How popular is the baby name Cicely in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Cicely.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Cicely


Posts that Mention the Name Cicely

Baby names with ICE: Icelynn, Vicente, Clarice

Ice

Looking for baby names that contain the word ICE?

If so, here’s a long list of options to choose from!

Top baby names with ICE

First, a quick rundown of the most popular names with the letter sequence “i-c-e,” according to the current U.S. baby name data.

Top girl names with “i-c-e”Top boy names with “i-c-e”
Alice
Beatrice
Justice
Millicent
Eunice
Janice
Bernice
Candice
Maricela
Berenice
Justice
Vicente
Maurice
Brice
Ulices
Price
Jaice
Jaiceon
Kaicen
Bricen

Now here are the same names again, but this time around I’ve added definitions, variant forms/spellings, and links to popularity graphs.

Alice

The name Alice comes from the Germanic name Adalheidis, meaning “noble character” or “nobleness.”

Beatrice

The name Beatrice, the Italian form of the Latin name Beatrix, comes from the Latin word viator, meaning “traveler, voyager.”

Bernice + Berenice

The name Berenice comes from the ancient Greek name Pherenike, which is made up of elements meaning “to bring” and “victory.”

The name Bernice is a contracted form of Berenice.

Bernice is also sometimes spelled Burnice.

Brice + Bricen

The names Brice and Bricen may come from a Gaulish name meaning “speckled.”

Candice

The name Candice is a variant spelling of Candace, a Latinized form of kandake, the title used by ancient queens of the Kingdom of Kush (Ethiopia).

The name is also sometimes spelled Kandice.

Eunice

The name Eunice is made up of ancient Greek elements meaning “good” and “victory.”

Jaice + Jaiceon

The modern names Jaice and Jaiceon were inspired by the sound of the traditional name Jason.

Janice

The name Janice is an elaborated form of Jane, which is a feminine form of John, which ultimately comes from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning “Yahweh is gracious.”

The name is also sometimes spelled Jannice, or Yanice (which reflects the Spanish pronunciation).

Justice

The word-name Justice, which is relatively gender-neutral, refers to the state of being fair and just. It ultimately comes from the Latin word iustus, meaning “just.”

Kaicen

Like Jaice and Jaiceon, Kaicen is a modern name inspired by the sound of names like Jason and Mason.

Maricela

The Spanish name Maricela represents a combination of the names María and Celia. It could also be considered a form of Marisela, which comes from Marisa, a combination of María and Luisa.

The name is also sometimes spelled Maricella.

Maurice

The name Maurice comes from the Latin name Maurus, meaning “Moorish.”

The name is also sometimes spelled Marice, Morice, and Mourice.

Millicent

The name Millicent is made up of two Germanic elements, the first of which may refer to the Amal dynasty (of the Goths), the second of which means “strong.”

The name is also sometimes spelled Milicent and Mellicent.

Price

The name Price comes from a surname that has several possible derivations, such as the Welsh patronymic ap Rhys (meaning “son of Rhys”) and the Middle English nickname Price (which referred to a highly valued person).

Ulices

The name Ulices is a variant spelling of the name Ulises, the Spanish form of Ulysses, which comes from the ancient Greek name Odysseus (of unknown derivation).

Vicente

The name Vicente is the Spanish form of Vincent, which comes from the Latin verb vincere, meaning “to conquer.”

The feminine form of the name is Vicenta. The name is also sometimes spelled Bicente (reflecting the Spanish pronunciation).

"Ice" (diamonds)

More names with ICE

So, what other names have ICE in them? Here are some less-common choices. (Most of these come directly from the SSA’s baby name data.)

