Unlike Adolf, Joseph, Mao or Ivan, who have other namesakes besides the tyrants, the only person with the name Caligula is the tyrannical emperor and the only person anyone will think of. And ‘Little Boot’ as the meaning?
Just because a psychopathic emperor who had people killed for his entertainment, bragged to men about his rape of their wives, bedded his sisters and pimped them out, paraded his enormous ego, and created general terror and unrest bore this name, that does not mean that someone bearing that name will be like that.Who knows? A Caligula could be a humanitarian. And there's the nickname "Cali"!
I would burst out laughing if anyone named their son this. Caligula was very insane and weird, doing many bizarre things in his life. Besides, this name sounds rather ridiculous.
Now, folks, some of you may think this name just sounds cool, and that people still name their kids Joseph in spite of Stalin. But seriously: how many Caligulas have you heard of during your lifetime? It would immediately remind people of the cruel historical figure. People would think you are mad if you used the name, because the default assumption would be that it's a weird statement. Besides, the name is quite weird-sounding.
Caligula was born as Gaius Iulius Caesar Germanicus on August 31, 12, at the resort of Antium, the third of six surviving children born to Augustus's adopted grandson, Germanicus, and Augustus's granddaughter, Agrippina the Elder. Germanicus was son to Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was an older brother to Claudius. Agrippina was daughter to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder. They had four other sons Tiberius and Gaius Julius, who died young; Nero, Drusus, and three daughters Julia Livilla, Drusilla and Agrippina the younger.
― Anonymous User 4/30/2006
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Haha, sounds like the name for a pet dog---a German Shephard or Siberian Husky to be exact or more like a big, 'vicious' dog like in that kids movie The Sandlot (the dog's name was Hercules wasnt it? And to me, that sounds better and for a dog like that? Ugh). It's a shame, really. I always felt bad for and liked the nickname Caliggy. Caliggy... *sob*. I doubt anyone would name their child this. I've never met or heard of a bearer of this name other than the former.
― Anonymous User 4/29/2006
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This is a hideous name once you look at it and the ones who bore this name. Caligula was a vicious emperor but halfly hilarious (maybe that's because everytime I hear this name I picture an insane, absurdly laughable dictator). Wouldn't recommend this name to anyone in these times, unless you want to be named after an infamous and insane emperor in history and addingly, if you like a name with the last letters rhyming with 'dracula.'
― Anonymous User 4/14/2006
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The name does not make the person. (I happen to know someone named Adolfo-doesn't make him Hitler-and how many Josephs are there in the world who don't end up being Russian dictators?) Either way, the history surrounding Caligula's famed devious doings is rather obscure. The only thing bad about this name is its prolonged bad reputation.
Caligula was one of the most messed up people in history. There's more bad history to him than I can remember, but he was supposedly a pedophile, pervert, and participant in incest. Not somebody you want to name your kid after.