Cordelia
Shakespeare's spelling of a historical British name appearing as Cordeilla, etc., possibly derived from the Latin saint's name Cordula.
Every Cordelia since 1880 — 12,906 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cordelia
Cordelia is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #981 in 2025 with 258 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 12,906 American babies have been named Cordelia. Its peak came in 2015, when 286 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cordelia stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cordelia year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 258 | #981 |
| 2024 | 233 | #1,066 |
| 2023 | 220 | #1,117 |
| 2022 | 242 | #1,052 |
| 2021 | 253 | #1,010 |
| 2020 | 252 | #1,006 |
| 2019 | 231 | #1,083 |
| 2018 | 249 | #1,036 |
| 2017 | 210 | #1,173 |
| 2016 | 263 | #1,005 |
| 2015 | 286 | #949 |
| 2014 | 267 | #993 |
| 2013 | 201 | #1,193 |
| 2012 | 208 | #1,181 |
| 2011 | 181 | #1,302 |
| 2010 | 181 | #1,301 |
| 2009 | 175 | #1,359 |
| 2008 | 132 | #1,688 |
| 2007 | 111 | #1,878 |
| 2006 | 129 | #1,641 |
| 2005 | 149 | #1,433 |
| 2004 | 128 | #1,548 |
| 2003 | 150 | #1,350 |
| 2002 | 115 | #1,609 |
| 2001 | 65 | #2,416 |
| 2000 | 64 | #2,409 |
| 1995 | 44 | #2,742 |
| 1990 | 38 | #2,971 |
| 1985 | 30 | #3,023 |
| 1980 | 40 | #2,396 |
| 1975 | 39 | #2,174 |
| 1970 | 39 | #2,086 |
| 1965 | 48 | #1,624 |
| 1960 | 79 | #1,227 |
| 1955 | 74 | #1,157 |
| 1950 | 86 | #980 |
| 1945 | 68 | #916 |
| 1940 | 86 | #742 |
| 1935 | 77 | #769 |
| 1930 | 89 | #743 |
| 1925 | 99 | #744 |
| 1920 | 120 | #661 |
| 1915 | 135 | #551 |
| 1910 | 75 | #461 |
| 1905 | 72 | #397 |
| 1900 | 79 | #375 |
| 1895 | 54 | #380 |
| 1890 | 48 | #364 |
| 1885 | 58 | #262 |
| 1880 | 58 | #204 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cordelia mean?
Shakespeare's spelling of a historical British name appearing as Cordeilla, etc., possibly derived from the Latin saint's name Cordula.
How popular is the name Cordelia in 2025?
Cordelia ranked #981 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 258 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cordelia?
12,906 babies have been named Cordelia in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cordelia most popular?
Cordelia peaked in 2015, when 286 newborns received the name.
Is Cordelia a boy or girl name?
Cordelia is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cordelia rising or falling?
Cordelia has been roughly stable over the past decade.