Cecil
Boy nameCecil has been given to 114,676 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1920.
Meaning & origin /ˈsiːsəl/
From Latin Caecilius, a Roman family name derived from caecus (“blind”). The surname has absorbed the Old Welsh Seisyllt, from Latin Sextilius, from Sextus.
Origin: Latin
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
114,676
Peak year
1920 (2,672 babies)
Rank in 2025
Below top 1000
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
0%
Gender split
7% girls / 93% boys
Spellings & variants
Names one letter away from Cecil — alternate spellings parents actually use.
Famous people named Cecil
Cecil John Rhodes
British businessman, mining magnate and politician in South Africa (1853-1902)
Cecil Frank Powell
British physicist
Cecil B. DeMille
American film director, producer and actor (1881–1959)
Tony Richardson
English theatre and film director and producer (1928-1991)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Cecil.
FAQ
How popular is the name Cecil?
Cecil has been given to 114,676 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.
When did the name Cecil peak?
Cecil peaked in 1920, when 2,672 babies were given the name.
Is Cecil a girl or boy name?
Cecil is primarily a boy name (93% of babies named Cecil are boys).
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