Cecil
How to say it: SES-ul · /ˈsɛsəl/
From Roman family name Caecilius, derived from Latin caecus (blind). Also linked to Welsh Seisyll. A distinguished aristocratic name.
Cecil was the 1,268th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 119 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1900s, its births are steady over ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,199 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,268 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 119 |
| Share of births | 1 in 27,860 |
| Peak decade | 1900s |
| Change over 10 years | +4% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,199 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Cecil peaked in the 1900s.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Cecil is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, English, French, Welsh.
Famous people named Cecil
- Cecil John Rhodes (1853–1902)British businessman, mining magnate and politician in South Africa
- Cecil Frank Powell (1903–1969)British physicist
- Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959)American film director, producer and actor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Cecil the lion, killed by a trophy hunter in Zimbabwe in July 2015, drew worldwide outrage; the name now recalls that story.
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