Cordelia

An uncommon Latin pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's nameLatinDeclining Also a pet name
#1065 52in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from Latin.

Cordelia is a girl's baby name of Latin origin, from the Latin cor (heart) or the Celtic Creiryddlydd, possibly meaning "heart" or "daughter of the sea." In Shakespeare's King Lear, Cordelia is the devoted, truthful youngest daughter whose love for her father is the moral center of the tragedy.

Cordelia carries Shakespearean gravitas and heartfelt meaning in one of the most beautiful four-syllable names in the English language. Its natural nickname Cora has been driving fresh interest, and the name has been growing steadily as parents rediscover Victorian classics with genuine literary depth.

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Popularity Over Time

Cordelia climbed 483 spots in the last 20 years — from #1548 to #1065.

07214321528618801900192019401960198020002024

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Cordelia
DecadeBirthsTrend
2020s1,199
2010s2,276
2000s1,218
1990s367
1980s338
1970s352
1960s566
1950s772
1940s780
1930s839
1920s1,131
1910s1,087
1900s600
1890s575
1880s546

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(145 years, 18802024)
Year-by-year popularity data for the name Cordelia
YearBirthsRank
2024233#1065
2023219#1117
2022242#1051
2021253#1009
2020252#1006
2019231#1083
2018249#1035
2017210#1173
2016263#1005
2015286#949
2014267#993
2013201#1192
2012208#1181
2011181#1302
2010180#1306
2009175#1359
2008132#1688
2007111#1878
2006129#1640
2005149#1433

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Cordelia has two lives

Cordelia, the baby name
#1065girls
12,646 babies
Currently viewing
Cordelia, the pet name
#3187pet name
26 pets
View pet page →

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (18802024) · Methodology