Cedric

Cedric - A very unique male name

Cedric appeared on the charts for the first time in 1914 on position #942. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Cedric and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Cedric? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Cedric. The baby boy name Cedric was given to 138 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1124 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 10,625 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Cedric peaked in popularity 52 years ago in 1974 on position 230.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Cedric, 1-5?

Cedric is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Cedric is currently topping the baby name charts in Iowa at position #509 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,440.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Cedric is where you live.

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Cedric origin and meaning

Literary coinage (Scottish, 1819)

Coined by Sir Walter Scott for Ivanhoe (1819), generally understood to be modelled on Cerdic, the Saxon king's name

Cedric is a documented literary invention: Scott needed a Saxon name for Ivanhoe's Cedric the Saxon and produced this one, probably adapting the historical Cerdic. The name caught on throughout the English-speaking world. US use peaked in 1982 and has been falling slowly since.

Attested etymology

Cedric is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Cedric, pop culture references for the name Cedric and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Cedric

We've found the following names that sound similar to Cedric, sorted by popularity.

Cedrick / Chadrick / Cadarius / Chaddrick / Cederick / Cedarius /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Cedric

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Cedric a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Cedric?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

SED-rik · /ˈsɛdrɪk/

Around the world

• Cédric (French) — The French form, popularised in France in the twentieth century

Spellings and nicknames

• Cedrick — K-elaborated spelling in the data
• Sedric — S-spelling variant

Nicknames: Ced

Famous bearers

• Cedric the Entertainer — American comedian and actor; born Cedric Kyles, he performs under the name Cedric the Entertainer (b. 1964) Contemporary
• Cedric Diggory — Hogwarts champion in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels and films (Fictional, 2000) Fictional

Style

LiteraryClassic

Why parents choose it

Cedric has an unusually honest origin story — a great novelist invented it — plus a knightly, bookish feel that suits literary families.

Worth knowing

• Younger hearers go straight to Cedric Diggory