UK name, mostly girls
Ciel
A French name meaning "sky" or "heaven".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 3 boys.
Ciel is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Ciel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4686, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2007 to 2019. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Ciel is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Ciel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ciel ranked #4686 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 4 girls were registered as Ciel.
- • Ciel is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ciel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 70.0% of Ciel registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4686
2019
Births in 2019
4
Latest year
Peak year
2019
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Ciel
In England and Wales birth records, Ciel has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 30.0% of registrations are for boys and 70.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Ciel registered for boys
- Ranked #4,749 in 2018
- 3 boys registered in 2018
- Peak: 2018 (3 births)
Ciel registered for girls
- Ranked #4,686 in 2019
- 4 girls registered in 2019
- Peak: 2019 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Ciel mean?
The name Ciel has its origins in the French language, derived from the word "ciel" which means "sky" or "heaven." It is a unisex name, though more commonly used for girls.
The name can be traced back to the Middle Ages in France, where it was likely used as a descriptive name or nickname for someone with blue eyes or a celestial-like appearance. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 13th century.
In French literature, the name Ciel appears in various works, including the famous novel "Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo, where it is the name of a character. The name also holds significance in French religious contexts, as it evokes the heavenly realm.
One notable historical figure named Ciel was Ciel Bergman (1938-2018), a Swedish actress and singer known for her roles in Swedish films and television series. Another was Ciel Boucher (1915-1992), a Canadian sculptor and artist whose works were exhibited in various galleries and museums.
In the world of music, Ciel Sylvant (born 1957) is a French singer and songwriter who rose to prominence in the 1980s with her pop and rock songs. Ciel Rodrigue (1939-2021) was a Canadian singer and actress, best known for her work in the Quebec entertainment industry.
Ciel Sauvageau (1902-1978) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1945 to 1958, representing the district of Gatineau.
While the name Ciel is not as common as some other French names, it has maintained a presence throughout history, often associated with artistic, literary, and religious contexts, reflecting its celestial and heavenly connotations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ciel over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Ciel in England and Wales, from 2007 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ciel, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2019, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ciel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ciel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4686 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #5201 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Ciel
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Ciel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ciel in the UK right now?
In 2019, Ciel was ranked #4686 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Ciel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 4 babies registered as Ciel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ciel?
A French name meaning "sky" or "heaven".
How many people are called Ciel in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Ciel across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.