as Marcus, Demetrius, and Julius -- were based on the pantheon of rejected pagan gods.

The name received only moderate use in subsequent centuries, but then suddenly emerged as a powerhouse of the 1970s and 1980s. Though no obvious explanation is at hand, it is interesting to note that other boy names starting with ''J'' joined Justin in its rise to popularity -- including Jason, Jeremy, Jesse and Joshua.