  • Adelice
  • Aicen
  • Alicen
  • Altrice
  • Amice
  • Analice
  • Andice
  • Aniceta, Aniceto
  • Annice
  • Antrice
  • Ardice
  • Aricel
  • Ariceli
  • Aricela, Aricella
  • Arlice
  • Armistice
  • Arnice
  • Artice
  • Avice
  • Bellatrice
  • Boice
  • Brandice
  • Brenice
  • Briceida, Briceyda
  • Bricelyn, Bricelynn
  • Briceton
  • Cantrice
  • Caprice, Kaprice
  • Carice
  • Catrice, Katrice
  • Charlice
  • Choice
  • Cicel
  • Cicely, Sicely
  • Cicera, Cicero
  • Cirice
  • Clarice, Clairice
  • Cleatrice
  • Cloice
  • Clorice
  • Connice
  • Corrice
  • Curtice
  • Daiceon
  • Dalice
  • Danice
  • Darice
  • Darnice
  • Daurice
  • Deatrice
  • Delice
  • Deloice
  • Delorice
  • Demetrice
  • Denice, Dennice
  • Derice
  • Detrice
  • Dicey
  • Domicella
  • Donice, Donnice
  • Dorice
  • Edice
  • Elicena
  • Elicenda
  • Elice, Ellice
  • Eliceo
  • Eurydice
  • Eustice
  • Fabrice
  • Farice
  • Felice
  • Floice
  • Florice
  • Gicel, Gicelle
  • Gicela
  • Gladice
  • Glenice, Glennice
  • Glorice
  • Gloricely
  • Glynice
  • Graice
  • Graicen
  • Gricel
  • Gricela
  • Gricelda
  • Ice
  • Icel
  • Icela
  • Iceland
  • Icelene, Icelean
  • Icelyn, Icelynn
  • Iceola
  • Ices, Icess, Iceis, Icesis
  • Icey

…And, for those of you who are primarily interested in names that start with ICE, here are some extra ideas (gleaned from U.S. vital records, censuses, etc.):

Icea, Iceal, Icealene, Icealia, Iceda, Icedra, Icedoria, Icee, Icelane, Icele, Icelea, Icelee, Iceleen, Icelena, Icelenn, Iceletta, Icelia, Icelin, Iceline, Icella, Icelle, Icelo, Icelona, Icelya, Icema, Icen, Icena, Icenia, Icenora, Icepearl, Icerene, Icerica, Icerine, Icerra, Icesa, Icesse, Icetta, Icette, Icevilla, Icevinda

Now, back to the list…

  • Jaice
  • Jaicee, Jaicey
  • Jaicen
  • Jaicere
  • Jalice
  • Jamice
  • Jaurice
  • Jenice, Genice
  • Jicela
  • Joice
  • Kaice
  • Kaicee, Kaicey
  • Kalice, Calice
  • Kennice
  • Kentrice
  • Laicee, Laicey
  • Lanice
  • Laodice
  • Laodicea
  • Larice
  • Larnice
  • Laurice
  • Latrice
  • Leatrice
  • Lenice, Lennice
  • Letrice
  • Liceria, Licerio
  • Licet, Licette
  • Loice
  • Lorice
  • Lovice
  • Lynice
  • Madicella
  • Maicee, Maicey
  • Maricel
  • Maricelda
  • Markice, Marquice
  • Marnice
  • Martice
  • Marticela
  • Martrice
  • Mauriceo
  • Mertice
  • Monice
  • Montrice
  • Myrtice
  • Odice
  • Olice, Ollice
  • Onice
  • Orice
  • Ottice
  • Patrice
  • Petrice
  • Prentice
  • Pricella
  • Quanice
  • Rejoice
  • Rice
  • Ronice, Ronnice
  • Rosicela
  • Rubicela
  • Salice
  • Salvatrice
  • Santrice
  • Shalice, Chalice
  • Shanice, Chanice
  • Shandice, Chandice
  • Shantrice, Chantrice
  • Sharice, Charice
  • Sharnice, Charnice
  • Shatrice, Chatrice
  • Shaunice, Shawnice, Seanice
  • Shauntrice, Shawntrice
  • Shaurice, Chaurice
  • Shelice
  • Shenice, Chenice
  • Sherice, Sherrice, Cherice, Cherrice
  • Shonice
  • Shontrice
  • Shynice
  • Solstice
  • Tandice
  • Tanice
  • Taurice
  • Tenice
  • Terice, Terrice
  • Tice
  • Ticey
  • Tonice
  • Traice
  • Trenice
  • Trice
  • Tyrice
  • Valice
  • Vanice
  • Venice
  • Verenice
  • Vernice
  • Veronice
  • Vetrice
  • Viatrice
  • Vice
  • Vicey
  • Vonice
  • Vontrice
  • Wallice
  • Yaricelis
  • Yicel

Some of the above are non-traditional spellings of more common names, such as Araceli, Demetrius, Isis, and Wallace.

