Cecelia
Girl name · #529 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Cecelia? In official American birth records, Cecelia has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Cecelia is currently the #529 girl name in the United States — 569 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #544, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,163 girls born in 2025 was named Cecelia.
The 145-year story
Cecelia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 47 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 935 girls were named Cecelia — good for #204 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Cecelia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cecelia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cecelia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cecelia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Cecelia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cecelia is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Cecelia is most common in MA (1.3 per 1,000), IA (1.1 per 1,000), OH (1 per 1,000), MN (0.9 per 1,000), OR (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Cecelia is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Cecelia
Cecelia belongs to the Cecilia family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Cecilia family went to about 3,075 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #82, versus #529 for Cecelia alone.
Names like Cecelia
Statistically, parents drawn to Cecelia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Celia, Estella, Carmella, Leona, and Flora.
CeliaEstellaCarmellaLeonaFloraCarmelaBeatriceDella
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cecelia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 569 | #529 |
| 2024 | 530 | #570 |
| 2023 | 617 | #497 |
| 2022 | 599 | #519 |
| 2021 | 548 | #560 |
| 2020 | 511 | #572 |
| 2019 | 557 | #545 |
| 2018 | 512 | #594 |
| 2017 | 585 | #529 |
| 2016 | 579 | #537 |
| 2015 | 572 | #544 |
| 2014 | 535 | #571 |
| 2013 | 535 | #552 |
| 2012 | 484 | #596 |
| 2011 | 434 | #656 |
| 2010 | 377 | #739 |
| 2009 | 393 | #737 |
| 2008 | 387 | #760 |
| 2007 | 367 | #784 |
| 2006 | 423 | #673 |
| 2005 | 420 | #659 |
| 2004 | 386 | #697 |
| 2003 | 341 | #745 |
| 2002 | 328 | #740 |
| 2001 | 313 | #763 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cecelia?
In official American birth records, the name Cecelia first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 47 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Cecelia a popular girl name?
Cecelia ranked #529 among girls in 2025 with 569 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #544.
When was the name Cecelia most popular?
Cecelia peaked in 1918, when 935 American girls received the name (ranked #204 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cecelia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,163 newborn American girls was named Cecelia. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.