Cordelia

“Possibly "heart" (Latin), or "sea jewel" (Welsh); disputed” — Latin, or Welsh (uncertain) origin

Girl's name · #981 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Cordelia was #204 in 1880, slipped to #4208 by 1996, and has climbed back to #981 today. About 13,000 girls have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Around the world: about 1 in 4,300 girls in England & Wales (2025) · about 1 in 6,700 girls in Sweden (2025) · about 1 in 7,700 girls in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 24 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Cordelias

Cordelia Fine — Canadian-born British psychologist and writer
Cordelia Edvardson — German-born Swedish journalist, author and Holocaust survivor
Cordelia Agbebaku — Vice Chancellor in Nigeria
Cordelia A. Greene — American physician, health reformer, benefactor, suffragist (1831-1905)
Cordelia Wilson — artist (1873-1953)

In stories & tradition

Cordelia of Britain — The History of the Kings of Britain
Cordelia Chase — Buffy the Vampire Slayer · Angel
Cordelia — King Lear

What Cordelias become

Among 71 notable people named Cordelia:

Scientists & scholars appear 1.81× more often than among typical names — e.g. Cordelia Fine, Canadian-born British psychologist and writer.

Similar names: Belle · Cornelia · Delia · Nola · Ophelia · Louisa

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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