Finally, if you’d like to check out popularity graphs for any of the names in this post, just look below for the long list of tags. Each tag is a name, so just find the name you’re interested in and click through. The graph will take a moment to load — it’s grabbing a lot of data — but it will allow you to see at a glance the name’s current and historical U.S. usage.

Sources:

Images by Akira Hojo and Alekon pictures from Unsplash

P.S. Two more names that have an association with ice — “ice” as in the slang term for diamonds (as opposed to the solid state of water) — are Eliantte and Avianne.

Fastest-rising U.S. baby names (relative increase), 1881 to today

arrow, increase

Many years ago, I published a list of the top debut baby names. A few years after that, I posted a list of the top one-hit wonder baby names.

So today let’s check out another fun set of “top” names: the top rises. The names below are those that increased the most in usage, percentage-wise, from one year to the next according to the SSA data.

Here’s the format: girl names are on the left, boy names are on the right, and the percentages represent single-year jumps in usage. (For example, from 1880 to 1881, usage of the girl name Isa grew 240% and usage of the boy name Noble grew 333%.)

  • 1881: Isa, 240%; Noble, 333%
  • 1882: Clementine, 300%; Clarance, 300%
  • 1883: Malissa, 243%; Alf, 150%
  • 1884: Belva, 1,220%; Grover, 532%
  • 1885: Phebe, 220%; Bryant, 200%
  • 1886: Felicia, 180%; Thornton, 240%
  • 1887: Ossie, 240%; Aubrey, 240%
  • 1888: Bennie, 250%; Thurman, 414%
  • 1889: Diana, 233%; Grady, 267%
  • 1890: Easter, 238%; Isaiah, 215%
  • 1891: Lutie, 200%; Colonel, 217%
  • 1892: Lollie, 271%; Pierce, 340%
  • 1893: Annabell, 240%; Lindsay, 320%
  • 1894: Versie, 320%; Alvie, 233%
  • 1895: Glenn, 283%; Alma, 220%
  • 1896: Vernice, 217%; Hobart, 744%
  • 1897: Sigrid, 200%; Roswell, 183%
  • 1898: Manila, 1,386%; Dewey, 606%
  • 1899: Tula, 280%; Rogers, 220%
  • 1900: Rosia, 480%; Wilber, 417%
  • 1901: Dellie, 180%; Kermit, 183%
  • 1902: Lolita, 420%; Judge, 260%
  • 1903: Rafaela, 280%; Jordan, 250%
  • 1904: Amber, 314%; Adelbert, 260%
  • 1905: Orma, 300%; Armand, 222%
  • 1906: Ena, 456%; Sheldon, 240%
  • 1907: Lota & Tula, 240%; Quincy, 183%
  • 1908: Bernetta & Nila, 260%; Taft, 288%
  • 1909: Laverna & Nevada, 267%; Toney, 300%
  • 1910: Cleopatra, 240%; Arturo & Sammy, 283%
  • 1911: Maryellen, 280%; Vincenzo & Wyman, 320%
  • 1912: Marina, 420%; Woodrow, 1,423%
  • 1913: Carroll, 263%; Rosendo, 320%
  • 1914: Lucyle, 280%; Irvine, 333%
  • 1915: Zudora, 460%; Charlton, 320%
  • 1916: Aldena, 291%; Tatsuo, 850%
  • 1917: Liberty, 617%; Masami, 338%
  • 1918: Kazuko, 320%; Quentin, 567%
  • 1919: Verbie, 300%; Belvin, 360%
  • 1920: Marcene, 386%; Harding, 718%
  • 1921: Elwanda, 1,860%; Gareth, 560%
  • 1922: Carley, 320%; Colie, 340%
  • 1923: Eris, 1,313%; Coolidge, 820%
  • 1924: Janeth, 517%; Phyllis, 260%
  • 1925: Murlene & Normalee, 260%; Estell & Unknown, 214%
  • 1926: Ileana, 633%; Jarrell & Lenoard, 240%
  • 1927: Charmaine, 825%; Lindbergh, 867%
  • 1928: Jeannine, 1,147%; Hoover, 522%
  • 1929: Dorla, 800%; Davey, 889%
  • 1930: Arlayne, 317%; Derl, 1,060%
  • 1931: Marlene, 745%; Colbert, 280%
  • 1932: Harlene, 270%; Delano, 1,057%
  • 1933: Sharleen, 425%; Delano, 289%
  • 1934: Adriana, 283%; Kelvin, 360%
  • 1935: Norita, 1,171%; Darwyn, 458%
  • 1936: Shelba, 2,667%; Lonzie, 320%
  • 1937: Deanna, 2,009%; Tyrone, 788%

