Comments
Meaning
Usage
Pronunciation
Famous
Impression
Other
I think Cecilia is a beautiful name. Sure, its meaning is sad, but that doesn't take away the loveliness of this name. It is strong, feminine, and timelessly elegant. It ages well and despite being used for a long time, it still sounds modern and unique. Overall, I think Cecilia is a wonderful name.
3
3
I read somewhere that Cecilia actually refers to someone who helps the blind.
3
3
Quite a mouthful.
-2
-2
Also Romansh:
Source: "Vornamen in der Schweiz. Prénoms en Suisse. I nomi in Svizzera. Prenoms in Svizra" (1993) published by the Association of Swiss registrars
Https://sursassiala.ch/2015/01/15/familienforschung/
Https://nossaistorgia.ch/entries/mwnZwj5pMLg
Https://www.portraitarchiv.ch/portrait?page=73
Http://www.annalas.ch/persunas/display/q:Cecilia
2
Source: "Vornamen in der Schweiz. Prénoms en Suisse. I nomi in Svizzera. Prenoms in Svizra" (1993) published by the Association of Swiss registrars
Https://sursassiala.ch/2015/01/15/familienforschung/
Https://nossaistorgia.ch/entries/mwnZwj5pMLg
Https://www.portraitarchiv.ch/portrait?page=73
Http://www.annalas.ch/persunas/display/q:Cecilia
2
Regardless of the meaning, this is a beautiful name ♡
10
10
I think this is one of the prettiest names out there, and I am happy that it's getting more popular. I named my cat Cecilia. I dislike the spelling Cecelia. Cecilia is a feminine version of Cecil, not Cecel (which makes me think of incel).
6
6
I actually really like the Italian pronunciation, but it will absolutely get butchered in an English speaking region. Shame. I can also easily see someone trying to be funny and saying "Chinchilla" instead.
Overall, no matter the pronunciation, this is a very beautiful name and one I have very much considered for a daughter.
3
Overall, no matter the pronunciation, this is a very beautiful name and one I have very much considered for a daughter.
3
My first favourite name I ever had. It’s so beautiful. Usually a meaning like ‘blind’ would put me off, but for some reason it doesn’t with this name. I also love the song ‘Cecilia’ by Simon and Garfunkel :)
3
3
I bear the name Cecilia, though I love to be called Dazzling Celia, meaning intensely beautiful and heavenly. Cecilia actually literally means "blindness" in Latin however, the implied meaning is "blindness/out of human sight/divine"... anything "divine" is mysterious, hidden, obscure from human sight and understanding EXCEPT TO GOD (Jehovah). Majority of humans are quick to take to the literal meaning of CECILIA rather than the implied meaning which is deeper,clearer, authentic and possibly, glamorous!
8
8
Also Afrikaans: https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia_(heilige)
3
3
The comments so horrified by the meaning of this name are funny. There's nothing wrong with blind people..? Meanings rarely matter.
You can dislike the meaning, yes, I'm not saying you can't. But making a big deal about it is just plain funny.
11
You can dislike the meaning, yes, I'm not saying you can't. But making a big deal about it is just plain funny.
11
Looking at Latin and Italian dictionaries, it seems the meaning of “caecus” is much more nuanced than this entry would have us believe. The meanings include “obscure”, “dark”, “invisible”, “concealed”, “hidden,”, “secret“, “unknowable”, “mysterious”.
Cecilia is a beautiful name and even more beautiful once the full depth of meaning is understood.
10
Cecilia is a beautiful name and even more beautiful once the full depth of meaning is understood.
10
Really pretty name.
12
12
'Celia, you're breaking my heart, you're shakin' my confidence daily!'
Song by Simon & Garfunkel, if you don't already know.
4
Song by Simon & Garfunkel, if you don't already know.
4
Nice and impressive name, but only wished it had a nicer meaning :(
2
2
Pretty sure this was my great great great grandmother’s name and I think she was Danish.
9
9
Very beautiful name. I love it!
8
8
I chose Saint Cecilia as my confirmation in April. She is so inspiring and I love the name as well. If you're thinking about naming your daughter this and name her after St. Cecilia please do so because she'll have a wonderful name for life! Don't name your child because of the meaning! Maybe you should read more about the meaning.
