Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Celie isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Celie through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 519
- 0 boys · 519 girls
- Most popular year
- 1916
- 15 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #8,980 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,980 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for girls was 15 in 1916. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 376 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Celie, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Sallie
“princess; lady” · “princess”
>99% girls
Elzie
“from the nobleman's estate”
19% boys · 81% girls
Cecile
Cecile is a feminine given name from French, ultimately from Latin. It is used in English, Cebuano, and Old French.
>99% girls
Elvie
“a friend of the elves” · “an elf warrior”
>99% girls
Bessie
“my God is bountiful” · “God is my oath”
>99% girls
Susie
“resembling a graceful white lily”
>99% girls
Essie
“resembling a star” · “myrtle”
>99% girls
Selma
“having divine protection” · “peace”
>99% girls