Cordelia
Shakespeare used it for Lear's youngest daughter, adapting the Cordeilla found in Geoffrey of Monmouth, which in turn echoes the Welsh legendary name Creiddylad.
Cordelia in 2025
Cordelia was given to 258 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,873rd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 12,850 babies born.
The history of Cordelia
Cordelia reached its highest point in 2015, when 286 babies were given the name, ranking 1,741st that year. Its best-ever ranking was 409th, in 1880.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 12,906 babies have been named Cordelia. Half of them were born before 1961, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Cordelia by decade
| Decade | Babies named Cordelia | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 546 | 409 |
| 1890s | 575 | 545 |
| 1900s | 600 | 596 |
| 1910s | 1,087 | 741 |
| 1920s | 1,131 | 1,137 |
| 1930s | 839 | 1,171 |
| 1940s | 780 | 1,356 |
| 1950s | 772 | 1,662 |
| 1960s | 566 | 2,008 |
| 1970s | 352 | 3,196 |
| 1980s | 338 | 3,771 |
| 1990s | 367 | 4,071 |
| 2000s | 1,218 | 2,377 |
| 2010s | 2,277 | 1,741 |
| 2020s | 1,458 | 1,873 |
Where Cordelia is heading
Cordelia has fallen 10% over the past decade, from 286 babies in 2015 to 258 in 2025.
Names like Cordelia
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Cordelia.