7
7
I really think this name is beautiful, but I despise the meaning! Why does such a beautiful name mean "blind"?!
6
6
Use Celia if you don't like the meaning, and if you hate Celia, but like this, just remember the meaning of the name doesn't describe a person!
9
9
I would like this name more if it didn't mean "blind".
0
0
The only thing that puts me off is that it means 'blind', otherwise I would use it.
1
1
Interesting, classic name. Cecilia has quality. I like this name!
11
11
Also Languedocian: https://ieo-oc.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=300 --- Source: Institut d'Estudis Occitans
2
2
I have a character from my stories named Cecilia, her nickname is Cece. And to be honest, who cares about the meaning? I like the nickname Cece a lot.
4
4
I think Cecilia is a beautiful name, although it is indeed a shame about the meaning. However, I don't think that should discourage parents from choosing this name. It's sonically gorgeous, it sounds elegant and feminine, and it has plenty of nickname options. I love it.
6
6
I dislike the meaning. As for the name, it's a little old for me.
1
1
Cecilia is also Estonian. The name day for Cecilia in Estonia is November 22.
1
1
Cece and Lia can be used as nicknames.
1
1
The meaning is sort of disappointing, but Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of the blind. That's all that is.
1
1
I love this name. I think that it is beautiful.
6
6
It all depends on how you look at it. You could've been blinded with love when you daughter was born. Also, who actually cares about the meaning of a name? It doesn't actually define who the person is.
8
8
Finnish name day November 22.
https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia
https://almanakka.helsinki.fi/en/name-days/name-day-search.html
1
https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia
https://almanakka.helsinki.fi/en/name-days/name-day-search.html
1
I liked this name until I saw its meaning.
-1
-1
Also Sicilian: https://scn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noma_siciliani
2
2
Also Estonian: https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecilia_(eesnimi)
2
2
Mexican-American female rapper, Cecy B, born Cecilia Barajas.
0
0
Cecilia Gallerani (1473–1536), born in Siena, Italy, was the favourite and most celebrated of the many mistresses of Ludovico Sforza, known as Lodovico il Moro, Duke of Milan. She is best known as the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Lady with an Ermine (circa 1489). While posing for the painting, she invited Leonardo, who at the time was working as court artist for Sforza, to meetings at which Milanese intellectuals discussed philosophy and other subjects. Cecilia herself presided over these discussions.
3
3
Seh-SEE-li-a (Swedish, Norwegian), seh-SEH-lya (Danish), seh-SEE-lya (German, Dutch), SEH-see-lee-ah (Finnish)
3
3
Cecilia Stalin, Swedish-born jazz singer.
0
0
Pretty till I saw the meaning.
5
5
I don't like the meaning of this name (blind). I very like the nickname Lia. Here in Italy this name is not used a lot. I think it's easy to pronunce it.
4
4
Cecilia Valdés is a famous Cuban book. It's very controversial, but good!
-1
-1
I love this name it reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel. But I also prefer this spelling over Cecelia.
12
12
In 2018, 2 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Cecilia who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 676th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
0
0
I like it. It sounds like a name of royalty.
11
11
Beautiful.
11
11
Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne was the mother of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and maternal grandmother and of Queen Elizabeth II.
1
1
If you're a fan of the foo fighters, they have a really good song called "Saint Cecilia". I love this name!
2
2
Ceci is a nickname I use for the name Cecilia.
2
2
Actress Cecilia Balagot is a famous bearer.
-1
-1
Cecilia Alvear was an Ecuadorian-born American journalist in television news and the former President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, was a Field Producer with NBC Network News in Burbank, California.
-1
-1
Cecilia Carmen Linda Brækhus is a Norwegian professional boxer and former kickboxer. In boxing she has reigned as the undisputed female welterweight champion since 2014, and is the first woman in any weight class to hold the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles simultaneously. Additionally she is only the third boxer in history, female or male, to hold all four titles simultaneously, after Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor.
-1
-1
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Cecilia are female.
Also Bulgarian, Portuguese and Romanian.
0
Also Bulgarian, Portuguese and Romanian.
