Cornelia
Girl name · #3130 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Cornelia? In official American birth records, Cornelia has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 51 baby girls were named Cornelia, placing it at #3130 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4853, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 35,294 girls born in 2025 was named Cornelia.
Babies named Cornelia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Cornelia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 94 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 477 girls were named Cornelia — good for #300 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 Cornelia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cornelia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cornelia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cornelia will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cornelia is most common
State-level data for Cornelia is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Cornelia
Statistically, parents drawn to Cornelia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eugenia, Ofelia, Marietta, Eulalia, and Clarice.
EugeniaOfeliaMariettaEulaliaClariceJuanitaHildaDorothea
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cornelia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #3130 |
| 2024 | 39 | #3822 |
| 2023 | 53 | #3091 |
| 2022 | 37 | #3963 |
| 2021 | 43 | #3553 |
| 2020 | 35 | #4005 |
| 2019 | 43 | #3552 |
| 2018 | 32 | #4357 |
| 2017 | 32 | #4384 |
| 2016 | 36 | #4083 |
| 2015 | 28 | #4853 |
| 2014 | 25 | #5310 |
| 2013 | 37 | #4002 |
| 2012 | 18 | #6872 |
| 2011 | 18 | #6855 |
| 2010 | 24 | #5602 |
| 2009 | 21 | #6317 |
| 2008 | 31 | #4761 |
| 2007 | 16 | #7733 |
| 2006 | 23 | #5709 |
| 2005 | 23 | #5437 |
| 2004 | 15 | #7391 |
| 2003 | 25 | #4943 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4767 |
| 2001 | 23 | #5009 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cornelia?
In official American birth records, the name Cornelia first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 94 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Cornelia a popular girl name?
Cornelia ranked #3130 among girls in 2025 with 51 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4853.
When was the name Cornelia most popular?
Cornelia peaked in 1921, when 477 American girls received the name (ranked #300 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cornelia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 35,294 newborn American girls was named Cornelia. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.