Septimus is the Latin word for
seventh, and the name belongs to the same class as the masculine praenomina
Quintus, Sextus, Octavius, Nonus, and
Decimus, as well as the feminine names
Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, Quinta, Sexta, Octavia, Nona, and
Decima. Originally, the praenomen was probably used for a seventh child, seventh son, or seventh daughter. However, it has also been postulated that such names referred to the month of the year in which a child was born. This explanation does not seem to account for the relative scarcity of
Septimus, Octavius, or
Nonus; but because parents were generally free to choose any name they wished, irrespective of its meaning, it may have been used for either reason. The
Oscan cognate of Septimus is
Seppius or
Seppiis. It seems to have been a relatively common praenomen. ==See also==