0
Actor John Travolta's mother's middle name was Cecilia.
-1
-1
It's also pronounced Se SILL ya, in England at least.
1
1
Fashion designer Vera Wang has an adopted daughter named Cecilia who was born in 1990.
0
0
I was named Cecilia and I grew up absolutely hating the name for 3 reasons. 1.) it means "blind"; 2.) the Simon and Garfunkel song which insinuated Cecilia was rather promiscuous; 3.) it was unusual and I didn't want an unusual name. I am of half Swedish descent and it wasn't until my junior year in high school did I start to relax a little about the name. This was because a sweet and pretty Swedish exchange student named Cecilia, spelled the same way as my name, came to our school for a year. We became fast friends and I felt less different. Apparently it's more common in Scandinavia. Nonetheless I started to go by "Celia", which means "heavenly", in college and it has stayed that way. I even had it legally changed to Celia. Inevitably people I meet sometimes call me Cecilia, although these days I don't rush to correct them as I have in the past. It must be middle age, LOL! I do like the sound of both names so I don't care as much anymore.
0
0
One of my trans friends chose the name Cecilia for herself. I would certainly name a child Cecilia (or maybe Celia, her nickname) in her honor. It's honestly such a nice name.
3
3
The song 'Oh Cecilia' by Simon Garfunkel, repeated by poprock band The Vamps.
0
0
In Latin, this name means "blinded" lol.
1
1
The song "Cecilia and the Satellite" by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, was written for the lead singer's daughter Cecilia.
0
0
The daughter of Jim and Pam on "The Office" was Cecilia... so beautiful, cute and playful like their love!
-1
-1
Adorable, strong and feminine, one of the best girls names out there...
11
11
Famous singer and drummer Sheila E.'s middle name is Cecilia.
-1
-1
Kenyan pop singer Amani birth name Cecilia Wairimu.
-1
-1
ABC News correspondent, Cecilia Vega.
1
1
Beautiful name but not a very nice meaning. Still, if meaning of names aren't that important to you, it shouldn't deter you from using the name- it's gorgeous. I would personally prefer Celia though, which is similar-sounding to Cecilia, more straightforward to spell (since Cecilia can also be Cecelia) and short, and has a completely different meaning which means "heavenly" (good meaning, yay!).
2
2
Canadian-born American actress, Cecilia Parker (1914-1993) was a famous bearer.
0
0
My name is Cecilia but I use Cessy instead due to the constant misspelling of my name. Its easier to say Cessy as in "Messy" but with a "C" than to have to spell Cecilia out and people still get it wrong. It also means blind, legless reptile which deeply saddened me. It reminded me of the brass snake on the pole that Moses held up in the desert! Obviously names are of importance to God since he changed Simons to Peter and Sauls to Paul. We will be given a name on a white stone... I wonder what name He will choose for me (:
-11
-11
This name has grown on me. I like Cecelia too, but this spelling seems to be more popular. I also really like the nickname cici, I think it's adorable and sweet without being too childish :)
2
2
Cecilia Baffo (1525-1583) was the Italian-born wife of Ottoman sultan Selim II. Usually, she is known as Nurbanu Sultan - the name she took upon entering the Ottoman court.
-1
-1
I really really love this name, as well as many of its other forms, but I can never decide how I feel about the pronunciation. Personally, I can overlook that, but my sister thinks it sounds hideous, which I find to be kind of sad. It's so pretty.
I've also heard it said that this name can mean "blind to ones own beauty".
0
I've also heard it said that this name can mean "blind to ones own beauty".
0
In Icelandic this name is used in the form of Silja.
2
2
Actor James Earl Jones' wife is named Cecilia Hart. She is also an actress.
0
0
Cecilia Delphine Walton (b. 2012 in Los Angeles, California) is the daughter of American actors Majandra Delfino and David Walton.
0
0
Cecilia (1611-1644) was the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II and his wife Maria Anna of Bavaria.
-1
-1
Cecilia of Normandy was the oldest daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders.
-1
-1
Maria Cecilia Rognoni, mostly known as Cecilia Rognoni, a female Olympic field hockey player from Argentina.
-1
-1
Cecilia Biagioli, an Argentine Olympic swimmer.
