Girl · #13,455 in 2026

Candela

Candela is the SI unit of luminous intensity. It measures the luminous power per unit solid angle emitted in a particular direction. A common wax candle has a luminous intensity of roughly 1 cd.

  • Spanish
Current Rank
#13,455
Peak Rank
#8,330 (2005)
Total Babies
77
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2002
First Year
2023
Last Year
2005
Peak Year
#8330
Peak Rank
77
Total Count
10
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Candela

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Candela is the SI unit of luminous intensity. It measures the luminous power per unit solid angle emitted in a particular direction. A common wax candle has a luminous intensity of roughly 1 cd.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Spanish
Origin & history
Prior to 1948, various standards for luminous intensity were in use in a number of countries. These were typically based on the brightness of the flame from a "standard candle" of defined composition, or the brightness of an incandescent filament of specific design. One of the best-known of these was the English standard of candlepower. One candlepower was the light produced by a pure spermaceti candle weighing one sixth of a pound and burning at a rate of 120 grains per hour. Germany, Austria and Scandinavia used the Hefnerkerze , a unit based on the output of a Hefner lamp . 1=radiating tube

The Story of Candela

Candela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2002, with 12 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2005: 13 births, good for #8,330 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 71% of all recorded Candelas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 77 Candelas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Candela

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Candela. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Candela

Phonetically similar names — useful when Candela is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Candella
  • Condello
  • Candelas
  • Candle
  • Candles
  • Candel
  • Candler
  • Kandel
  • Candled
  • Candil
  • Gondola
  • Cannula

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Candela

What does the name Candela mean?
Candela is the SI unit of luminous intensity. It measures the luminous power per unit solid angle emitted in a particular direction. A common wax candle has a luminous intensity of roughly 1 cd.
What is the origin of the name Candela?
Candela has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Spanish.
How popular is Candela in 2026?
In 2026, Candela ranks #13,455 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Candela most popular?
Candela reached its peak popularity in 2005, ranking #8,330 that year with 13 babies given the name.
Is Candela a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Candela is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Candela?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Candela include Malyn, Paraskevi, Dianara. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Candela?
Common variants and related forms of Candela include Cande, Candelaria, Candelas. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

👧
Malyn
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👧
Paraskevi
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👧
Dianara
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👧
Haniyyah
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👧
Yaa
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👧
Jadda
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Nehemie
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Jarissa
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About the name Candela

Candela is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2002 and has accumulated 77 births in the dataset. Candela's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #8,330. Use the chart and map above to compare Candela's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.