The first name Cornelia
A girl’s name from Latin.
Pronounced /kɔɹˈniliə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
From Latin Cornēlia, name of a famous Roman matron, feminine form of the gens name Cornelius; in continental Europe, also a feminine form of the saint's name Cornelius.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 7 girls were named Cornelia, making it the 3,333rd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2012, with 15 births (#1,893).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Cornelia with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Cornelia at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 51 girls born in the United States were named Cornelia, the 3,138th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 477 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Cornelia in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Cornelia in Dutch, Italian, Latin, Romanian and Spanish too.
Famous people named Cornelia
40 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Cornelia FunkeGerman author (born 1958)
- Cornelia FroboessGerman actress and schlager singer (born 1943)
- Cornelia HütterAustrian alpine skier, born 1992
- Cornelia FortAmerican aviator, 1919–1943
- Cornelia ParkerBritish artist (born 1956)
- Cornelia HanischFencer, born 1952
- Cornelia PfohlGerman archer, born 1971
- Cornelia BargmannAmerican neurobiologist, born 1961
- Cornelia SideriCanoe racer (1938–2017)
- Cornelia KlierEast German rower, born 1957
- Cornelia LinseEast German rower, born 1959
- Cornelia SirchEast German swimmer, born 1966
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Cornelia mean?
- From Latin Cornēlia, name of a famous Roman matron, feminine form of the gens name Cornelius; in continental Europe, also a feminine form of the saint's name Cornelius.
- What is the origin of the name Cornelia?
- From Latin Cornēlia, name of a famous Roman matron, feminine form of the gens name Cornelius; in continental Europe, also a feminine form of the saint's name Cornelius.
- How popular is the name Cornelia?
- In 2025, 7 girls born in England and Wales were named Cornelia, ranking 3,333rd. Its peak was 2012, with 15 births.
- Is Cornelia a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 22,102 US babies named Cornelia since 1880 were girls.
- When was Cornelia most popular?
- 1921 in the United States, when 477 babies were named Cornelia, its highest rank at 300th.
- How do you pronounce Cornelia?
- Cornelia is /kɔɹˈniliə/, 3 syllables.