This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Cicely – Meaning: blind – Origin: Latin (variant of Cecily/Cecilia) – Gender: primarily used for girls – Pronunciation: SIS-eh-lee
Cicely is a Latin name, a variant of Cecily and Cecilia. Many baby-name lists say it means "blind," tracing the connection back to the Latin word caecus — but that link is really just a longstanding guess about the old Roman family name behind it, and its true origin was never firmly pinned down. So if you love the sound of Cicely, know that its meaning is more open question than settled fact.
Meaning & Origin of Cicely
Meaning: Blind.
Origin: Latin (variant of Cecily/Cecilia).
A common claim: "Blind" (from Latin caecus), per Victorian baby-name listicles. Actually: The 'blind' meaning is a longstanding but uncertain folk association between the Roman family name Caecilius and Latin caecus — the clan name's true origin isn't firmly established.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Cicely
Phonetic: SIS-eh-lee IPA: /ˈsɪsəli/
Popularity of Cicely
Cicely had its biggest moment in 1974, ranking #608 with 256 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had fallen all the way to #12396, with just 7 babies named Cicely.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1917–2024.
Make Cicely Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Cicely, 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 Cicely mean?
Blind. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cicely)
How do you pronounce Cicely?
Cicely is pronounced SIS-eh-lee (IPA: /ˈsɪsəli/).
Is Cicely a popular name right now?
Cicely peaked at #608 in 1974 and is ranked #12396 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1917–2024.)
📊 How popular is Cicely? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Cicely
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
