Meanings
- A female given name from Latin.
Hark how the flutes and trumpets raise / At bright Cecilia's name, their lays!
1694, Joseph Addison, A Song for St. Cecilia's Day2 more examples
‘Sissy is not a name,’ said Mr. Gradgrind. ‘Don’t call yourself Sissy. Call yourself Cecilia.’ ‘It’s father as calls me Sissy, sir,’ returned the young girl in a trembling voice, and with another curtsey. ‘Then he has no business to do it,’ said Mr. Gradgrind. ‘Tell him he mustn’t. Cecilia Jupe. Let me see. What is your father?’
1854, Charles Dickens, “Book I, Chapter II”, in Hard Times. For These Times, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLCBecause they had named her Cecilia, her parents fancied that the matter of her life and character had been fairly well settled. She would, of course, be quiet and pale and mystical, like the saint whose picture hung above the old upright piano in the Kirby living-room.
1928, Lynn Montross, “Silent Minstrel”, in American Magazine, volume 106, page 14
Origin
- LatinCaecilia
- EnglishCecilia
From Latin Caecilia, feminine form of Caecilius, a Roman family name possibly derived from the byname caecus (“blind”). Popularized by Saint Cecilia, third century Roman martyr, the patron saint of music. Doublet of Sheila.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian Сеси́лия, Цеци́лия
- Сеси́лия (Sesílija)female given name
- Цеци́лия (Cecílija)female given name
- Чечи́лия (Čečílija)female given name
Catalan Cecília
- Cecíliafemale given name
Chinese Mandarin 塞西莉亞 /塞西莉亚, 則濟利亞 /则济利亚
- 塞西莉亞 /塞西莉亚 (Sàixīlìyà)female given name
- 則濟利亞 /则济利亚 (Zéjìlìyà)female given name
Czech Cecílie
- Cecíliefemale given name
Danish Cecilie
- Ceciliefemale given name
Esperanto Cecilia
- Ceciliafemale given name
Estonian Silja
- Siljafemale given name
Finnish Silja
- Siljafemale given name
French Cécile
- Cécilefemale given name
German Cäcilie
- Cäciliefemale given name
Greek Καικιλία
- Καικιλία (Kaikilía)female given name
Hawaiian Kikilia
- Kikiliafemale given name
Hungarian Cecília
- Cecíliafemale given name
Irish Síle, Sisile
- Sílefemale given name
- Sisilefemale given name
Italian Cecilia
- Ceciliafemale given name
Latin Caecilia, Cæcilia (alternate with the “æ” ligature)
- Caeciliafemale given name
- Cæcilia (alternate with the “æ” ligature)female given name
Norwegian Bokmål Cecilie
- Ceciliefemale given name
Polish Cecylia
- Cecyliafemale given name
Portuguese Cecília
- Cecíliafemale given name
Russian Сеси́лия, Цеци́лия
- Сеси́лия (Sesílija)female given name
- Цеци́лия (Cecílija)female given name
Scottish Gaelic Sìle, Sìleas
- Sìlefemale given name
- Sìleasfemale given name
Slovak Cecília
- Cecíliafemale given name
Spanish Cecilia
- Ceciliafemale given name
Swedish Cecilia
- Ceciliafemale given name
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Cecilia
Cite this entry
Cecilia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cecilia
“Cecilia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cecilia. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Cecilia,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cecilia.
Source: Cecilia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.