Updated November 2023
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Feminine form of Cecil, Latin
"blind"
Cecilia is a lovely classic name deservedly enjoying a new turn in the sun. Always among the Top 500 girls' names in the US, Cecilia is now at its highest point ever. Cecilia is a feminine form of…
Latin
Cecelia, with this spelling, got some recent attention as the name of Jim and Pam's baby on The Office -- and also the name of actress Jenna Fischer's newborn niece. A spelling variation of Cecilia…
Once a powerful Roman clan name, Cecil has lost much of its potency over the years, though it retains a strong presence in the sports and jazz worlds. Past bearers include film giant Cecil B.…
Feminine variation of Cecil
Cecily is as dainty as a lace handkerchief. Cecily has a wide assortment of namesakes. One Cecily was the mother of King Richard III, whose beauty gained her the title "the Rose of Raby," Cecily…
Irish variation of Cecilia
Sheila peaked in popularity from the 1930s to the 1960s (she reached Number 49 in 1965), along with Maureen and Colleen; parents today would probably go back to the original Cecilia or forward to…
French feminine form of Cecil
Cecile is a fairly common French saint's name, scattered throughout classic French literature--in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, in Balzac's Cousin Pons, and Zola's Germinal. Cecile, Cecily and Cecilia…
Short form of Cecelia, Latin
Cece, all by itself, gained notice as the nickname of Jim and Pam's baby on television's The Office . On the show as in real life, Cece is often short for Cecelia or even Cecilia, but it can also be…
English variation of Cecilia
This frilly Victorian name is a variant of Cecilia and Cecily, with which it might well be confused. Cicely was a surprise choice for comedienne Sandra Bernhard. Literary Cicelys can be found in Sir…
Spanish, Italian
Cecilio is derived from Caecilius, an Ancient Roman surname that was likely originally bestowed upon someone who was blind. Today you might expect Cecilio to a fashionable first name in part due to…
French variation of Cecilia
Attractive, underused name made famous by the heroine of The Color Purple. Still, if you're going to go to Celie, why not go all the way to Celia or Cecelia? You can always use Celie for short.
Norwegian, Danish, Czech, variation of Cecilia, Latin
Variant of Cecilia used in several European countries, which could also make for a pretty variant spelling of the medieval English version, Cecily.
Spelling variation of Sheila
Diminutive of Cecilla
A pretty, Frenchified nickname of Cecilia that would work well on its own, perhaps as a reference to an aunt Cece.
Norwegian
Sissel is the Norwegian variation of Cecilia, a name that's becoming more popular in the U.S. and beyond. English speakers will hear this name as sizzle or at best, Cecil.
Short form of Cecilia or Celia
"blind or heavenly"
With the growing popularity of Celia and Cecilia, this vintage canasta-playing nickname name could be due for a comeback. Ceil had a few years of recorded popularity in the first decade of the…
German form of Celia or Cecilia, Latin
"heavenly or blind"
Also spelled Zilke, Silke is a common German short form for variations of Cecilia and Celia. Silke is a good example of a name that's well-used in Europe but is not used at all in the US. Neither…
German diminutive of Cecilia or Celia
Along with the more common Silke, a diminutive used in Germany for Cecilia and Celia. Both Silke and Zilke are unknown yet usable German names for girls .
English
Sisley may look like a modern coinage, building on the fashionable -ley ending, but it's actually a medieval English variant of Cicely or Cecily, which in turn is a variation of Cecilia. Also found…
English, Irish
Variant spelling of Sheila, which derives from Síle, an Irish form of Cecilia. The -gh ending has been added to give a more Irish flair, although this isn't a traditional Irish spelling.
Danish
Danish diminutive of Cecilia