Cecil
Cecil is a given name of Welsh origin.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Cecil
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Cecil is a given name of Welsh origin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Cecil
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Cecil as a girl name dates back to 1880, when 14 babies received it. 1916 was its biggest year on record, with 241 newborns named Cecil — #404 in the national rankings. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 24% of all recorded Cecils. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2022 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 8K Cecils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Cecil first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 45 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1920: 2,459 births, good for #77 nationwide. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 21% of all recorded Cecils. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,452 among boy names with 126 births, gradually rising (+14%). In total, more than 107K Cecils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Cecil
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cecil is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cecil
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About the name Cecil
Cecil is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 107K births in the dataset. Cecil's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #65. Use the chart and map above to compare Cecil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.