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Cynthia Name Meaning, Origins & History

Cynthia

Pronunciation: SIN-thee-uh

Meaning From Mount Cynthus Origin Ancient Greek Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#1,014
TREND
188
Peak Years
1957, 1956, 1958
Lowest Years
1882, 1881, 1887
Energy Archetype
Cheerful & Expressive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Cynthia in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Cynthia

  • An established favorite: Cynthia held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 49 consecutive years, from 1945 through 1993.
  • More than 713 thousand babies named Cynthia: U.S. records list 713,408 babies given the name Cynthia from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,960 boys received the name Cynthia - about 1 boy for every 363 girls.

What Does the Name Cynthia Mean?

Cynthia is a feminine name of Greek origin. Its established meaning is "from Mount Cynthus" or "of Mount Cynthus," from the Greek Kynthia (Κυνθία), a feminine adjective formed from Kynthos (Κύνθος), the name of Mount Cynthus on the island of Delos. In Greek myth, Delos was the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, and Kynthia became an epithet of Artemis because she was said to have been born on that mountain. Latin writers used Cynthia for Artemis or Diana, and English poets later used it for the moon and for Queen Elizabeth I. The literal sense is geographical; the moon and virgin-goddess associations are later mythological and literary developments, not the original meaning of the word. The deeper origin of the place name Kynthos is uncertain.

Cynthia Name History & Origins

The Greek epithet Kynthia passed into Latin as Cynthia, where it continued to identify Artemis or Diana, especially in her lunar aspect. Classical poets used Cynthia as a byname for the goddess and for the moon; because it was an epithet tied to Mount Cynthus, it did not function as a separate mythological figure. During the Renaissance, English writers adopted Cynthia as a poetic name for the moon and, by extension, for a virgin queen. Edmund Spenser used it for Elizabeth I, and Sir Walter Ralegh also addressed Elizabeth I as Cynthia in his poetry. In later English usage, Cynthia became a feminine given name, with Cindy as a common short form. Its history as a given name is separate from its earlier life as a Greek divine epithet, though the two are often linked in explanations of the name.

How Popular is the Name Cynthia?

Cynthia remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1945 to 1993. Its highest annual birth count was in 1957, and people born that year turn 69 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Cynthia

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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How the Name Cynthia Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.

Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.

✦ Cynthia's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Cynthia's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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