Celia
Borrowed from Latin Caelia, feminine of Roman family name Caelius, probably from caelum (“heaven”).
Every Celia since 1880 — 56,716 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Celia
Celia is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #774 in 2025 with 351 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 56,716 American babies have been named Celia. Its peak came in 1915, when 853 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Celia stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Celia 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 | 351 | #774 | — | — |
| 2024 | 383 | #735 | — | — |
| 2023 | 332 | #828 | — | — |
| 2022 | 323 | #861 | — | — |
| 2021 | 358 | #791 | — | — |
| 2020 | 345 | #790 | — | — |
| 2019 | 308 | #869 | — | — |
| 2018 | 287 | #932 | — | — |
| 2017 | 324 | #838 | — | — |
| 2016 | 344 | #835 | — | — |
| 2015 | 328 | #852 | — | — |
| 2014 | 356 | #787 | — | — |
| 2013 | 355 | #768 | — | — |
| 2012 | 376 | #740 | — | — |
| 2011 | 372 | #741 | — | — |
| 2010 | 375 | #744 | — | — |
| 2009 | 377 | #753 | — | — |
| 2008 | 390 | #756 | — | — |
| 2007 | 370 | #779 | — | — |
| 2006 | 406 | #699 | — | — |
| 2005 | 410 | #678 | — | — |
| 2004 | 406 | #677 | — | — |
| 2003 | 406 | #653 | — | — |
| 2002 | 388 | #652 | — | — |
| 2001 | 424 | #594 | — | — |
| 2000 | 410 | #619 | — | — |
| 1995 | 318 | #669 | — | — |
| 1990 | 391 | #589 | — | — |
| 1985 | 406 | #500 | — | — |
| 1980 | 277 | #656 | 5 | #6,391 |
| 1975 | 206 | #718 | — | — |
| 1970 | 357 | #531 | — | — |
| 1965 | 356 | #503 | — | — |
| 1960 | 540 | #416 | — | — |
| 1955 | 604 | #350 | — | — |
| 1950 | 507 | #351 | — | — |
| 1945 | 377 | #357 | — | — |
| 1940 | 381 | #327 | — | — |
| 1935 | 423 | #295 | — | — |
| 1930 | 559 | #265 | 8 | #3,061 |
| 1925 | 661 | #258 | — | — |
| 1920 | 726 | #242 | — | — |
| 1915 | 853 | #195 | — | — |
| 1910 | 402 | #169 | — | — |
| 1905 | 270 | #185 | — | — |
| 1900 | 316 | #173 | — | — |
| 1895 | 273 | #158 | — | — |
| 1890 | 204 | #169 | — | — |
| 1885 | 153 | #148 | — | — |
| 1880 | 90 | #152 | — | — |
Famous people named Celia
- Celia Cruz Singer · 1925–2003
- Celia Sánchez Politician · 1920–1980
- Celia Weston Actor · b. 1951
- Celia Imrie Actor · b. 1952
- Celia Johnson Actor · 1908–1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Celia mean?
Borrowed from Latin Caelia, feminine of Roman family name Caelius, probably from caelum (“heaven”).
How popular is the name Celia in 2025?
Celia ranked #774 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 351 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Celia?
56,716 babies have been named Celia in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Celia most popular?
Celia peaked in 1915, when 853 newborns received the name.
Is Celia a boy or girl name?
Celia is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Celia rising or falling?
Celia has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Celia?
Well-known people named Celia include Celia Cruz (singer), Celia Sánchez (politician), Celia Weston (actor).