The name Aelius is a Roman family name, possibly derived from the Greek word ἥλιος (helios), meaning 'sun'. It is most famously associated with the Roman emperor Hadrian, whose full name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus. The name carries connotations of light and radiance, reflecting its etymological roots in the Greek word for 'sun'. The Aelia gens, to which this name belongs, was a prominent plebeian family in Rome, with a history spanning nearly eight centuries.