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At a Glance: Name: Cecily – Meaning: possibly 'blind' (inherited from Cecilia) – Origin: Latin (English medieval form of Cecilia) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: SES-il-ee
Cecily (pronounced SES-il-ee, /ˈsɛsɪli/) is the English medieval form of Cecilia, with roots in Latin. Its meaning is usually given as 'possibly blind,' the same hedged etymology carried over from Cecilia. You may see Cecily described as meaning 'sixth,' but that isn't supported — it's a mistaken, unrelated addition rather than a real translation.
Meaning & Origin of Cecily
Meaning: Possibly 'blind' (inherited from cecilia).
Origin: Latin (English medieval form of Cecilia).
A common claim: Cecily is sometimes said to mean 'sixth.' Actually: That's unsupported and appears to be a mistaken, unrelated addition — Cecily is simply the medieval English form of Cecilia, carrying the same hedged 'possibly blind' etymology.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Cecily
Phonetic: SES-il-ee IPA: /ˈsɛsɪli/
Popularity of Cecily
Cecily hit its peak in 1989, ranking #498 with 472 babies given the name that year; by 2024 it had dropped to #1595 with just 131 babies, based on SSA records spanning 1911 to 2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1911–2024.
Make Cecily Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Cecily, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Cecily mean?
Possibly ‘blind’ (inherited from cecilia). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cecily)
How do you pronounce Cecily?
Cecily is pronounced SES-il-ee (IPA: /ˈsɛsɪli/).
Is Cecily a popular name right now?
Cecily peaked at #498 in 1989 and is ranked #1595 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1911–2024.)
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