Cecil
From Latin Caecilius, a Roman family name derived from caecus (“blind”).
Every Cecil since 1880 — 114,676 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cecil
Cecil is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,486 in 2025 with 119 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 114,676 American babies have been named Cecil — about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1920, when 2,672 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cecil stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cecil year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 119 | #1,486 |
| 2024 | — | — | 122 | #1,482 |
| 2023 | — | — | 117 | #1,509 |
| 2022 | 5 | #15,784 | 114 | #1,561 |
| 2021 | — | — | 114 | #1,539 |
| 2020 | — | — | 97 | #1,647 |
| 2019 | — | — | 98 | #1,653 |
| 2018 | — | — | 114 | #1,508 |
| 2017 | — | — | 103 | #1,576 |
| 2016 | — | — | 103 | #1,588 |
| 2015 | 5 | #16,984 | 114 | #1,468 |
| 2014 | — | — | 99 | #1,590 |
| 2013 | — | — | 114 | #1,448 |
| 2012 | — | — | 97 | #1,602 |
| 2011 | — | — | 91 | #1,659 |
| 2010 | — | — | 78 | #1,853 |
| 2009 | — | — | 88 | #1,743 |
| 2008 | — | — | 122 | #1,390 |
| 2007 | — | — | 111 | #1,449 |
| 2006 | — | — | 107 | #1,447 |
| 2005 | — | — | 108 | #1,382 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16,606 | 100 | #1,415 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,516 | 101 | #1,350 |
| 2002 | — | — | 106 | #1,282 |
| 2001 | 6 | #13,842 | 121 | #1,145 |
| 2000 | — | — | 130 | #1,083 |
| 1995 | 5 | #13,795 | 147 | #913 |
| 1990 | 5 | #13,304 | 231 | #665 |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,479 | 266 | #533 |
| 1980 | 12 | #5,584 | 407 | #401 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,260 | 348 | #417 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,447 | 566 | #337 |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,238 | 726 | #277 |
| 1960 | 19 | #2,828 | 959 | #255 |
| 1955 | 37 | #1,696 | 1,228 | #205 |
| 1950 | 37 | #1,529 | 1,341 | #171 |
| 1945 | 49 | #1,124 | 1,355 | #152 |
| 1940 | 74 | #827 | 1,589 | #117 |
| 1935 | 66 | #849 | 1,726 | #109 |
| 1930 | 93 | #726 | 1,882 | #99 |
| 1925 | 152 | #584 | 2,297 | #87 |
| 1920 | 213 | #465 | 2,459 | #77 |
| 1915 | 200 | #429 | 2,181 | #76 |
| 1910 | 130 | #347 | 472 | #77 |
| 1905 | 117 | #309 | 347 | #72 |
| 1900 | 129 | #288 | 344 | #76 |
| 1895 | 95 | #293 | 192 | #100 |
| 1890 | 58 | #332 | 120 | #121 |
| 1885 | 31 | #365 | 87 | #154 |
| 1880 | 14 | #453 | 45 | #248 |
Famous people named Cecil
- Cecil Rhodes Businessperson · 1853–1902
- Cecil B. DeMille Film director · 1881–1959
- Cecil Bødker Writer · 1927–2020
- Cecil Beaton Photographer · 1904–1980
- Cecil Taylor Musician · 1929–2018
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cecil mean?
From Latin Caecilius, a Roman family name derived from caecus (“blind”).
How popular is the name Cecil in 2025?
Cecil ranked #1,486 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 119 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cecil?
114,676 babies have been named Cecil in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cecil most popular?
Cecil peaked in 1920, when 2,672 newborns received the name.
Is Cecil a boy or girl name?
Cecil is used for both: about 7% of babies named Cecil have been girls and 93% boys.
Is the name Cecil rising or falling?
Cecil is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cecil?
Well-known people named Cecil include Cecil Rhodes (businessperson), Cecil B. DeMille (film director), Cecil Bødker (writer).