Cornelius
Boy name · #1906 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 82 baby boys were named Cornelius, placing it at #1906 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1198, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 21,951 boys born in 2025 was named Cornelius.
Babies named Cornelius per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Cornelius first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 92 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1974, when 486 boys were named Cornelius — good for #346 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cornelius against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cornelius in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cornelius is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cornelius will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cornelius is most common
State-level data for Cornelius is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Cornelius
Statistically, parents drawn to Cornelius tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Demetrius, Octavius, Clifton, Christos, and Jacques.
DemetriusOctaviusCliftonChristosJacquesDimitriosClintonFederico
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cornelius | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 82 | #1906 |
| 2024 | 68 | #2156 |
| 2023 | 83 | #1896 |
| 2022 | 94 | #1760 |
| 2021 | 86 | #1815 |
| 2020 | 111 | #1512 |
| 2019 | 107 | #1564 |
| 2018 | 92 | #1707 |
| 2017 | 106 | #1541 |
| 2016 | 151 | #1234 |
| 2015 | 154 | #1198 |
| 2014 | 152 | #1205 |
| 2013 | 151 | #1186 |
| 2012 | 151 | #1191 |
| 2011 | 154 | #1159 |
| 2010 | 142 | #1240 |
| 2009 | 166 | #1112 |
| 2008 | 199 | #987 |
| 2007 | 200 | #981 |
| 2006 | 204 | #926 |
| 2005 | 175 | #987 |
| 2004 | 173 | #967 |
| 2003 | 222 | #789 |
| 2002 | 192 | #862 |
| 2001 | 185 | #867 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cornelius a popular boy name?
Cornelius ranked #1906 among boys in 2025 with 82 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1198.
When was the name Cornelius most popular?
Cornelius peaked in 1974, when 486 American boys received the name (ranked #346 that year). Since 1974 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cornelius?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 21,951 newborn American boys was named Cornelius. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.