Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word adur, meaning 'sea' or 'water'. The Adria was until the 8th century BC the main channel of the Po River into the Adriatic Sea but ceased to exist before the 1st century BC. Hecataeus of Miletus (c.550 - c.476 BC) asserted that both the Etruscan harbor city of Adria and the Adriatic Sea had been named after it. Emperor Hadrian's family was named after the city or region of Adria/Hadria, now Atri, in Picenum, which most likely started as an Etruscan or Greek colony of the older harbor city of the same name.
Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, although it did not become common until modern times.
Pope Adrian I (c. 700-795)
Pope Adrian II (792–872)
Pope Adrian III (died 885)
Pope Adrian IV (c. 1100–1159), English pope
Pope Adrian V (c. 1205–1276)
Pope Adrian VI (1459–1523), Dutch pope
Adrian of Batanea (died 308), Christian martyr and saint
Adrian of Canterbury (died 710), scholar and Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury
Adrian of Castello (1460–1521), Italian cardinal and writer
Adrian of May (died 875), Scottish saint from the Isle of May, martyred by Vikings
Adrian of Moscow (1627–1700), last pre-revolutionary Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
Adrian of Nicomedia (died 306), martyr and Herculian Guard of the Roman Emperor Galerius Maximian
Adrian of Ondrusov (died 1549), Russian Orthodox saint and wonder-worker
Adrian of Poshekhonye (died 1550), Russian Orthodox saint, hegumen of Dormition monastery in Yaroslavl region
Adrian Fortescue (martyr) (1476–1539), English courtier at Henry VIII's court, beatified as a Roman Catholic martyr
Adrian Gouffier de Boissy (1479–1523), French Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal
Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu (1923–2009), Ugandan Roman Catholic bishop
Adrian Leo Doyle (born 1936), Australian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
Government, politics and the military
Adrian Amstutz (born 1953), Swiss politician
Adrian Bailey (born 1945), British Labour Co-operative politician
Adrian von Bubenberg (1434–1479), Bernese knight, military commander and mayor
Adrian Carton de Wiart (1880–1963), Belgian-born British Army officer
Adrian Cole (1895–1966), Australian World War I flying ace
Adrian Fenty (born 1970), American politician, mayor of Washington D.C.
Adrian Hasler (born 1964), Liechtenstein politician
Adrian Johns (born 1951), English governor of Gibraltar and former senior officer in the Royal Navy
Adrian Năstase (born 1950), Romanian politician
Adrian von Renteln (1897–1946), Nazi commander in Lithuania
Adrian M. Smith (born 1970), American politician from Nebraska
Adrian Severin (born 1954), Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament
Adrian Dietrich Lothar von Trotha (1848–1920), German military commander in Africa
Adrian Warburton (1918–1944), British World War II pilot
Adrián Woll (1795–1875), French Mexican general during the Texas Revolution and the Mexican–American War
Adrian Albert (1905–1972), American mathematician
Adrian Bejan (born 1948), Romanian-born professor of mechanical engineering at Duke University
Adrian Beverland (1650–1716), Dutch philosopher and jurist who settled in England
Adrian Bird (born 1947), British geneticist
Adrian Curaj (born 1958), Romanian engineer
Adrian Darby (born 1937), British conservationist and academic
Adrian Goldsworthy (born 1969), British historian and author who writes mostly about ancient Roman history
Adrian Hardy Haworth (1767–1833), English entomologist, botanist and carcinologist
Adrian Jacobsen (1853–1947), Norwegian ethnologist and explorer
Adrián Recinos (1886–1962), Guatemalan historian, Mayanist and diplomat
Adrián (footballer) (born 1978), Spanish football goalkeeper
Adrian Adonis (1954–1988), American professional wrestler
Adrián Aldrete (born 1988), Mexican footballer
Adrian Aliaj (born 1976), Albanian footballer
Adrian Alston (born 1949), Australian soccer player
Adrian Amos (born 1993), American football player
Adrian Anca (born 1976), Romanian footballer
Adrián Annus (born 1973), Hungarian hammer thrower
Adrian Constantine Anson better known as Cap Anson (1852–1922), American baseball player
