The name Fabius is derived from the Latin word 'faba', meaning 'bean'. It was a Roman family name, famously associated with Quintus Fabius Maximus, a Roman general known for his delaying tactics against Hannibal during the Second Punic War in the 3rd century BC. The name also has mythological roots, being associated with the son of Hercules in Roman mythology, and is considered the legendary founder of the Fabii, one of Rome's most ancient patrician families.