Brutus is a cognomen of the Roman gens Junia, a prominent family of the Roman Republic. The plural of Brutus is Bruti, and the vocative form is Brute, as used in the quotation "Et tu, Brute?" ("you too, Brutus?"), from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
Notable ancient Romans with this cognomen include:
Lucius Junius Brutus – traditional founder of the Republic, whose sons were:
Tiberius Junius Brutus
Titus Junius Brutus
Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger – Julius Caesar's friend and most famous assassin
Marcus Junius Brutus the Elder — father of the aforementioned assassin
Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus – commander and another one of Caesar's assassins
Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus – commander and consul of Hispania Ulterior from 138 BC to 136 BC
Gaius Junius Bubulcus Brutus – consul from 317 BC
Lucius Junius Brutus was also used as a pseudonym of William Cranch
