A 1890s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Celia since 1880
Babies named Celia per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1915, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Celia's real moment was 1895.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,363 |
| 1890s | 2,373 |
| 1900s | 2,971 |
| 1910s | 6,559 |
| 1920s | 6,352 |
| 1930s | 4,349 |
| 1940s | 4,231 |
| 1950s | 5,600 |
| 1960s | 3,881 |
| 1970s | 2,442 |
| 1980s | 3,477 |
| 1990s | 3,540 |
| 2000s | 3,987 |
| 2010s | 3,425 |
| 2020s | 2,092 |
Meaning & origin
Celia has been in consistent use in the United States since at least 1880, when records began. Its peak popularity occurred in 1895, and after a period of decline, it has been rising again since 2018, resurgent as a vintage revival name. In 2025, it ranked 774 with a rate of 1 in 4,579 births, placing it among less common but recognizable choices. The name has seen particular favor in Oregon, South Carolina, and Michigan. Its literary association with Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' gives it a timeless quality, and its Latin roots lend it a classic feel.
Celia is a feminine name derived from the Roman family name Caelius, which itself comes from the Latin 'caelum' meaning 'sky' or 'heaven'. It has also been associated with the Latin 'caecus' meaning 'blind', though this is less common. The name was popularized in English literature through Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' (1599) and later revived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Where Celia is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Celia” around the world
Where Celia lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
400
babies in 2024
Ireland
4
babies in 2025
Quebec
29
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cece, Cel, Lee
Sibling names for Celia
Names that share Celia's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Clara, Stella, Lydia, Nora, Vera, Althea, Claudia, Dahlia, Delia, Iliana, Ivelisse, Mayra, Rosalind, Sabrina, Yetta, Adora, Bryna, Dulcie, Elanor, Floria, Gema, Lourdes, Nelia, Nelida, Ninfa, Verena, Zita, Anglia, Auria, Cerina, Demia, Deona, Elecia, Elexia, Hilaria, Iridian, Itzia, Marea, Media, Merisa, Mirabel, Mirta, Otelia, Patria, Ronita, Roselia, Starlette, Syliva, Tish, Zandria, Althia, Benay, Charo, Dehlia, Dilia, Eugina, Felisia, Laelia, Leannah, Maricel, Maricia, Melessia, Milia, Narcisa, Nieve, Renada, Sinthia, Slyvia, Telia, Trini, Celica, Corisa, Creasie, Dianca, Fany, Francile, Hesper, Idelia, Lucelia, Retina, Senovia, Statia, Valree, Yomaris
Brothers: Felix, Oscar, Julian, Leo, Arthur, Blaise, Byron, Marcial, Cosme, Eusebio, Faustino, Fidencio, Florian, Lafayette, Narciso, Severo, Sylvan, Melecio, Oriel, Placido, Severin, Brigido, Eluterio, Euclid, Honorio, Irineo, Nabor, Arcenio, Adryen, Aneudy, Baudelio, Bengie, Carmell, Elius, Erasto, Ferron, Heliodoro, Isauro, Lucion, Otilio, Savoy, Sostenes, Uvaldo
