Cordelia Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: kor-DEEL-yah //kɔːrˈdiːliə//
Origin: Latin; Celtic
Meaning: Latin: 'heart'; Celtic: 'daughter of the sea'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Cordelia has its roots in the Latin word "cor" meaning "heart," which is often interpreted as "daughter of the sea" from the Celtic elements "cor" (heart) and "deli" (sea). The name was popularized in the English language through its use in William Shakespeare's play "King Lear," written in the early 17th century, where Cordelia is portrayed as a virtuous and loyal daughter.
This association with Shakespeare has significantly influenced the name's cultural resonance in literature and drama. Before Shakespeare, the name Cordelia appeared in Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae" in the 12th century, where it was used to describe a daughter of King Lear, further embedding it in the literary canon.
The character's tragic fate and unwavering loyalty have contributed to the name's enduring significance in Western literature. Additionally, the name has been linked to various historical figures and saints, although these connections are less prominent than those stemming from Shakespeare's work.
Culturally, Cordelia has come to symbolize purity, loyalty, and the complexities of familial relationships, often evoking themes of love and sacrifice. The name has been embraced in various artistic expressions, including literature, theater, and music, reinforcing its place in the cultural imagination.
The diminutive form "Cora" has also been used, although it carries its own distinct etymological roots and associations. Overall, Cordelia's journey through history reflects a blend of linguistic evolution and rich cultural narratives that continue to resonate.
Famous people named Cordelia
In this section, you will find notable people named Cordelia. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Cordelia who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Cordelia who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Cordelia Chase is a character best known for her role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
Cordelia Fine is a psychologist and author best known for Delusions of Gender, Testosteronex, and A Mind of Its Own.
Fictional characters named Cordelia
The following list of fictional characters named Cordelia is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Cordelia Chase is a fictional character from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel. She is a former high school cheerleader who evolves into a key ally and a strong, independent character throughout the series.
Cordelia is a fictional character from the play King Lear by William Shakespeare. She is the youngest daughter of King Lear, known for her honesty and loyalty, ultimately representing virtue in contrast to her sisters.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Cordelia, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Cordelia. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Cordelia was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Cordelia has ranked as high as #1108 nationally, which occurred in 2015, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia.
In the past 5 years the name Cordelia has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Cordelia is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Cordelia was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Cordelia (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 18 | |
| FL | 18 | |
| NY | 17 | |
| OH | 12 | |
| TX | 12 | |
| MO | 9 | |
| TN | 8 | |
| MA | 7 | |
| MN | 7 | |
| OK | 6 | |
| PA | 6 | |
| NC | 6 | |
| VA | 6 | |
| CO | 6 | |
| WI | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Cordelia.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 233 |
| 2023 | 219 |
| 2022 | 242 |
| 2021 | 253 |
| 2020 | 252 |
| 2019 | 231 |
| 2018 | 249 |
| 2017 | 210 |
| 2016 | 263 |
| 2015 | 286 |
| 2014 | 267 |
| 2013 | 201 |
| 2012 | 208 |
| 2011 | 181 |
| 2010 | 180 |
| 2009 | 175 |
| 2008 | 132 |
| 2007 | 111 |
| 2006 | 129 |
| 2005 | 149 |
| 2004 | 128 |
| 2003 | 150 |
| 2002 | 115 |
| 2001 | 65 |
| 2000 | 64 |
| 1999 | 46 |
| 1998 | 58 |
| 1997 | 32 |
| 1996 | 25 |
| 1995 | 44 |
| 1994 | 29 |
| 1993 | 34 |
| 1992 | 31 |
| 1991 | 30 |
| 1990 | 38 |
| 1989 | 42 |
| 1988 | 39 |
| 1987 | 39 |
| 1986 | 28 |
| 1985 | 30 |
| 1984 | 28 |
| 1983 | 29 |
| 1982 | 34 |
| 1981 | 29 |
| 1980 | 40 |
| 1979 | 30 |
| 1978 | 31 |
| 1977 | 31 |
| 1976 | 41 |
| 1975 | 39 |
| 1974 | 27 |
| 1973 | 40 |
| 1972 | 33 |
| 1971 | 41 |
| 1970 | 39 |
| 1969 | 40 |
| 1968 | 39 |
| 1967 | 41 |
| 1966 | 67 |
| 1965 | 48 |
| 1964 | 61 |
| 1963 | 54 |
| 1962 | 76 |
| 1961 | 61 |
| 1960 | 79 |
| 1959 | 67 |
| 1958 | 79 |
| 1957 | 77 |
| 1956 | 93 |
| 1955 | 74 |
| 1954 | 68 |
| 1953 | 78 |
| 1952 | 67 |
| 1951 | 83 |
| 1950 | 86 |
| 1949 | 77 |
| 1948 | 90 |
| 1947 | 65 |
| 1946 | 79 |
| 1945 | 68 |
| 1944 | 89 |
| 1943 | 75 |
| 1942 | 70 |
| 1941 | 81 |
| 1940 | 86 |
| 1939 | 87 |
| 1938 | 69 |
| 1937 | 109 |
| 1936 | 92 |
| 1935 | 77 |
| 1934 | 67 |
| 1933 | 76 |
| 1932 | 84 |
| 1931 | 89 |
| 1930 | 89 |
| 1929 | 95 |
| 1928 | 79 |
| 1927 | 109 |
| 1926 | 113 |
| 1925 | 99 |
| 1924 | 131 |
| 1923 | 129 |
| 1922 | 115 |
| 1921 | 141 |
| 1920 | 120 |
| 1919 | 146 |
| 1918 | 125 |
| 1917 | 130 |
| 1916 | 147 |
| 1915 | 135 |
| 1914 | 89 |
| 1913 | 94 |
| 1912 | 90 |
| 1911 | 56 |
| 1910 | 75 |
| 1909 | 69 |
| 1908 | 56 |
| 1907 | 61 |
| 1906 | 57 |
| 1905 | 72 |
| 1904 | 54 |
| 1903 | 52 |
| 1902 | 49 |
| 1901 | 51 |
| 1900 | 79 |
| 1899 | 62 |
| 1898 | 68 |
| 1897 | 71 |
| 1896 | 51 |
| 1895 | 54 |
| 1894 | 52 |
| 1893 | 62 |
| 1892 | 56 |
| 1891 | 51 |
| 1890 | 48 |
| 1889 | 57 |
| 1888 | 54 |
| 1887 | 58 |
| 1886 | 64 |
| 1885 | 58 |
| 1884 | 58 |
| 1883 | 51 |
| 1882 | 39 |
| 1881 | 49 |
| 1880 | 58 |