Boy · #12,301 in 2026

Cerulean

Name: Popularity of the name Cerulean in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Cerulean, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

The color cerulean, or caerulean, is a variety of the hue of blue that may range from a light azure blue to a more intense sky blue. Cerulean may also be mixed with the hue of green. The first recorded use of cerulean as a color name in English was in 1590.

Current Rank

#12,301

Peak Rank

#10,774 (2017)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

2017

First Year

2024

Last Year

2017

Peak Year

#10774

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Cerulean

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

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

Origin & history

Cobalt stannate pigment was first synthesized in 1789 by the Swiss chemist Albrecht Höpfner by heating roasted cobalt and tin oxides together. Subsequently, there was limited German production under the name of Cölinblau . [ citation needed ] It was generally known as Höpfner blue from the late eighteenth century until the middle of the nineteenth century. In the late 1850s, art suppliers begin referring to the pigment as "ceruleum" blue. The London Times of 28 December 1859 had an advertisement for "Caeruleum, a new permanent color prepared for the use of artists." Ure's Dictionary of Arts fr

The Story of Cerulean

Cerulean first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2017, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 6 Ceruleans were born — ranking #10,774 that year. As of 2026, Cerulean ranks #12,301 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 28 Ceruleans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Cerulean

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

Chilean
Chilian
Chilien
Julian
Julien
Aurelian
Karelian
Julianne
Julienne
Cilium
Cerumen
Cerulli

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cerulean

What does the name Cerulean mean?

How popular is Cerulean in 2026?

In 2026, Cerulean ranks #12,301 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Cerulean most popular?

Cerulean reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #10,774 that year with 6 babies given the name.

Is Cerulean a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Cerulean is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Cerulean?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cerulean include Rayo, Elrick, Stamatis. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Cerulean

Cerulean is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2017 and has accumulated 28 births in the dataset. Cerulean's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #10,774. Use the chart and map above to compare Cerulean'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.