Celia is a feminine given name of Latin origin, as well as a nickname for Cecilia, Cecelia, Celeste, or Celestina. The name is often derived from the Roman family name Caelius, thought to originate in the Latin caelum ("heaven"). Celia was popular in British pastoral literature in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, possibly stemming from the ruler of the House of Holiness in Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene or from a character in William Shakespeare's play As You Like It.
Celia could indeed have Berber origins, since it is considered as a variant of the Quinquegentiani princess Cyria, daughter of Flavius Nubel. The name is derived from the Berber word "Tissirt" meaning quern-stone. The name shares the same origins as the historical city Cirta. A popular variant of the name is Silya/Celya.
It is a popular name in Lebanon and Maghreb countries (Algeria more specifically).
Names with similar meanings in other languages Kūlani ("heavenly", Hawaiian) Silke (German) Sylia (Berber) Shiela (English) Célia (French) Celia (Galician, Italian, Polish, Spanish) Ουρανία ("heavens", Greek, ) Cèlia (Catalan) Célia (Portuguese) Ciel, Cielke, Cieltje (Dutch) Síle (Irish, Gaelic) Silje (Norwegian)
Notable people with the name
Fictional characters Celia, in the play As You Like It Celia, in the Japanese manga series Rave Master, voiced by Ryoka Yuzuki in some video games Celia B., in the US animated sitcom Regular Show Celia Carmichael, in the 1989 Australian horror drama film Celia, played by Rebecca Smart Celia Castle, in the US superhero TV series Arrow, played by Christina Cox Celia Donald, in the Australian police drama series Blue Heelers, played by Helen Trenos and Suzy Cato Celia Facilier, in the 2019 US musical fantasy TV film Descendants 3, played by Jadah Marie Celia Fitzgerald, in the US TV soap opera All My Children, played by Jordan Lane Price Celia Flores, in the US post-apocalyptic horror drama TV series Fear the Walking Dead, played by Marlene Forte Celia Forrest, in the 1991 UK TV comedy drama The Sharp End, played by Gwen Taylor Celia Fury, in the children's book- and TV series The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury, played by Susannah Doyle in the TV series Celia Gálvez de Montalbán, in the Spanish novels starting in 1929 with Celia, lo que dice Celia Gerard, in the US period spy drama TV series The Americans, played by Gillian Alexy Celia Hodes, in the US dark comedy-drama TV series Weeds, played by Elizabeth Perkins Celia Machado, in the US drama TV series Dynasty, played by Nathalie Kelley, Ana Brenda Contreras, and Daniella Alonso Celia Mae, in the 2001 US animated comedy film Monsters Inc., voiced by Jennifer Tilly Celia Osborne, in the UK soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Carol Noakes Celia Quartermaine, in the US daytime TV soap opera General Hospital, played by Sherilyn Wolter Celia Shelburn, in the 2005 French romantic comedy-drama film Russian Dolls, played by Lucy Gordon Celia Solis, in the US mystery comedy-drama TV series Desperate Housewives Celia Stewart, in the Australian TV soap opera Home and Away, played by Fiona Spence Celia Windward, in the US comic book publisher DC Comics
References