Given name & surname
Silke
“one who is blind”
Silke is a variant of Silka. In Latin use, Silka carries the interpretation “one who is blind.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Silke is a variant of Silka. In Latin use, Silka carries the interpretation “one who is blind.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Silke is an affectionate form of Celia. A possible origin is Latin, although the derivation remains uncertain. Silke is an affectionate form of Cecily. An origin associated with Cecily is Latin.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In German usage, Silke is a diminutive of Cecilia. Silke is a short form of Cecilia.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1966. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Silke is an affectionate form of Celia. The history of Celia gives this family its wider story. Shakespeare introduced Celia to an English-speaking audience through As You Like It. Celia’s earlier background is the Roman family-name tradition; its later treatment as a short form of Cecilia provides another naming context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Silke through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 48
- 0 boys · 48 girls
- Most popular year
- 1969
- 8 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 6 in 2005. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 8 in 1969. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 840 as a first name in 2020; 232 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Silke’s family of names
In German usage, Silke is a diminutive of Cecilia. Silke has a related form in Silka. Silke is a short form of Cecilia.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Ceciliafull form · German
- Celiafull form
- Cecilyfull form
- Silkavariant · German
- Cäciliavariant · German
- Cäciliefull form · German
- Cilgenvariant · German
- Sylkavariant · German
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Celineequivalent
- Celinaequivalent
- Cecilieequivalent
- Cecyliaequivalent
- Cecíliaequivalent
- Célineequivalent
- Cécileequivalent
- Céliaequivalent
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People named Silke
- Silke MöllerEast German sprinterborn 1964
- Silke RenkGerman javelin throwerborn 1967
- Silke HörnerEast German swimmerborn 1965
- Silke SpiegelburgGerman pole vaulterborn 1986
- Silke RottenbergGerman footballerborn 1972
- Silke Kraushaar-Pielachlugerborn 1970
- SilkeSpanish actressborn 1974
- Silke MüllerGerman field hockey playerborn 1978
- Silke LippokGerman swimmerborn 1994
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Silke, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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