 Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians. | |
| Pronunciation | /sɪˈsɪliə,-ˈsiːl-/ siss-IL-ee-ə, -EEL- |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Name day | November 22 |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Latin |
| Other names | |
| Nickname(s) | Celia, Ceci, Cece, Celie |
| Related names | Cecelia, Celia, Celina, Sille |
Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music.
The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy, where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for girls born that year), and the United States, where it has ranked among the top 500 names for girls for more than 100 years. It also ranked among the top 100 names for girls born in Sweden in the early years of the 21st century, and was formerly popular in France. [1]
The name "Cecilia" applied generally to Roman women who belonged to the plebeian clan of the Caecilii. Legends and hagiographies, mistaking it for a personal name, suggest fanciful etymologies. Among those cited by Chaucer in "The Second Nun's Tale" are: lily of heaven, the way for the blind, contemplation of heaven and the active life, as if lacking in blindness, and a heaven for people to gaze upon. [2]
Nilsson is a Swedish surname and the fourth most common surname in Sweden. The name is a patronymic meaning "Nils's son". Nils was a very common name, especially in 19th century Sweden.
Maria is a feminine given name. It is given in many languages influenced by Christianity.
Juliana is a feminine given name which is the feminine version of the Roman name Julianus. Juliana or Giuliana was the name of a number of early saints, notably Saint Julian the Hospitaller, which ensured the name's continued popularity in the medieval period.
Saint Cecilia, also spelled Cecelia, was a Roman Christian virgin martyr, who is venerated in Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden. She became the patroness of music and musicians, it being written that, as the musicians played at her wedding, Cecilia "sang in her heart to the Lord". Musical compositions are dedicated to her, and her feast, on 22 November, is the occasion of concerts and musical festivals. She is also known as Cecilia of Rome.
Amanda is a Latin feminine gerundive name meaning, literally, "she who must be loved". Other translations, with similar meaning, could be "deserving to be loved," "worthy of love," or "loved very much by everyone." Its diminutive form includes Mandy, Manda and Amy. It is common in countries where Germanic and Romance languages are spoken.
Teresa is a feminine given name.
"The Second Nun's Tale", written in late Middle English, is part of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. Narrated by a nun who remains unnamed, it is a hagiography of the life of Saint Cecilia.
Lina is an international feminine given name, mostly the short form of a variety of names ending in -lina including Adelina, Angelina, Carmelina, Carolina, Catalina, Emelina, Evangelina, Evelina, Karolina, Italina, Marcelina, Melina, Nikolina, Paulina, Rosalina, and Žaklina.
Aurora is a feminine given name, originating from the name of the ancient Roman goddess of dawn Aurora. Her tears were said to turn into the morning dew. Each morning she traveled in her chariot across the sky from east to west, proclaiming renewal with the rising of the sun. The Romans also associated the Northern Lights, or the Aurora borealis, with the goddess. Aurora is also traditionally the name of the princess in the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty and the many works of art it has inspired. The tale of a cursed princess who slept for one hundred years and was awakened by the kiss of a prince might be considered a modern retelling of the ancient story of Aurora the dawn goddess, whose myths also include stories of a long sleep and an awakening at dawn.
Elvira is a female given name. First recorded in medieval Spain, it is likely of Germanic (Gothic) origin.
Barbara is a given name used in numerous languages. It is the feminine form of the Greek word barbaros meaning "stranger" or "foreign". In Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox tradition, Saint Barbara was imprisoned in a tower by her father. She was then martyred by her father when she refused to renounce Christianity. According to legend, her father was then punished with death by lightning. As such, Saint Barbara is a protectress against fire and lightning. Early Christians occasionally referred to themselves as "barbarians" in opposition to the pagan Romans and Greeks. The story of Saint Barbara is said to have been an inspiration for the fairy tale Rapunzel and other European stories that feature a maiden in a tower.
Monica is a female given name with many variant forms, including Mónica, Mônica, Monique (French), Monika, Moonika (Estonia), and Mónika (Hungarian).
Adriana, also spelled Adrianna, is a Latin name and feminine form of Adrian. It originates from present day Italy and Spain.
Ida is a feminine given name found in Europe and North America. It is popular in Scandinavian countries, where it is pronounced Ee-da.
Gabriela is the Portuguese, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Latvian, Polish and Bulgarian feminine form of the Hebrew name Gabriel.
Rosa is a female given name, especially in the Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian languages.
Claudia is a female given name equivalent to Claudius or Claudio. In Portuguese, it is accented Cláudia. A variant and cognate form is Klaudia. It was originally used to refer to any woman who belonged to the ancient Roman Claudia gens. Claudia is a common name in countries that speak Germanic languages and Romance languages.
Camilla or Camila is a feminine given name. It originates as the feminine of camillus, a term for a youth serving as acolyte in the ritual of ancient Roman religion, which may be of Etruscan origin. Hypocorisms of the name include Milly, Millie, and Milla.
Martina is a female given name, the female form of Martin and Martino.
Celeste or Céleste is a given name or surname which derives from the Latin caelestis, meaning heavenly or celestial.