The SSA data isn’t perfect, but it does get a lot more accurate starting in the late 1930s, because “many people born before 1937 never applied for a Social Security card, so their names are not included in our data” (SSA). Now, back to the list…

  • 1938: Danielle, 878%; Dion, 355%
  • 1939: Brenda, 308%; Hall, 280%
  • 1940: Scarlett, 743%; Clemmie, 257%
  • 1941: Jerilyn, 1,250%; Rulon, 250%
  • 1942: Michal, 1,520%; Macarthur, 2,740%
  • 1943: Shaaron, 456%; Suzanne, 240%
  • 1944: Dorinda, 568%; Kennedy, 280%
  • 1945: Lauren, 709%; Dorian, 220%
  • 1946: Jacalyn, 740%; Cornel, 533%
  • 1947: Jolinda, 388%; Brock, 364%
  • 1948: Sharman, 275%; Kevan, 260%
  • 1949: Lorry, 360%; Hanson, 240%
  • 1950: Vallorie, 717%; Brion, 400%
  • 1951: Krystal, 588%; Denise, 350%
  • 1952: Pandora, 1,100%; Corby & Wilhelm, 240%
  • 1953: Angelique, 1,157%; Shane, 392%
  • 1954: Sheree, 756%; Dain, 360%
  • 1955: Sabrina, 711%; Davy, 509%
  • 1956: Venetia, 543%; Cheyenne, 680%
  • 1957: Tammy, 1,591%; Tammy, 467%
  • 1958: Keely, 1,100%; Bret, 680%
  • 1959: Torri, 411%; Efrem, 963%
  • 1960: Lisha, 1,096%; Stephon, 1,200%
  • 1961: Marisol, 481%; Parrish, 1,460%
  • 1962: Penne, 447%; Chance, 350%
  • 1963: Tamiko, 1,440%; Tal, 617%
  • 1964: Deneen, 7,191%; Temple, 420%
  • 1965: Fontella, 880%; Branden, 340%
  • 1966: Tabatha, 9,900%; Heath, 1,070%
  • 1967: Anisa, 1,600%; Garrison, 320%
  • 1968: Coretta, 2,485%; Dustin, 778%
  • 1969: Lalena, 640%; Jeromy, 514%
  • 1970: Shiloh, 540%; Jermaine, 3,320%
  • 1971: Ashli, 1,900%; Jermaine, 494%
  • 1972: Catina, 9,033%; Demond, 3,920%
  • 1973: Cicely, 1,827%; Caine, 780%
  • 1974: Nakia, 16,100%; Rashad, 1,100%
  • 1975: Rasheda, 988%; Jamaal, 688%
  • 1976: Rhiannon, 1,713%; Seneca, 1,429%
  • 1977: Shawntae, 686%; Lavar, 5,480%
  • 1978: Aja, 3,407%; Dequan, 988%
  • 1979: Renada, 780%; Yoel, 525%
  • 1980: Genese, 1,920%; Rayshaun, 440%
  • 1981: Krystle, 1,623%; Cavin, 833%
  • 1982: Jere, 1,000%; Colt, 1,620%
  • 1983: Ciji, 2,950%; Remington, 657%
  • 1984: Santana, 3,467%; Ryne, 424%
  • 1985: Kayleigh, 2,914%; Jaymes, 769%
  • 1986: Kyrie, 3,180%; Orry, 789%
  • 1987: Janay, 1,168%; Jareth, 400%
  • 1988: Whitley, 916%; Nico, 860%
  • 1989: Audriana, 3,467%; Alexande, 4,917%
  • 1990: Alannah, 1,583%; Tevin, 4,569%
  • 1991: Tanairi, 820%; Devante, 1,356%
  • 1992: Darian, 703%; Jalen, 3,980%
  • 1993: Coraima, 4,320%; Savon, 2,457%
  • 1994: Aaliyah, 6,495%; Romario, 1,940%
  • 1995: Iridian, 1,845%; Tristin, 747%
  • 1996: Alanis, 1,047%; Json, 880%
  • 1997: Yulisa, 2,729%, Ennis, 620%
  • 1998: Jazsmin, 960%; Denilson, 900%
  • 1999: Tionne, 1,100%; Sincere, 647%
  • 2000: Litzy, 1,189%; Elian, 2,413%
  • 2001: Nevaeh, 1,111%; Jaheim, 5,440%
  • 2002: Lashanti, 2,060%; Omarion, 8,260%
  • 2003: Azeneth, 1,913%; Andon, 2,200%
  • 2004: Betzaida, 1,233%; Jakwon, 1,260%
  • 2005: Mikalah, 1,906%; Talan, 2,130%
  • 2006: Bethzy; 2,636%; Dereon, 1,217%
  • 2007: Jaslene, 9,920%; Leonidas & Renner, 700%
  • 2008: Dayami, 3,464%; Barack, 940%
  • 2009: Baya, 1,020%; Dhani, 520%
  • 2010: Collins, 1,557%; Bentlee, 733%
  • 2011: Thaily, 1,400%; Neymar, 900%
  • 2012: Cataleya, 2,182%; Long, 740%
  • 2013: Daleyza, 1,055%; Jaiceon, 1,057%
  • 2014: Aranza, 1,297%; Jameis, 720%
  • 2015: Vail, 700%; Rhydian, 667%
  • 2016: Kehlani, 571%; Kylo, 580%
  • 2017: Westlynn, 600%; Oseias, 1,080%
  • 2018: Maleni, 950%; Atreus, 1,888%
  • 2019: Yalitza, 1,490%; Ermias, 3,360%
  • 2020: Ehlani, 2,100%; Omere, 460%
  • 2021: Thyri, 1,033%; Calian, 914%

