Cecilia
Cecilia is a girls' name of Latin origin meaning “blind; patron saint of music.” It ranked #108 in the United States in 2025. Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians, celebrated since the Middle Ages.
how do you pronounce Cecilia?
seh-SEE-lee-ah
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Cecilia mean?
The name Cecilia means “blind; patron saint of music.” It comes from the Latin language tradition.
Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians, celebrated since the Middle Ages. The name was famously popularized in modern times by Simon & Garfunkel's 1970 song 'Cecilia.'
where does the name Cecilia come from?
From the Latin Caecilia, feminine of the Roman family name Caecilius, which Wiktionary says was possibly derived from a byname meaning blind. The derivation is offered with caution, so the blind reading is likely rather than established.
the history of Cecilia
St Cecilia, a third-century Roman martyr, is the patron saint of music, and it is through her that the name spread. Wiktionary records its first appearance in Sweden as early as the twelfth century, which makes it one of the older Continental borrowings in this directory.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #108 |
| 2024 | #123 |
| 2023 | #137 |
| 2022 | #145 |
| 2021 | #133 |
| 2020 | #147 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Cecilia?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Cecilia?
- Cecilia Bartoli
- Cecilia Ahern
- Saint Cecilia
what names are similar to Cecilia?
what names go well with Cecilia?
Sibling names that share Cecilia's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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