Girl · #836 in 2026

Cynthia

Cynthia is a feminine given name. It is often thought to be of Greek origin, but words and names with "inth" are actually Pre-Greek names belonging to another language family, before the Indo-European migrations. The name has been in use in the Anglosphere since the 17th century.

  • English
  • French
  • Dutch
  • Greek Mythology
Current Rank
#836
Peak Rank
#7 (1957)
Total Babies
712K
5-Yr Trend
-16%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1957
Peak Year
#7
Peak Rank
712K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Cynthia

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

Cynthia is a feminine given name. It is often thought to be of Greek origin, but words and names with "inth" are actually Pre-Greek names belonging to another language family, before the Indo-European migrations. The name has been in use in the Anglosphere since the 17th century.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • French
  • Dutch
  • Greek Mythology

The Story of Cynthia

Cynthia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 61 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1957: 39,340 births, good for #7 nationwide. The 1950s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 37% of all recorded Cynthias. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #836 among baby girl names with 325 births, falling sharply (-16%). In total, more than 712K Cynthias 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

Variants & Related Forms of Cynthia

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

Notable people named Cynthia

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

  • Amy Elizabeth Thorpe (1910–1963), Anglo-American spy codenamed "Cynthia"
  • Cinthia Zermeño Moore , American politician
  • Cintia Dicker (born 1986), Brazilian model and actress
  • Cyndi Lauper (born Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper, 1953), American singer, songwriter, and actress
  • Cynthia (born Cynthia Torres, 1968), Puerto Rican-American freestyle- and dance-pop singer
  • Cynthia or Cindy Bishop (born 1978), Thai model, actress, TV personality, and entrepreneur
  • Cynthia or Cindy Bremser (born 1953), American runner
  • Cynthia or Cindy Greiner (born 1957), American retired heptathlete and long jumper

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

Names that sound like Cynthia

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cynthia 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 Cynthia

What does the name Cynthia mean?
Cynthia is a feminine given name. It is often thought to be of Greek origin, but words and names with "inth" are actually Pre-Greek names belonging to another language family, before the Indo-European migrations. The name has been in use in the Anglosphere since the 17th century.
What is the origin of the name Cynthia?
Cynthia has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, French, Dutch, Greek Mythology.
How popular is Cynthia in 2026?
In 2026, Cynthia ranks #836 among girls' names in the U.S., with 325 babies given the name that year.
When was Cynthia most popular?
Cynthia reached its peak popularity in 1957, ranking #7 that year with 39,340 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Cynthia most popular?
Cynthia has historically been most popular in Florida, North Dakota, Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cynthia.
Is Cynthia a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Cynthia is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Cynthia?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cynthia include Ida, Bertha, Clara. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Cynthia?
Common variants and related forms of Cynthia include Cindi, Cindy, Cyndi, Kynthia, Sindy. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

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Clara
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Marie
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Alice
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About the name Cynthia

Cynthia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 712K births in the dataset. Cynthia's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #7. Use the chart and map above to compare Cynthia'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.