Ciel

Ciel - A very unique male name

Ciel appeared on the charts for the first time in 2014 on position #3938. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ciel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ciel? 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 Ciel. The baby boy name Ciel was given to 7 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3394 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 209,469 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ciel peaked in popularity 5 years ago in 2021 on position 2848.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ciel, 1-5?

Ciel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ciel is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #2,026 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,026.

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 Ciel is where you live.

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Ciel origin and meaning

French (word name)

The French word ciel, 'sky' or 'heaven'

Ciel is the French word for the sky used directly as a name. For boys its modern visibility comes largely from Ciel Phantomhive, the young earl at the centre of the Black Butler manga and anime (from 2006) — a fictional bearer who put this spelling into international circulation. US boys' data runs from 2014, peaking at twelve births in 2021.

Attested etymology

Ciel is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Ciel

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

Cole / Cecil / Clay / Cleo / Cale / Cal / Cael / Cecilio / Cyle / Cheskel /

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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 Ciel

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 Ciel 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 Ciel?

1 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

see-EL · /siˈɛl/
French pronunciation is a single syllable, 'syel'; English speakers often make it two

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Cielo — The Spanish word for sky, also used as a name — a separate name

Famous bearers

• Ciel Phantomhive — The young aristocratic protagonist of the Black Butler manga and anime, who contracts with the demon Sebastian (Fictional, 2006) Fictional

Style

Word nameInternationalLiterary

Why parents choose it

Ciel is minimal and luminous — the sky itself, in French, with an anime-era edge for boys.

Worth knowing

• Most Americans will say SEEL or SELL, or assume a girl, as Ciel is also a French girls' name