Holding steady, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Cicero since 1880
Babies named Cicero per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Cicero's real moment was 1881.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 122 |
| 1890s | 118 |
| 1900s | 108 |
| 1910s | 242 |
| 1920s | 272 |
| 1930s | 182 |
| 1940s | 144 |
| 1950s | 91 |
| 1960s | 62 |
| 1970s | 42 |
| 1980s | 27 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 11 |
| 2010s | 11 |
| 2020s | 21 |
Meaning & origin
Cicero is a name with profound historical weight, carrying the legacy of Rome's greatest orator. In the United States, its use has always been rare, with its peak occurring in 1881, when it ranked modestly among boys. By 2025, it had fallen to rank 12,008, given to approximately 1 in 341,615 newborns, indicating a stable but extremely low frequency of use. The name has never been concentrated in any particular state, suggesting a scattered, intellectual preference rather than a regional tradition. Cicero represents a bold choice for parents drawn to classical history and distinctive, scholarly names.
Cicero is a Latin cognomen derived possibly from 'cicer' (chickpea), referring to a person with a wart or pimple resembling the legume. The name is famously borne by the Roman orator and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BCE), whose influence during the late Republic made the surname iconic. However, as a given name, Cicero was rarely used until the 18th and 19th centuries, when classical revival brought it into occasional use, especially in the United States.
Sibling names for Cicero
Names that share Cicero's style, for a brother or sister.
