Cecilia is a beautiful and versatile baby name. Popular during the Middle Ages and successful in modern times, Cecilia also produces a plethora of fun nicknames. Cecilia Marie “Cece” Halpert is the firstborn daughter of Pam and Jim Halpert on television's The Office, and Cecelia “CeCe” Jones is a character on Disney's Shake It Up. Keep reading to learn more about this name.
Meaning and Origin of the name Cecilia:
Cecilia derives from the Roman family name Caecilius. This name originated from the Latin word caecus (meaning “blind”), and the plural of Caecilius is Caecilii. The plebeian clan of Caecilii attested direct ancestry from the Roman god Caeculus (Latin for “little blind boy”). Caeculus was the son of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. According to legend, smoke from Vulcan's fire made the son's eyes smaller than normal and thereby gave him his name. In addition to the primary Latin origin, Cecilia is also a rare and anglicized version of the Welsh name Seissylt (meaning “sixth”).
Symbolism of the name Cecilia:
Cecilia originates from a Latin family name that means “blind one.” A famous bearer of the name is Saint Cecilia, an early Christian martyr as well as the patron saint of music. Her symbols include the flute, organ, and harp.
Nicknames for the name Cecilia:
- Cece
- CeeCee
- Celia
- Celie
- Cissy
- Sissy
- Sissie
- Cici
- Cilia
- Cili
Style of the name Cecilia:
Classic
Gender of the name Cecilia:
Cecilia is a girl's name.
Pronunciation of the name Cecilia:
seh-SEE-lee-ah
Number of syllables in the name Cecilia:
Four
Emotion evoked from the name Cecilia:
The name Cecilia evokes feelings of melodious harmony.
Alternative spellings for the name Cecilia:
- Cecelia
- Cecilie
- Cecilija
- Cecylia
Popularity of the name Cecilia:
According to the Social Security Administration index, Cecilia was the 147th most common baby name for girls in 2020. Cecilia has ranked among the top 200 baby names for girls since 2015.
Related names for the name Cecilia:
Great middle names for Cecilia and their meanings:
- Annette (grace)
- Darlene (darling, dear)
- Emmanuelle (God is with us)
- Jolene (God will increase, pretty)
- Kathleen (pure)
- Marigold (golden flower)
- Odette (wealthy)
- Pomeline (apple)
- Theresa (late summer)
Famous people with the name Cecilia:
- Cecilia Carolina Bolocco (actress)
- Cecilia Eve Gershenson (daughter of CNN anchor Kate Bolduan)
- Cecilia “CeCe” Frey (singer)
- Cecilia Anastasia Holland (novelist)
- Cecilia Bowes-Lyon (grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II)
- Cecilia Helena Payne (astrophysicist)
Cecilia in popular culture:
- Cecilia Brady (main character F. Scott Fitzgerald's unfinished novel The Love of the Last Tycoon)
- Cecilia Marie “Cece” Halpert (firstborn daughter of Pam and Jim Halpert on television's The Office
- Cecelia “CeCe” Jones (character on Disney's Shake It Up
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Patryk Kosmider/Shutterstock.com.