Cecilia

Feminine form of Cecil, Latin

"blind"

Cecilia Origin and Meaning

The name Cecilia is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "blind".

Cecilia is a feminine form of Cecil, which was derived from a Roman clan name related to the Latin caecus, meaning “blind.” The martyred Saint Cecilia was designated the patron of musicians, either because she supposedly sang directly to God while the musicians played at her wedding, or because she sang to God as she was dying. The name was popularized in the Middle Ages as an homage to the Saint.

On TV, the Cecelia spelling variation was the name chosen for Pam and Jim's baby on The Office; in real life the name of the daughters of Vera Wang and Soledad O'Brien.

Cecilia is also a Dickens character name in Hard Times, and appears in the novels Atonement and The Virgin Suicides, and The Hunger Games series, as well as being the subject of a memorable Simon & Garfunkel song.

Cecilia, Celia and Cecily are all nameberry faves. Cecelia is an accepted spelling variation you may want to consider if you plan to shorten the name to Celia or Cece.

• 153 US 2019
• 60 Nameberry 2021
• 459 England 2019
• 451 Germany 2016
• 37 Italy 2019
• 153 2028 2028
• 9 Brazil 2020