Probus as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Probus

What is the meaning of the name Probus ?

The baby name Probus is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced PROH-bəs (English), /ˈproʊbəs/.

Probus is Latin in Origin.

Probus is a Latin given name and cognomen deriving from the adjective probus, meaning “upright, honest, and virtuous,” the source of English probity. In the Roman naming system it functioned chiefly as a cognomen, most famously borne by the Illyrian-born emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus (AD 276–282). Late antique inscriptions and Christian martyrologies also record several clerics and martyrs named Probus, which helped carry the name into ecclesiastical Latin through the early medieval period.

Usage in the vernacular has always been rare, though it has seen occasional revival in scholarly or Catholic circles. Variants and related forms include Probo (Italian, Spanish) and the feminine Proba, known from the 4th‑century poet Faltonia Betitia Proba. The name’s clear moral sense makes it an appealing virtue choice, comparable to Fidelis or Justus, while retaining a distinctive classical profile.

⚙ Probus is exceptionally rare. Our whole dataset turns up only 3 recorded uses, across 2 countries.