Cordelia
How to say it: kor-DEL-yuh · /kɔrˈdiljə/
Possibly from Latin 'cor' (heart) or Celtic origin; Shakespeare's virtuous daughter in King Lear.
Cordelia was the 865th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 258 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 10% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #871 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #865 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 258 |
| Share of births | 1 in 12,850 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −10% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #871 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,541 among girls’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long ago at its height in the 1880s, Cordelia almost disappeared around the 1980s before coming back. Still well below that height, it will probably soften further.
What goes with it
Flowing and elaborate with crisp consonants underneath, Cordelia feels literary and grand. Evangeline and Octavia harmonize with it.
Parents who love Cordelia also love
Nicknames
- Cora
- Cordie
- Delia
- Lia
Honouring a Cordelia in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Cordelia is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
In France: #2,541 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Cordelia
- Cordelia Fine (born 1975)Canadian-born British psychologist and writer
- Cordelia Edvardson (1929–2012)German-born Swedish journalist, author and Holocaust survivor
- Cordelia Agbebaku (1961–2017)Vice Chancellor in Nigeria
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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