Cordelia is a classic baby girl's name renowned for its literary cachet. With its rich history of use across the European continent, the name enjoys elevated status in popular culture. Cordelia is the name of the youngest daughter in Shakespeare's King Lear, Cordelia Chase is a character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Cordelia Foxx is the headmistress on American Horror Story: Coven. Keep reading to learn more about this name.
Meaning of the Name Cordelia
Cordelia is a beautiful name with several distinct origins. One origin is an expansion of the Latin words cor or cordis (meaning “heart”). Another popular theory postulates that Cordelia originates from the Celtic name Creiryddlydd (meaning “daughter of the sea”). Evidence for this origin comes from the Welsh goddess who bears the same name. Most anglicized translations record the name as Cordelia.
In French, the name Cordelia translates directly from the expression coeur de lion (“heart of the lion”). And in Greek, Cordelia is an expansion of the word kórē (meaning “girl” or “maiden”).
Cordelia comes from the Latin word cor (meaning “heart”) or the Celtic name Creiryddlydd. The Celtic version evolved into a Welsh legend that became a source for Shakespeare's King Lear. Specifically, the name Lear comes from the Welsh Llŷr (meaning “the sea). This was the name of the ancient Celtic god of the sea. In Welsh mythology, Llŷr's daughter is Creiryddlydd (“daughter of the sea”). Likewise, Cordelia is the daughter of King Lear in the Shakespearean play. Mythological symbols for Cordelia include ocean waves, flowers, and fairies.
Nicknames for Cordelia
The name Cordelia evokes feelings of loyalty and familial love. Such a loving and kind name should be paired with a confident and crafty nickname. If you're looking for a nickname for the Cordelia in your life, we've crafted a list of possible options below:
Cordelia Name Details
Style: Classic
Gender: Cordelia is traditionally considered to be a girls name.
Pronunciation: core-DEE-lee-ah
Syllables: Four
Alternative Spelling for Cordelia
- Cordeilla
- Cordella
- Cordelya
- Kordelia
- Kordella
Cordelia Name Popularity
According to the Social Security Administration index, Cordelia was the 948th most popular name for girls in 2015.
©Eviart/Shutterstock.com
Related Names for Cordelia
Great Middle Names for Cordelia and Their Meanings
- Autumn (fall, autumn, harvest time)
- Dilys (genuine, steadfast)
- Eileen (bright, shining, desired)
- Evangeline (good news)
- Gayle (jovial, joy of the father)
- Glen (valley)
- Lucy (light)
- Louise (famous warrior)
- Maeve (intoxicating, purple, wellspring of joy)
- Wendy (friend, fair, blessed)
Famous People Named Cordelia
- Cordelia Abidaoud (Phoenician princess)
- Cordelia de Castellane (fashion designer)
- Cordelia Elizabeth “Betty” Cook (combat nurse)
- Cordelia Agnes Greene (physician)
- Cordelia Adelaide Harvey (social reformer)
- Cordelia Hawkins (historical namesake of the town Cordele, Georgia)
- Cordelia Scaife May (philanthropist)
- Cordelia Ray (poet)
- Cordelia Scott Mendoza (antiquarian)
- Cordelia Creigh Wilson (painter)
Cordelia in Popular Culture
- Cordelia (youngest daughter in Shakespeare's King Lear)
- Cordelia Abbott (character in the soap opera The Young and The Restless)
- Cordelia Chase (character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel)
- Cordelia Foxx (character in American Horror Story: Coven)
- Cordelia Winthrop Scott (character in the film Monte Carlo)
- Cordelia Thornberry (character in Wild Thornberrys)
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Anicka S/Shutterstock.com.