0
0
Cecilia Santiago, who plays in Mexican women's football. She plays in goalkeeper position.
-1
-1
Cecilia Beaux (1855-1942) was an American painter.
0
0
In two words, it is a lovely, fun name. The diminutives are catchy and cute. My favorite one, that isn't listed, is "Cici".
1
1
Cuban and Mexican actress Amalia Aguilar has a sister by this name.
-1
-1
I'm from Norway and I have never heard of Sissela as a Norwegian name as stated by a user above, but Cecilia is Norwegian too although Cecilie is used more.
1
1
Colombian-born, Norwegian female boxer, Cecilia Braekhus is a famous bearer.
1
1
Cecilia Mwangi, who was crowned Miss World Kenya in 2005.
0
0
Chinese-American actress Lucy Liu's mother's name is Cecilia Liu.
1
1
Cecilia Valdes was a main character from a 19th century Latin American novel, her name as the title by Cuban author Cirilo Villaverde.
1
1
Cecilia Mansilla was a contestant on the thirteenth season of the reality show Survivor, called Survivor: Cook Islands.
1
1
Not only does CNN journalist Soledad O'Brien has a daughter named Cecilia, she also has an older sister named Cecilia too.
1
1
A couple more:
Cecilia Bolocco from Chile, who was crowned Miss Universe in 1987.
Cecilia Roth, an Argentine actress.
2
Cecilia Bolocco from Chile, who was crowned Miss Universe in 1987.
Cecilia Roth, an Argentine actress.
2
Mexican actresses Cecilia Gabriela and Cecilia Suarez.
1
1
Cecilia Cheung, Hong Kong singer and actress.
1
1
Cecilia "C.C." Carol Bloom was a character played by Bette Midler in the movie, Beaches.
1
1
I love my name, Cecilia. But when I was younger it was a different story. I used to hate my name. I remember being jealous of the other black girls that had names like LaKeisha, Shanika, Tamika, LaShonda and so on. I thought their names were cooler than mine. I felt left out because I felt like the only black girl with a unique, uncommon name that I thought no one have heard of. I so badly wanted my name to be Shonda. But as I got older, I started loving my name, because people would compliment on beautiful it is, and I'm also starting to notice more girls with the name Cecilia.
17
17
Cecilia Reyes is a fictional Afro-Latino character from Marvel Comics.
1
1
Cecilia is one of the three middle names of Irish pop singer Samantha Mumba.
1
1
CNN anchor and reporter Soledad O'Brien has a daughter named Cecilia, born in 2002.
0
0
Cecilia is the birth name of nineties singer CeCe Peniston.
2
2
Cecilia Peck, an actress and daughter of legendary late actor, Gregory Peck.
1
1
Very beautiful! Sad meaning though.
3
3
Cecilia Marie Halpert is Jim and Pam's baby on "The Office."
2
2
Many English poets wrote 'Odes for St Cecilia' including John Dryden. Handel famously set it to music.
2
2
I really like this name; it has this lilting way of rolling off your tongue. It's soft and feminine without being overly-used, but at the same time, it could also have an air of toughness.
The problem, though, is that I'm in the bio field - where "cilia" are microscopic hairs, which, in humans, are found in the windpipe. Where they, ah, beat in waves to sweep mucus and dirt out of your lungs. Unfortunately, that's what I always see when I read the name in print.
2
The problem, though, is that I'm in the bio field - where "cilia" are microscopic hairs, which, in humans, are found in the windpipe. Where they, ah, beat in waves to sweep mucus and dirt out of your lungs. Unfortunately, that's what I always see when I read the name in print.
2
Well my confirmation name is Cecilia because I was named after my grandmother. St. Cecilia was the patron saint of music and the name sounds very light, feminine, and delicate to me.
1
1
You would think this name would be popular among musicians, especially those who are Catholic, due to it being the name of the patron saint of music. I think this is a beautiful name and would definitely consider it for a child of mine. I love the ancient, classic, elegant vibe it gives off.
5
5
Lovely name, tragic about the meaning and story though. :D
3
3
Cecilia was a character in the telenovela 'Carita de Angel'. I think the name is a beautiful, elegant, classy-sounding one.
