Holding steady.
Popularity of Cele since 1901
Babies named Cele per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1912, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Cele's real moment was 1902.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 41 |
| 1910s | 78 |
| 1920s | 0 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 5 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Cele is an uncommon feminine name that saw its brief moment of recorded use in the early 1900s. According to Social Security data, the first recorded appearance was in 1901, and its peak year was 1902, placing it squarely in the early 20th century. After that, the name fell out of common use and has not been recorded with any frequency since; its trajectory has remained stable at near-zero usage. Unlike many vintage names that experience revivals, Cele has not seen a resurgence. It does not appear in any top state lists, further confirming its status as a rare and quirky choice. Its exact origins remain obscure, but it likely stems from the more familiar Celia or Cecilia.
Cele is a rare name likely derived as a diminutive or variant of Celia, which itself comes from the Latin 'caelum' meaning 'sky' or 'heaven', or as a short form of Cecilia, the feminine form of the Roman clan name Caecilius, ultimately from 'caecus' meaning 'blind'. Alternatively, it may be a spelling variant of Seel, which could be a nickname from the German 'selig' meaning 'blessed'. However, its exact derivation is not well documented.
Sibling names for Cele
Names that share Cele's style, for a brother or sister.