Adrian Apostol (born 1990), Romanian rugby player
Adrian Archibald (born 1969), British motorcycle racer
Adrián Argachá (born 1986), Uruguayan footballer
Adrian Autry (born 1972), American basketball player
Adrian Avrămia (born 1992), Romanian footballer
Adrian Aucoin (born 1973), Canadian National Hockey League player
Adrian Awasom (born 1983), Cameroon-born American football player
Adrian Aymes (born 1964), British cricketer
Adrian Barath (born 1990), West Indian cricketer
Adrián Bastía (born 1978), Argentine footballer
Adrián Beltré (born 1979), Dominican Republic baseball player
Adrián Berbia (born 1977), Uruguayan goalkeeper
Adrián Bone (born 1988), Ecuadorian footballer
Adrian Boothroyd (born 1971), English footballer and manager
Adrian Branch (born 1963), American basketball player
Adrian Buchan (born 1982), Australian surfer
Adrian Bumbescu (born 1960), Romanian footballer
Adrian Burnside (born 1977), Australian baseball player
Adrian Caldwell (born 1966), American basketball player
Adrián Calello (born 1987), Argentine footballer
Adrián Campos (born 1960), Spanish Formula One driver
Adrian Cann (born 1980), Canadian Major League Soccer player
Adrián Centurión (born 1993), Argentine footballer
Adrián Chávez (born 1962), Mexican footballer
Adrián Colunga (born 1984), Spanish footballer
Adrian Cosma (born 1950), Romanian handball player
Adrian Crișan (born 1980), Romanian table tennis player
Adrian Cristea (born 1983), Romanian footballer
Adrian Dantley (born 1956), American retired National Basketball Association (NBA) player
Adrian Diaconu (born 1978), Romanian professional boxer
Adrian Elrick (born 1949), New Zealand association footballer
Adrián Escudero (1927–2011), Spanish footballer
Adrián Fernández (born 1965), Mexican racing driver
Adrian Foster (born 1982), Canadian ice hockey player
Adrian Garvey (born 1968), Zimbabwean-born South African rugby union player
Adrián Gavira (born 1987), Spanish beach volleyball player
Adrian Gonzalez (born 1982), Mexican-American Major League Baseball player
Adrián Hernán González (born 1976), Argentine footballer
Adrián González Morales (born 1988), Spanish footballer
Adrian Griffin (born 1974), American retired NBA player
Adrián Gunino (born 1989), Uruguayan footballer
Adrian Gunnell (born 1972), English snooker player
Adrian Heath (born 1961), English football manager and former player
Adrián Hernández (boxer) (born 1986), Mexican boxer
Adrian Iencsi (born 1975), Romanian football player and manager
Adrian Ilie (born 1974), Romanian retired footballer
Adrian Joss (1880–1911), American baseball pitcher
Adrian Knup (born 1968), Swiss footballer
Adrian Kurek (born 1988), Polish road bicycle racer
Adrian Leijer (born 1986), Australian footballer
Adrian Lewis (born 1985), English darts player
Adrián López (born 1988), Spanish footballer
Adrián Luna (born 1992), Uruguayan footballer
Adrian Madaschi (born 1982), Australian footballer
Adrian Mannarino (born 1988), French tennis player
Adrian Mariappa (born 1986), English footballer
Adrián Martínez (born 1970), Mexican goalkeeper
Adrian Metcalfe (born 1942), British runner and sports broadcaster
Adrian Mierzejewski (born 1986), Polish footballer
Adrian Mihalcea (born 1976), Romanian footballer
Adrian Mikhalchishin (born 1954), Ukrainian chess grandmaster
Adrian Moorhouse (born 1964), English breaststroke swimmer
Adrian Morley (born 1977), English professional rugby player
Adrian Mutu (born 1979), Romanian footballer
Adrian Neaga (born 1979), Romanian footballer
Adrian Neville (born 1986), English professional wrestler
Adrian Newey (born 1958), British race car engineer and designer
Adrián Alonso Pereira (born 1988), Spanish futsal player
Adrian Peterson (born 1985), American NFL running back
Adrian Phillips (born 1992), American football player
Adrian Piţ (born 1983), Romanian footballer
Adrian Popa (born 1988), Romanian football striker
Adrian Popescu (born 1960), Romanian football defender
Adrian Pukanych (born 1981), Ukrainian footballer
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (born 1991), British race car driver
Adrian Quist (1913–1991), Australian male tennis player
Adrián Ramos (born 1986), Colombian footballer
Adrián Ricchiuti (born 1978), Argentine footballer
