NameChart

Cornelia

Girl name

Cornelia has been given to 22,102 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1921.

Meaning & origin /kɔɹˈniliə/

From Latin Cornēlia, name of a famous Roman matron, feminine form of the gens name Cornelius; in continental Europe, also a feminine form of the saint's name Cornelius.

Origin: Latin

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

0119239358477 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

22,102

Peak year

1921 (477 babies)

Rank in 2025

Below top 1000

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▲ +82%

Gender split

100% girls / 0% boys

Rank through the decades

Cornelia's rank among U.S. girl names at 25-year milestones.

YearGirls rank
1900#224
1925#336
1950#588

— means outside the top 1000 that year.

Spellings & variants

Names one letter away from Cornelia — alternate spellings parents actually use.

Famous people named Cornelia

Cornelia Funke

German author (born 1958)

Corrie ten Boom

Dutch resistance hero and writer

Cornelia Sorabji

Indian barrister, writer, and social reformer; first female graduate from Bombay University, first woman to study law at

Cornelia Froboess

German actress

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Cornelia.

FAQ

How popular is the name Cornelia?

Cornelia has been given to 22,102 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.

When did the name Cornelia peak?

Cornelia peaked in 1921, when 477 babies were given the name.

Is Cornelia a girl or boy name?

Cornelia is primarily a girl name (100% of babies named Cornelia are girls).

Get new name insights first

Occasional updates when we add new data & tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime by replying to any email or writing to hello@zalize.com.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We store only your email address and the date you signed up.