Gaius is a Roman praenomen, or given name, with an uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from the Latin verb 'gaudere', meaning 'to rejoice'. Alternatively, it may have an unknown Etruscan origin. The name was widely used in ancient Rome, with notable bearers including Gaius Julius Caesar, a prominent leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius, who later became the first Roman emperor, Augustus. The name also appears in the New Testament, associated with a bishop of Eph...