Cecil
Boy name · #1486 in 2025 · Uniqueness 61/100
Cecil is currently the #1486 boy name in the United States — 119 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1468, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,126 boys born in 2025 was named Cecil.
Babies named Cecil per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Cecil first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 45 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 2,459 boys were named Cecil — good for #77 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cecil against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cecil in class?
Cecil scores 61 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Cecil is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cecil is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Cecils were TX (10), TN (8), CA (7), FL (7), MO (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Cecil
Statistically, parents drawn to Cecil tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Virgil, Chester, Cyril, Carmen, and Clarence.
VirgilChesterCyrilCarmenClarenceEarlLloydBasil
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cecil | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 119 | #1486 |
| 2024 | 122 | #1481 |
| 2023 | 117 | #1508 |
| 2022 | 114 | #1559 |
| 2021 | 114 | #1538 |
| 2020 | 97 | #1647 |
| 2019 | 98 | #1652 |
| 2018 | 114 | #1506 |
| 2017 | 103 | #1575 |
| 2016 | 103 | #1585 |
| 2015 | 114 | #1468 |
| 2014 | 99 | #1588 |
| 2013 | 114 | #1444 |
| 2012 | 97 | #1602 |
| 2011 | 91 | #1656 |
| 2010 | 78 | #1850 |
| 2009 | 88 | #1742 |
| 2008 | 122 | #1389 |
| 2007 | 111 | #1445 |
| 2006 | 107 | #1447 |
| 2005 | 108 | #1381 |
| 2004 | 100 | #1414 |
| 2003 | 101 | #1348 |
| 2002 | 106 | #1281 |
| 2001 | 121 | #1143 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cecil a popular boy name?
Cecil ranked #1486 among boys in 2025 with 119 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1468.
When was the name Cecil most popular?
Cecil peaked in 1920, when 2,459 American boys received the name (ranked #77 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cecil?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,126 newborn American boys was named Cecil. It scores 61/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.