Caeli
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "heavenly" or "of the sky".
Name Census estimates that about 1,147 living Americans carry the first name Caeli. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Caeli today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Caeli births was 2023 (148 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Caeli. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Caeli is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 13 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 298,827 Americans
Peak year
2023
148 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,660
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Caeli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Caeli from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 461 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Caeli by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Caeli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Caelis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Caeli, while New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 44 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Caeli
The name Caeli is derived from the Latin word "caelum," meaning "heaven" or "sky." Its origins can be traced back to ancient Roman culture, where it was likely used as a name to honor celestial deities or to express a connection with the heavens.
In ancient Roman mythology, Caelus was the primordial god of the sky, and his name was often invoked in religious rituals and ceremonies. The name may have been given to children as a way to seek divine protection or to symbolize a connection with the celestial realm.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Caeli can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who lived from 59 BC to 17 AD. He mentioned a nobleman named Caeli Vibenna, who was said to have assisted the legendary founder of Rome, Romulus, in establishing the city.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Caeli. One example is Caeli Calcagnini (1479-1541), an Italian humanist scholar and poet who was renowned for his works on astronomy and mathematics. Another is Caeli Secundi Curionis (1503-1569), a Swiss Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the Reformation movement.
In the 17th century, Caeli Firmiani (1622-1687) was an Italian painter and engraver who achieved fame for his religious artworks and portraits. Caeli Piccolomini (1659-1681), on the other hand, was an Italian noblewoman and writer who is remembered for her contributions to the literary salons of her time.
One of the most recent historical figures with the name Caeli is Caeli Quinn (1896-1976), an American actress and singer who appeared in several Broadway productions and films during the early 20th century.
While the name Caeli has been relatively uncommon throughout history, its celestial connotations and associations with ancient Roman culture have contributed to its enduring presence in various societies and time periods.
People
Caeli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Caeli as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Caeli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Caeli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,147 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Caeli going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 298,827 US residents.
Is Caeli a common name?
We classify Caeli as "Rare". It ranks above 91% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,161 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Caeli most popular?
The single biggest year for Caeli was 2023, when 148 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Caeli is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Caeli a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Caeli in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.