Adrián Romero (born 1977), Uruguayan footballer
Adrian Ropotan (born 1986), Romanian footballer
Adrian Sălăgeanu (born 1983), Romanian footballer
Adrian Schultheiss (born 1988), Swedish figure skater
Adrian Serioux (born 1979), Canadian soccer player
Adrian Sikora (born 1980), Polish footballer
Adrian Smith (basketball) (born 1936), American basketball player
Adrian Aas Stien (born 1992), Norwegian cyclist
Adrian Stoian (born 1991), Romanian footballer
Adrian Stoop (1883–1957), English rugby union player
Adrian Strzałkowski (born 1990), Polish long jumper
Adrian Sutil (born 1983), German Formula One racing driver
Adrian Tudor (born 1985), Romanian basketball player
Adrian Ungur (born 1985), Romanian tennis player
Adrián Vallés (born 1986), Spanish race car driver
Adrian Voinea (born 1974), Romanian tennis player
Adrian Wichser (born 1980), Swiss ice hockey player
Adrian Wilson (American football) (born 1979), American football safety
Adrian Winter (born 1986), Swiss football midfielder
Adrian Zaugg (born 1986), South African race car driver
Adrian Zieliński (born 1989), Polish weightlifter
Arts and entertainment
Adrian (costume designer) (1903–1959), born Adrian Adolph Greenberg, costume designer for over 250 films
Adrian (video gamer) (born 1997), American professional videogamer
Adrian Adlam (born 1963), British violinist and conductor
Adrian Aeschbacher (1912–2002), Swiss classical pianist
Adrian Allinson (1890–1959), British painter, potter and engraver
Adrián Alonso (born 1994), Mexican actor
Adrian Alphona, Canadian comic book artist
Adrian Anantawan (born 1986), Canadian violinist
Adrian Baker (born 1951), English singer, songwriter, and record producer
Adrian Batten (1591–1637), English organist
Adrian Belew (born 1949), American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer
Adrian Biddle (1952–2005), English cinematographer
Adrian Borland (1957–1999), English singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer
Adrian Boult (1889–1983), English conductor
Adrian Brunel (1892–1958), English film director and screenwriter
Adrián Caetano (born 1969), Uruguayan-Argentine film director, producer and screenplay writer
Adrian Carmack (born 1969), American video game artist
Adrian Chiles (born 1967), British television and radio presenter
Adrian Dunbar (born 1958), Northern Ireland actor
Adrian Edmondson better known as Ade Edmonson (born 1957), English actor, comedian, director, writer and musician
Adrian Enescu (born 1948), Romanian composer
Adrian Erlandsson (born 1970), Swedish heavy metal drummer
Adrian Fisher (musician) (1952-2000), former guitarist for Sparks (band)
Adrian Gaxha (born 1984), Macedonian singer-songwriter and producer
Adrian Ghenie (born 1977), Romanian painter
Adrian Gonzales (1937-1998), Filipino comic book artist
Adrian Grenier (born 1976), American actor, musician and director
Adrian Gurvitz (born 1949), English singer, musician and songwriter
Adrian Hates (born 1973), German dark wave musician
Adrian Hoven (1922–1981), Austrian actor, producer and film director
Adrian Ivaniţchi (born 1947), Romanian folk musician and guitarist
Adrian Jones (sculptor) (1845–1938), English sculptor and painter who specialized in animals, particularly horses
Adrian Kowanek (born 1977), Polish musician
Adrian Le Roy (1520–1598), French string player, composer, music publisher and educator
Adrian Leaper (born 1953), English conductor
Adrian Legg (born 1948), English guitar player
Adrian Lester (born 1968), British actor
Adrian Lulgjuraj (born 1980), Albanian rock singer
Adrian Lukis (born 1957), British actor
Adrian Lux (born 1986), Swedish discjockey and music producer
Adrian Lyne (born 1941), English filmmaker and producer
Adrian Martinez, American actor
Adrian Minune (born 1974), Romani-Romanian manele singer
Adrian Mitchell (1932–2008), English poet, novelist and playwright
Adrian Noble (born 1950), English theatre director
Adrian Pasdar (born 1965), American actor and film director
Adrian Paul (born 1959), English actor
Adrian Piotrovsky (1898–1937), Russian dramaturge
Adrian Piper (born 1948), American conceptual artist and philosophy professor
Adrian R'Mante (born 1978), American television actor
Adrian Rawlins (born 1958), English actor
