Girl · #123 in 2026

Cecilia

Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music.

Current Rank
#123
Peak Rank
#123 (2026)
Total Babies
113K
5-Yr Trend
+14%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#123
Peak Rank
113K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Cecilia

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

Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music.

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

Origin & history
The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy , where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for girls born that year), and the United States , where it has ranked among the top 500 names for girls for more than 100 years. It also ranked among the top 100 names for girls born in Sweden in the early years of the 21st century, and was formerly popular in France. The name "Cecilia" applied generally to Roman women who belonged to the plebeian clan of the Caecilii . Legends and hagiographies, mistaking it for a personal name, suggest fanciful etymologies.

The Story of Cecilia

Cecilia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 44 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 2,261 Cecilias were born — ranking #123 that year. As of 2026, Cecilia ranks #123 for baby girls with 2,261 births, gradually rising (+14%). In total, more than 113K Cecilias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s 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

Notable people named Cecilia

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Saint Cecilia , 2nd century virgin martyr and patron saint of musicians and church music
  • Cecilia of Normandy (died 1126), thought to be the daughter of William the Conqueror
  • Cecilia (royal mistress) (died after 1459), royal mistress and later morganatic wife of Eric of Pomerania, king of Denmark, Norway and Sweden
  • Princess Cecilia of Sweden (1540–1627)
  • Princess Cecilia of Sweden (1807–1844)
  • Cecilia (Norwegian singer) , Spanish singer-songwriter Evangelina Sobredo Galanes (born 1967)
  • Cecilia Angmadlok Angutialuk (born 1938), Canadian Inuk artist
  • Cecilia Arizti (1856-1930), Cuban composer, pianist and music educator.

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

Names that sound like Cecilia

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cecilia 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 Cecilia

What does the name Cecilia mean?
Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music.
How popular is Cecilia in 2026?
In 2026, Cecilia ranks #123 among girls' names in the U.S., with 2,261 babies given the name that year.
When was Cecilia most popular?
Cecilia reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #123 that year with 2,261 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Cecilia most popular?
Cecilia has historically been most popular in New Mexico, Arizona, Nebraska. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cecilia.
Is Cecilia a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Cecilia is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Cecilia?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cecilia include Aimee, Callie, Lou. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Aimee
Peak #123
👧
Callie
Peak #122
👧
Lou
Peak #122
👧
Eula
Peak #122
👧
Charlie
Peak #122
👧
Gayle
Peak #124
👧
Carly
Peak #122
👧
Alina
Peak #125

About the name Cecilia

Cecilia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 113K births in the dataset. Cecilia's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #123. Use the chart and map above to compare Cecilia'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.