The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Cecilia!

Comments and insights on the name Cecilia: | Edit

I don't recommend that any parent knowingly name their child a name meaning "blind." Afterall, the meaning/implication of a name is the most important aspect of it, the meaning is why the name came into existence. I don't recommend naming a child something that means "blind", not at all.

I'm not surprised to find Cecilia so low in popularity in the '50's. I knew my name was unique--and that wasn't a good thing for me when I was young. I always wanted to find my name on one of those name plates at stores, and never did. When it was my turn, I named my sons two of the most popular names for boys in their birth years. They had to cope with the problem of having several people in their classes with the same name. There must be a happy medium. Although reading some news about boys with unpopular names doing poorer, I'm glad I named my sons strong, common, traditional masculine names. I do think names make a difference, and more for boys than for girls. Both of my sisters had names which were unusual for the 50's. One named her daughter a fairly common name, and the other a rare name. (Not in top 1000.)

My daughters name is Cecilia, we just kind of named her this 'cause we didn't have a name and we had to name her. NOTHING stood out to us. I figured she could always go by Cici if she doesn't like Cecilia. The spelling is a little bit long and I hope she doesn't have trouble spelling it when she gets into school. It goes good with her last name Kane. She was born in 2008. Little kids can't say her name and neither can she so they say Cici or "Ceeyuh" it's pretty cute. I did not pick the name for it's meaning so I wouldn't worry about that. Three years later I am just now learning the meaning and I don't think it matters.

Personal experiences with the name Cecilia: | Edit

I was Cissy until college, and then I demanded that my family give me back my original name of Cecilia. They did, which made me happy. Other friends and relatives who tried to reclaim names from nicknames were not so lucky.

My cousin couldn't pronounce Cecilia when we were little so he started calling me Cila, my family all followed his example (this is in South Africa).

Nicknames for Cecilia: | Edit

Cici, Sissy, Cissy, Ceil, Celia, Ceci, Celie, Cece, Cila, Ces, Lia

Meanings and history of the name Cecilia: | Edit

"blind one"

Famous real-life people named Cecilia: | Edit

St. Cecilia, early Christian martyr and patron saint of musicians
Cecilia Bartoli, Italian opera singer
Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, maternal grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II
Cecilia Cheung, Hong Kong singer and actress
Cecilia Roth, Argentine actress
Cecilia Bolocco, Chilean television personality and former Miss Universe
Cecilia Marie the baby of Jim and Pam from the TV show The Office

Cecilia in song, story & screen: | Edit

"Cecilia," song by Simon & Garfunkel.
Cecilia is one of the protagonists in the novel and movie Atonement.
"Does Your Mother Know You're Out, Cecilia?" (second line "Does she know that I'm about to steal ya?"), song by Hal Derwin with Shep Fields, 1940s big band artist from the West Coast.
Cecilia "Sissy" Jupe, a main character in Charles Dicken's "Hard Times"
Cecelia Tallis - Atonement
Cecelia - SouthSide
Cecilia Lisbon- The Virgin Suicides
Cecilia--the main character from the novel, "Cecilia," by Fanny Burney