Girl nameCurrently #123 in the USSteady
Cecilia
suh-SEEL-yuh//səˈsiːljə//
4 syllablesPeak year: 20247 lettersStarts with C
Meaning & origin
Blind (from Roman family name Caecilius)
Cecilia comes from the Roman family name Caecilius, related to the Latin 'caecus', meaning blind, though the name is far better known through Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Its musical association and elegant sound have kept it a beloved classic.
Cecilia's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Cecilia |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 44 |
| 1881 | 39 |
| 1882 | 37 |
| 1883 | 39 |
| 1884 | 63 |
| 1885 | 71 |
| 1886 | 68 |
| 1887 | 83 |
| 1888 | 97 |
| 1889 | 89 |
| 1890 | 91 |
| 1891 | 121 |
| 1892 | 138 |
| 1893 | 126 |
| 1894 | 144 |
| 1895 | 138 |
| 1896 | 168 |
| 1897 | 160 |
| 1898 | 213 |
| 1899 | 205 |
| 1900 | 249 |
| 1901 | 196 |
| 1902 | 195 |
| 1903 | 218 |
| 1904 | 250 |
| 1905 | 237 |
| 1906 | 219 |
| 1907 | 234 |
| 1908 | 263 |
| 1909 | 257 |
| 1910 | 287 |
| 1911 | 342 |
| 1912 | 453 |
| 1913 | 485 |
| 1914 | 525 |
| 1915 | 723 |
| 1916 | 685 |
| 1917 | 704 |
| 1918 | 755 |
| 1919 | 746 |
| 1920 | 757 |
| 1921 | 761 |
| 1922 | 733 |
| 1923 | 742 |
| 1924 | 768 |
| 1925 | 705 |
| 1926 | 722 |
| 1927 | 654 |
| 1928 | 570 |
| 1929 | 500 |
| 1930 | 572 |
| 1931 | 459 |
| 1932 | 468 |
| 1933 | 431 |
| 1934 | 438 |
| 1935 | 487 |
| 1936 | 507 |
| 1937 | 560 |
| 1938 | 549 |
| 1939 | 562 |
| 1940 | 629 |
| 1941 | 675 |
| 1942 | 831 |
| 1943 | 842 |
| 1944 | 709 |
| 1945 | 656 |
| 1946 | 802 |
| 1947 | 973 |
| 1948 | 960 |
| 1949 | 944 |
| 1950 | 921 |
| 1951 | 954 |
| 1952 | 984 |
| 1953 | 1,038 |
| 1954 | 984 |
| 1955 | 1,004 |
| 1956 | 997 |
| 1957 | 1,057 |
| 1958 | 1,002 |
| 1959 | 1,042 |
| 1960 | 1,036 |
| 1961 | 965 |
| 1962 | 1,055 |
| 1963 | 869 |
| 1964 | 840 |
| 1965 | 733 |
| 1966 | 644 |
| 1967 | 620 |
| 1968 | 550 |
| 1969 | 545 |
| 1970 | 621 |
| 1971 | 604 |
| 1972 | 577 |
| 1973 | 508 |
| 1974 | 539 |
| 1975 | 512 |
| 1976 | 516 |
| 1977 | 520 |
| 1978 | 561 |
| 1979 | 641 |
| 1980 | 660 |
| 1981 | 690 |
| 1982 | 671 |
| 1983 | 649 |
| 1984 | 733 |
| 1985 | 663 |
| 1986 | 693 |
| 1987 | 755 |
| 1988 | 728 |
| 1989 | 820 |
| 1990 | 853 |
| 1991 | 973 |
| 1992 | 1,027 |
| 1993 | 1,005 |
| 1994 | 969 |
| 1995 | 1,128 |
| 1996 | 1,072 |
| 1997 | 962 |
| 1998 | 1,060 |
| 1999 | 1,103 |
| 2000 | 1,137 |
| 2001 | 1,165 |
| 2002 | 1,171 |
| 2003 | 1,162 |
| 2004 | 1,183 |
| 2005 | 1,189 |
| 2006 | 1,245 |
| 2007 | 1,242 |
| 2008 | 1,259 |
| 2009 | 1,235 |
| 2010 | 1,202 |
| 2011 | 1,317 |
| 2012 | 1,463 |
| 2013 | 1,434 |
| 2014 | 1,640 |
| 2015 | 1,782 |
| 2016 | 1,827 |
| 2017 | 1,815 |
| 2018 | 1,809 |
| 2019 | 1,861 |
| 2020 | 1,859 |
| 2021 | 2,095 |
| 2022 | 2,006 |
| 2023 | 2,057 |
| 2024 | 2,238 |
Cecilia through the decades
- Cecilia peaked in 2024, when 2,238 babies were named Cecilia in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Cecilia has risen 46% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Cecilia currently ranks #123 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
CeceCelia
Variants & spellings
CeceliaCecily
Famous people named Cecilia
- Saint Cecilia — patron saint of music