(Did you catch all the doubles? Tula, Delano, Tammy, Jermaine, and Davey/Davy.)

I’ve already written about some of the names above (click the links to see the posts) and I plan to write about many of the others. In the meanwhile, though, feel free to beat me to it! Leave a comment and let us know what popularized Dorla in 1929, or Lauren in 1945, or Dustin in 1968, or Kayleigh in 1985, or Talan in 2005…

Gaiety Girl names: Gertie, Gaby, Ellaline

English actress Lily Elsie (1886-1962)
Lily Elsie

Before there were Follies girls, there were Gaiety Girls.

The Gaiety Girls were showgirls who appeared in Edwardian musical comedies at London’s Gaiety Theatre during the 1890s.

English actress Gabrielle Ray (1883-1973)
Gabrielle Ray

There’s no definitive list of all the Gaiety Girls, but here are the stage names (and birth names) of several dozen of them:

Stage NameBirth Name
Alice DelysiaAlice Lapize
Billie CarletonFlorence Stewart
Blanche MasseyBlanch Massey
Camille CliffordCamilla Clifford
Cicely CourtneidgeEsmerelda Cicely Courtneidge
Connie GilchristConstance Gilchrist
Constance CollierLaura Constance Hardie
Denise OrmeJessie Smither
Dorothy MintoDorothy Scott
Eleanor “Nellie” SourayEllen Mary Souray
Ellaline TerrissMary Ellaline Terriss
Evelyn LayeElsie Evelyn Lay
Florence SmithsonFlorence Smithson
Gaby DeslysMarie-Elise-Gabrielle Caire
Gabrielle RayGabrielle Cook
Gertie MillarGertrude Millar
Gina PalermeMarie Louise Irène de Maulmont
Gladys CooperGladys Cooper
Irene Desmond(unknown)
Irene Richards(unknown)
Jessie Matthews(unknown)
José CollinsCharlotte Josephine Collins
Kitty GordonConstance Blades
Lily ElsieElsie Hodder
Mabel LoveMabel Watson
Mabel RussellMabel Russell
Mamie Watson(unknown)
Marie StudholmeCaroline Maria Lupton
May EtheridgeMay Etheridge
May Gates(unknown)
Moya NugentMoya Nugent
Olive MayOlive Mary Meatyard
Phyllis DarePhyllis Constance Haddie Dones (sister of Zena)
Rosie BooteRose Boote
Sylvia GreySylvia Grey
Sylvia StoreySylvia Storey
Zena DareFlorence Hariette Zena Dones (sister of Phyllis)

Which of the above names do you like best?

