Mostly girls · Feminine form of Cecil, Latin

Cecilia

“blind”

Say it suh-SEEL-yuhPronunciation may vary by region.

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A little maybe, saved for later.

The story behind the name

Meet Cecilia.

Cecilia is a lovely classic name deservedly enjoying a new turn in the sun. Always among the Top 500 girls' names in the US, Cecilia is now at its highest point ever.

Cecilia is a feminine form of Cecil, which was derived from a Roman clan name related to the Latin caecus, meaning "blind". While that may put some parents off, we say put that ancient meaning aside and focus on Cecilia's symbolic resonance in the contemporary world as a classy and classic name.

The martyred Saint Cecilia was designated the patron of musicians, either because she supposedly sang directly to God while the musicians played at her wedding, or because she sang to God as she was dying. The name was popularized in the Middle Ages as an homage to the Saint.

A little perspective

How popular is Cecilia?

United States · 2025
Girls · 2025#1082,506 recorded births

Recorded US births over time

201420252,5060
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
YearCategoryUS rankBirths
2025Girls1082,506
2024Girls1232,248
2023Girls1372,058
2022Girls1452,006
2021Girls1332,095
2020Girls1471,860
2019Girls1531,861
2018Girls1551,809
2017Girls1681,815
2016Girls1771,827
2015Girls1811,782
2014Girls2061,640

Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.

A few ways to make it theirs.

Nicknames

No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.

Variations & related forms

CécileSìleasSiljaSiselZiselCecilijaSíleCaeciliaCecyliaCilkaSilje

Keep the possibilities coming

If you love Cecilia…

More names with a similar feeling or shared roots.