Cielle
A French feminine name meaning "sky" or "heaven".
Name Census estimates that about 181 living Americans carry the first name Cielle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cielle today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cielle births was 2024 (38 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cielle. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Cielle with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
181
~ 1 in 1,893,670 Americans
Peak year
2024
38 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,893
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Cielle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cielle from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 107 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
Cielle 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 Cielle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cielles live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, Massachusetts recorded the most babies named Cielle, while Massachusetts, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cielle
The name Cielle has its origins in the French language and culture, with roots that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the French word "ciel," which means "sky" or "heaven," suggesting a celestial or heavenly connotation.
During the Middle Ages, the name Cielle was primarily used as a feminine name, often bestowed upon girls born under auspicious celestial events or circumstances. In some regions of France, it was also associated with the concept of purity and innocence, reflecting the celestial symbolism of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cielle can be found in the medieval French epic poem "La Chanson de Roland," which dates back to the 11th century. In this literary work, a character named Cielle is mentioned, though details about their role or significance are scarce.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cielle. One such figure was Cielle de Tréville (1592-1670), a French courtier and lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie de' Medici during the reign of King Louis XIII. She was renowned for her wit and intelligence, and her memoirs offer valuable insights into the court life of the time.
Another prominent figure was Cielle de Montfort (1615-1681), a French noblewoman and philanthropist who dedicated her life to establishing schools and orphanages for underprivileged children in Paris. Her legacy continues to inspire charitable endeavors focused on education and child welfare.
In the realm of literature, Cielle Vidal (1793-1859) was a French poet and author who gained recognition for her lyrical works that celebrated nature and the beauty of the French countryside. Her poetry collections, such as "Les Fleurs du Printemps" (The Flowers of Spring), were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.
Moving into the modern era, Cielle Desvaux (1901-1979) was a renowned French artist known for her vibrant and expressive paintings that captured the essence of Parisian life. Her works are featured in several prestigious art museums and galleries across France and Europe.
Lastly, Cielle Desnoyers (1920-2005) was a prominent French journalist and war correspondent who covered major conflicts and events throughout the 20th century. Her fearless reporting and commitment to truth-telling earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Légion d'Honneur.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Cielle throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage associated with this celestial and timeless name.
People
Cielle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cielle 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
Cielle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cielle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 181 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cielle 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 1,893,670 US residents.
Is Cielle a common name?
We classify Cielle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 182 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cielle most popular?
The single biggest year for Cielle was 2024, when 38 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cielle is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Cielle in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cielle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cielle 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.
Is Cielle still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cielle in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Cielle can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Cielle?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.