Celia

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Celia

Gender: Feminine
Language: English, Italian
Etymology:
Celia is a contraction of the name Cecilia. Cecilia is the modern English and Latin form of Caeciilia, an old Latin name meaning “Blind.”
-or-
Celia is an Italian name, derrived from the Latin name Caelia, the feminine form of Caelius, a Roman family name, possibly connected with “caelum” meaning “Heavens.”

History:
Besides being a Roman name, Celia is also an abbreviation of the common medieval name Cecilia (or Cecily). I would guess that in most cases, Celia comes from the latter explanation rather than the former.

Although it is a medieval name, Celia’s modern popularity may be traceable to Shakepeare’s use of the name in his play As You Like It. Shakespeare had a fondness for Italian names.

Pronunciation: see-lee-ah.

Alternates:
French: Célie.
Frisian: Silke.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Celia Fiennes (1662-1741)
English travel writer.
Celia Laighton Thaxter (1835-1894)
American poet.

Singers and Entertainers:
Celia Cruz (1929-)
Cuban singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.044 % named Celia

Popularity of Celia:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 97th most popular.
1850: 84th most popular.
1875: 140th most popular.
1900-1910: 167th most popular.
1910-1920: 203rd most popular.
1920-1930: 257th most popular.
1930-1940: 288th most popular.
1940-1950: 322nd most popular.
1950-1960: 367th most popular.
1960-1970: 481st most popular.
1970-1980: 645th most popular.
1980-1990: 555th most popular.
1990: 588th most popular.
1991: 600th most popular.
1992: 618th most popular.
1993: 639th most popular.
1994: 673rd most popular.
1995: 664th most popular.
1996: 661st most popular.
1997: 630th most popular.
1998: 622nd most popular.
1999: 600th most popular.
2000: 616th most popular.
2001: 598th most popular.
2002: 647th most popular.
2003: 657th most popular.

In France...
1900-1970: N/A
1974: 167th most popular.
1980: 138th most popular.
1990: 76th most popular.
2000: 30th most popular.