Total births
2,391
Girls' name · since 1917
Cicely
Since 1917, U.S. Social Security records show 2,391 babies named Cicely, peaking in 1974. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12249
- among girls today
- 2,391
- born since 1917
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Cicely is the #12249 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 2,391 recorded since 1917.
Social Security Administration records show Cicely recorded 2,391 times among girls since 1917, holding rank #12249 nationally today, ahead of 31% of girls, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 2025.
- #12249 among girls today
- 2,391 born since 1917
- 1970s peak decade
- 31% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Cicely is currently the #12249 girls' name in America, more common than 31% of girls - 2,391 born since 1917, peaking in the 1970s.
- #12249
- among girls today
- 2,391
- born since 1917
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Cicely vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#12249
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 31% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
45% of everyone ever named Cicely was born in this single decade.
1974
Single peak year
256 babies were named Cicely in 1974 - its busiest year on record.
How Cicely compares
2,391 Top 20% higher than 80% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Cicely's all-time total is 6x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Cicely | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,391 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 256 | 48 | 19,840 |
Cicely's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Cicely's full recorded timeline at 1987, 31% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 69% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1917, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1974 peak of 256 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Cicely at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1974
Current rank
#12,249
Active since
1917
Cicely popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–2025
- Peak year (1974)
- 256
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Cicely by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Cicely's strongest decade.
1,071 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Cicely births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 10
1910s
10 births
- 1920s 29
1920s
29 births
- 1930s 16
1930s
16 births
- 1940s 24
1940s
24 births
- 1950s 6
1950s
6 births
- 1960s 52
1960s
52 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,071 births
- 1980s
1980s
530 births
- 1990s 261
1990s
261 births
- 2000s 200
2000s
200 births
- 2010s 137
2010s
137 births
- 2020s 55
2020s
55 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 1,071 births (45% of all-time use).
How Cicely compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Cicely's total volume
Cicely vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Cicely by state
Where Cicely concentrates geographically, total births since 1917
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 173 | 7.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 103 | 4.3% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 85 | 3.6% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 85 | 3.6% |
| #5 | Florida | | 75 | 3.1% |
| #6 | New York | | 51 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 41 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 38 | 1.6% |
California share of Cicely's total US births 7.2%
Even split
173 of 2,391 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 24 reporting states.
Cicely appears in 24 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cicely? ▼
Since 1917, Social Security records show 2,391 babies named Cicely. Today it holds rank #12249 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1974, with 256 births.
When was Cicely most popular? ▼
Cicely was most popular in the 1970s decade with 1,071 total births. The single peak year was 1974.
Where is Cicely most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cicely are California (173 births), Texas (103 births), Georgia (85 births).
How long has the name Cicely been used? ▼
Cicely has been recorded in Social Security data since 1917, spanning 109 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Cicely? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cicily, Cici, Cicilia, Ciclaly, and 3 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Cicely's data
- Cicely's decade-level peak was the 1970s (1,071 total births); usage has since declined to 55 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Cicelys (173 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cicely
Nearby Names Like Cicely
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cicely
Cicily Girl
#10403 683 births
Cici Girl
#13769 129 births
Cicilia Girl
#15510 123 births
Ciclaly Girl
77 births
Cicley Girl
74 births
Compare Cicely side by side: Cicely vs Cicily Cicely vs Cici Cicely vs Cicilia
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Cicely
Lauralee #12248
2,257 births · Peak 1974
Delane #12250
955 births · Peak 1954
Lanette #12247
5,005 births · Peak 1964
Valina #12251
127 births · Peak 1964
Rosalene #12246
504 births · Peak 1938
Allyn #12252
1,915 births · Peak 1951
Ellabelle #12245
53 births · Peak 2015
Dominic #12253
1,252 births · Peak 1986
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1917–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cicely: #12249 Girls' Name - 2,391 Births, Peak 1974." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cicely. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cicely draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.