Adrian Ludwig Richter (1803–1884), German painter and etcher
Adrián Rodríguez (born 1988), Spanish actor and singer from Catalonia
Adrian Rollini (1903–1956), American multi-instrumentalist best known for his jazz music
Adrian Ross (1859–1933), British lyricist
Adrian Scarborough (born 1968), English character actor
Adrian Scott (1912–1972), American screenwriter and film producer
Adrian Shaposhnikov (1888–1967), Russian classical composer
Adrian Sherwood (born 1958), English record producer
Adrian Sînă (born 1977), Romanian singer-songwriter and record producer
Adrian D. Smith (born 1944), American architect
Adrian Smith (born 1957), English musician and one of three guitarists/songwriters in the English band Iron Maiden
Adrian Scott Stokes (1854–1935), English landscape painter
Adrián Suar (born 1968), Argentine actor and media producer
Adrián Terrazas-González (born 1975), Mexican jazz composer and wind player
Adrian Thaws (born 1968), English musician and actor
Adrian Tomine (born 1974), American cartoonist
Adrian Utley (born 1957), English musician best known as a member of the band Portishead
Adrian Vandenberg (born 1954), Dutch rock guitarist
Adrian Willaert (c. 1490–1562), Flemish composer of the Renaissance and founder of the Venetian School
Adrian Young (born 1969), American drummer for the rock band No Doubt
Adrian Zingg (1734–1816), Swiss painter
Adrian Zmed (born 1954), American television personality and film actor
Adrian A. Basora (born 1938), American diplomat
Adrian Block (1567–1627), Dutch explorer of the American East Coast
Adrian Cioroianu (born 1967), Romanian historian, politician, journalist, and essayist
Adrian Conan Doyle (1910–1970), English race-car driver, big-game hunter, explorer, and writer
Adrian Cronauer (born 1938), American former lawyer and radio speaker
Adrian Diel (1756–1839), German physician
Adrian Finighan (born 1964), British journalist
Adrian Frutiger (born 1928), Swiss typeface designer
Adrian Fulford (born 1953), British judge
Adrian Geiges (born 1960), German writer and journalist
Adrian Anthony Gill (1954–2016), British writer and critic
Adrian Hanauer (born 1966), American businessman and minority owner and general manager of the Seattle Sounders FC
Adrian Holovaty (born 1981), American web developer, journalist and entrepreneur
Adrian van Hooydonk (born 1964), Dutch automobile designer
Adrian A. Husain (born 1945), Pakistani poet
Adrian Albert Jurgens (1886–1953), South African philatelist
Adrian Kantrowitz (1918–2008), American cardiac surgeon
Adrian Kashchenko (1858–1921), Ukrainian writer, historian of Zaporozhian Cossacks
Adrian Knox (1863–1932), Australian judge
Adrian Künzi (born 1973), Swiss banker
Adrian Lamo (born 1981), Colombian-American threat analyst and "grey hat" hacker
Adrian Lim (1942–1988), Singaporean serial killer
Adrian von Mynsicht (1603–1638), German alchemist
Adrian Păunescu (1943–2010), Romanian poet, journalist, and politician
Adrian Plass (born 1948), English author and speaker
Adrian Rogers (1931–2005), American pastor, conservative, author
Adrian Anthony Spears (1910–1991), American judge
Adrian Stephen (1883–1948), British author and psychoanalyst, brother of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell
Adrian Ursu (born 1968), Romanian journalist
Adrian Weale (born 1964), English writer, journalist, illustrator and photographer
Adrian Wewer (1836–1914), German-born American architect and Franciscan monk
Adrian Zecha (born 1933), Indonesian hotelier
Adrian Corbo, alias Flex, a Marvel Comics superhero
Adrian Ivashkov, character in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and protagonist in Bloodlines
Adrian Leverkühn, protagonist of Thomas Mann's Doctor Faustus
Adrian Mole, protagonist of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
Adrian Monk, protagonist of the television series Monk
Adrian Pennino, wife of Rocky Balboa
Adrian Shephard, protagonist of the Half-Life expansion "Half-Life: Opposing Force"
Alucard (Castlevania), Adrian Fahrenheit Ţepeş, in the Castlevania video games
Adrian Toomes, alias Vulture, a Marvel Comics villain
Adrian Veidt, alias Ozymandias, character in the Watchmen graphic novel series
Adrian, spawn of Satan in the film Rosemary's Baby
