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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Celia
The name Celia is the feminine version of the Old Roman name “Caelius” which is derived from the Latin word “caelum” meaning “heaven”. It is derived from the Latin “Caecilius” family and means “blind” from the Latin “caecus.”
The name Celia can be considered a surname for the Latin names Cecilia, Cecelia, Celeste, or Celestina. However, nicknames for Celia can be Cece, Lia, Ce, Cel, Celee, and Celi. Other variants of Celia include Celya, Celine, and Celina.
Although used as a nickname for Cecilia, the name can be traced back to Saint Cecilia of Rome who was a Roman virgin martyr venerated in Roman, and Anglican churches. Also spelled as Cecily, Saint Cecilia is considered the patroness of music. She heard heavenly music at the time of her wedding and is represented in artwork with an instrument in her hand.
Cecily Neville was an English nobleman and the wife of Richard who was the Duke of York. She was also known as the “Rose of Raby” as she was born at the Raby Castle in Durham and was often praised for her piety.
The use of Celia started among the English speakers in the 16th century when it was found in the notable works of cult English authors. Celia is one of the most important characters in Wiliam Shakespeare’s pastoral comic play “As You Like It” written in 1599. She is the daughter of Duke Frederick and has been described as physically attractive, intelligent, and witty. Shakespeare portrays her as the true essence of the ideal heroine of Medieval English. Celia Brooke is another popular literary character appearing in the novel “Middlemarch” by George Eliot. She is Dorothea’s sister and marries James Chettam, and is kind and cheerful.
How To Pronounce Celia?
Famous People With The Name Celia
- Celia ImrieEnglish actress and author, recipient of the Olivier Award
- Celia JohnsonEnglish actress, renowned for her role in “Brief Encounter”
- Celia AdlerAmerican actress, popularly known as the “First Lady of the Yiddish Theater”
- Celia CruzCuban-American singer, nicknamed “La Guarachera de Cuba”
- Celia WestonAmerican actress, best known for her role in “Dead Man Walking”
Celia On The Popularity Chart
Celia was a moderately high-ranking name in the early 20th century. However, as the years progressed, it slowly lost its popularity as represented in the graphs below.
Popularity Over Time
The name Celia reached its highest popularity in 1984. However, its usage waxed and waned over the decades, reaching its lowest in 2018.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Celia entered the list of the top 500 names in 1983 but soon lost its ranking and its popularity declined over the years. However, it is still one of the top 1000 girls’ names in the US according to SSA data.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound
Names With Similar Meaning As Celia
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Name Numerology For Celia As Celia
Get a wider view of names that carry the same meaning as Celia but are differently spelled.