2
2
I've read on many other websites that Cecilia does not mean "blind", it means "leader of the blind". José Saramago, author of the Nobel Prize winning novel "Blindness" almost named the main character Cecilia, because she is the only person who can see after a city is struck by an epidemic of blindness. He later decided to not give the characters names, and called the main character The Doctor's Wife instead. Julianne Moore will play her in the upcoming movie.
1
1
Cecilia is a child character in Runefactory, a Fantasy Harvest Moon. In Runefactory2 she is a marriage candidate. In the first runefactory her nickname was "Ceci" (Cee-cee).
1
1
This is a beautiful name, and it sounds nicely classy and sort of romantic without being too cutesy or anything. It has some sort of an esthetic quality to it. I personally wouldn't use any martyr or saint names, though.
5
5
I just read the script to Atonement, and loved Keira Knightley in the adaption of my favorite book, Pride and Predjudice, so now I'm obsessed with the beauty of this name. If it wasn't slightly difficult to say, I'd replace Sophia with this!
2
2
I love this name! It is so elegant sounding but yet is not going overboard. I like it even better with an accent aigou (It's on the end of Renee and cliche) so there is an "Ay" sound. The name would be pronnounced Say-seal-yah).
2
2
Cecilia Tallis is one of the main characters in Ian McEwan's tragic love story and tale of redemption "Atonement". She will be played by Keira Knightley in the upcoming film. This is hands down my favorite name.
1
1
In Dickens's novel "Hard Times" the character named Cecilia Jupe is known as Cissy, except at her school, where frivolity is discouraged. She is a vibrant, attractive girl and Dickens shows her as having a better life than the dull, fact-based lives of most of the characters; her very decorative name underlines this.
2
2
Cecilia is also the Czech and Slovak form. Name Day: 22th November.
1
1
Cecilia (Sissy) Jupe is a character in Charles Dickens' novel "Hard Times."
1
1
I love this name, although I prefer to spell it: Cecilla, because it reminds me more of how it is pronounced. Say seal ya/yuh. Everytime I hear this name, I want to sing the Simon and Garfunkel song, which isn't a bad thing because that song is quite good.
2
2
Cecilia is a very beautiful name, I am surprised it isn't used as often. I like the nicknames Celia or Cece.
5
5
Cecilia is a vibrant, gorgeous name. Simon and Garfunkel have a song called "Cecilia."
4
4
Opera singer Cecilia Bartoli bears this name, and Cecilia Tallis is one of the main characters in Ian McEwan's novel "Atonement".
2
2
Cecilia is a very pretty name. If I ever have a little girl I think I will name her Cecilia and call her Celia for short!
3
3
Cecilia is the name of Tom Riddle senior's girlfriend in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince before Voldemort's mother Merope tricked Tom Senior into falling in love with her.
1
1
Cecilia is a very beautiful name.
3
3
Cecilia (or at least, a variant Cecilie) is the name of a character in the anime series Kyou Kara Maou.
1
1
Cecilia is a character on 7th Heaven.
1
1
The thriller Dark Water has a character with the name, shortened to Ceci.
1
1
Cecilia is a beautiful name, even though it is long and very old fashioned. It makes me think of a pretty, young Victorian lady.
3
3
The legend says that an angel fell in love with Cecilia for her musical skill, and nightly brought her roses from paradise. Her husband saw the angel-visitant, who gave to both a crown of martyrdom.
1
1
"Cecilia" is also the name of a song by Simon & Garfunkel. It is a common name in Sweden, most girls go by pet names Cissi or Cilla.
2
2
Cecila was the name of one of the Lisbon sisters in the film and novel, The Virgin Suicides.
0
0
A Norwegian form of Cecilia is Sissela.
1
1
Comments are left by users of this website. They are not checked for accuracy.
• https://nl.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cecilia (in Dutch)
• https://nl.forvo.com/search/Cecilia/nl/ (in Dutch)
• https://youtu.be/4xiLMMYakA4 (in Dutch; the name is said at 0:00)
• https://youtu.be/ri85JeSEnkY (in Dutch; the name is said at 0:02)
Converted to IPA, it should be: /sə.'si.li.ja:/ [noted -ed]