Sources: Gaiety Girls – Wikipedia, Gaiety Girls exhibition – National Portrait Gallery

Name quotes #29: Phoebe, Cicely, Bodica

double quotation mark

Here are some interesting snippets about names/naming to end the week…

From “Sandra Bernhard, rebellious as ever” (The Villager, 2006) by Jerry Tallmer:

Though Bernhard, rebellious as ever, says: “I can’t stand sitting in theater, it drives me insane,” and has time for movies “only on television…or in airplanes,” she did appropriate from Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” the name Cicely that graces Bernhard’s daughter born July 4, 1998, nine or so months after the flamethrowing actress/singer/faghag/friend of the famous said to herself one fine day: “Enough! Get real.”

From “Names of boundless mirth” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2003) by Ambeth Ocampo (who is quoting a reader who e-mailed him this story):

“I was once a MedTech intern assigned in a rural Cebu town. Back then it was common to encounter names of kids such as ‘Tom Cruise Duhaylungsod,’ ‘Jacky Chan Labadan,’ ‘Fernando Poe Capunay,’ etc. Certainly a vast improvement over those Spanish-era saintly names of old (mine included). You would think parents of those kids were diehard movie fanatics who wanted to append their idol’s screen names to their kids’. But once, while taking a blood sample from a baby girls with [a] profusely runny nose and ‘Phoebe Cates’ as a given name, I kidded the mother that she must be a Phoebe Cates fan. To which she replied that living in a rural barrio she seldom watched movies actually, not to mention that she could hardly afford it; she didn’t know it was a movie star’s name until much later. It was the midwife who attended to her when she gave birth to her baby who pinned a paper with that name on the baby’s lampin. Needless to say, she and her husband found it unique. So the name stuck. Go figure how many more babies that midwife christened with her own idols’ fancy names. The baby’s parents nevertheless were proud of it, mind you.”

From the BBC article “‘Unique’ Roman tombstone found in Cirencester“:

The tombstone was found near skeletal remains thought to belong to the person named on its inscription, making the discovery unique.

Archaeologists behind the dig in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, said they believed it marked the grave of a 27-year-old woman called Bodica.

[…]

Mr Holbrook has suggested the name Bodica was of Celtic origin.

“Perhaps Bodica is a local Gloucestershire girl who’s married an incoming Roman or Gaul from France and has adopted this very Roman way of death,” he said.

And that BBC article reminded me of this BBC article, “Queen Khentakawess III’s tomb found in Egypt“:

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the tomb of a previously unknown queen, Egyptian officials say.

The tomb was found in Abu-Sir, south-west of Cairo, and is thought to belong to the wife or mother of Pharaoh Neferefre who ruled 4,500 years ago.

Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty said that her name, Khentakawess, had been found inscribed on a wall in the necropolis.

Mr Damaty added that this would make her Khentakawess III.

From “Why I Changed My Name and What It Taught Me About Who I Am” by Belle Beth Cooper:

My dad did feel a bit taken aback by it. Although he knew I was using my new name already, talking to him about the process of changing it legally was pretty tough. That conversation was a huge lesson for me in empathy and communication. My dad suggested I was changing my name out of anger towards my parents, almost in revenge or as a way to hurt them. That’s a pretty hard thing to hear from someone you love and respect, and it wasn’t easy to explain why I was changing my name and to convince him it was no reflection on my relationship with him or my mum at all.

From “Social change and the Fatima Index” by Justin Thomas in The National (and found via Clare’s Name News):

In spite of the great developments and massive social changes that have taken place across the UAE over the past few decades, the names Emirati families give to their babies has remained incredibly stable.