Baby names starting with C
135 names beginning with C, each with an editorial meaning and origin note and its real popularity rank from the 2025 U.S. Social Security Administration data. Rank is U.S.-only and reflects how records are grouped in that source.
- Cade transferred surname from a medieval byname, probably from Middle English 'cade' = a lamb reared by hand, or from a word meaning round, barrel-shaped
- Caden modern American coinage, one of the -aden rhyming family alongside Aiden and Jayden; sometimes tied to the Irish surname Mac Cadain, though that link is doubtful
- Cadence from the English word cadence, a rhythm or flow of sound, through French from Italian 'cadenza', from Latin 'cadere' = to fall
- Caiden modern American coinage, a respelling of Caden; it has no documented older root, though it is sometimes linked to the Irish surname Mac Cadain
- Cain from Hebrew Qayin, linked in Genesis to the verb 'qanah' = to acquire, get; the first son of Adam and Eve
- Cairo place name, from the capital of Egypt; Arabic 'al-Qahira' = 'the victorious, the subduer'
- Cal short form of Calvin or Callum; Calvin from Latin 'calvus' = bald, Callum from Latin 'columba' = dove
- Caleb from Hebrew Kalev, usually connected with 'kelev' = dog and understood as faithful; a reading as 'whole-hearted' is also offered
- Cali modern American name, read as a short form of California and of Calista, and pulled along by Greek 'kalos' = beautiful
- Callahan transferred Irish surname, from O Ceallachain = 'descendant of Ceallachan', a diminutive of Ceallach; the root of Ceallach is debated, usually given as 'bright-headed' or 'strife'
- Callan from the Irish surname O Cathalain, 'descendant of Cathalan', a diminutive of Cathal, from 'cath' = battle + 'val' = rule
- Callen from the Irish surname O Cathalain, from 'cath' = battle; also used as a modern variant of Callan
- Callie pet form of Caroline, or of Greek names beginning Calli-, from 'kallos' = beauty
- Calliope from Greek Kalliope, 'kallos' = beauty + 'ops' = voice; the Muse of epic poetry
- Callum Scottish form of Latin Columba = dove, the name of the saint who founded the monastery on Iona
- Calum Scottish form of Latin Columba = dove, the name of the saint of Iona
- Calvin from the French surname Cauvin, from 'chauve' = bald, from Latin 'calvus'; adopted as a given name in honour of the theologian John Calvin
- Camden transferred surname from an English place name, probably from Old English 'camp' = enclosed field + 'denu' = valley
- Cameron from a Scottish surname, from Gaelic 'cam' = crooked + 'sron' = nose
- Camila Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla, from the Roman family name Camillus; a 'camillus' was a boy or girl who attended at religious rites
- Camilla from the Roman family name Camillus; a 'camilla' was a girl who served at religious rites, and Virgil gave the name to a warrior maiden in the Aeneid
- Camille French form of both Camilla and Camillus, a Roman name for a child who attended at religious rites
- Camilo Spanish form of Camillus, a Roman name for a boy who served at religious rites
- Campbell from the Scottish surname, from Gaelic 'cam' = crooked + 'beul' = mouth
- Camryn modern respelling of Cameron, from the Scottish Gaelic 'cam' = crooked + 'sron' = nose
- Canaan from the Hebrew Bible, the land of Canaan, Hebrew Kena'an; the root is uncertain, variously linked to a verb meaning to be low, subdued and to the region's purple dye
- Cannon transferred surname from Middle English 'canon', a cathedral clergyman, from Latin 'canonicus' (Greek 'kanon' = rule); also an Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Canann
- Capri from the Italian island in the bay of Naples; the name is pre-Roman, tied by some to a word for goats and by others to a Greek root for wild boar
- Carl German and Scandinavian form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Carla feminine form of Carl and Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Carlos Spanish form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Carly feminine form of Carl and Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Carmela Italian and Spanish name from Mount Carmel, from Hebrew 'karmel' = garden, orchard, vineyard
- Carmella variant of Carmela, an Italian and Spanish name from Mount Carmel, from Hebrew 'karmel' = garden, orchard, vineyard
- Carmelo Spanish and Italian name from Mount Carmel, from Hebrew 'karmel' = garden, orchard, vineyard
- Carmen Spanish, from the Virgin of Mount Carmel, the Hebrew place name Karmel meaning 'garden, orchard'; the spelling was pulled toward Latin 'carmen' = song
- Carmine Italian, from the Marian title Madonna del Carmine, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, from Hebrew 'karmel' = garden, orchard
- Carolina Latinate feminine of Carolus, the Latin form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man; also the name of the American Carolinas, given in honor of King Charles
- Caroline French feminine of Carolus, the Latin form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Carolyn English elaboration of Caroline, a feminine form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Carson transferred Scottish border surname of uncertain origin, possibly from the Norman place name Courson; borne by the American frontiersman Kit Carson
- Carter occupational surname for a driver of carts, from Anglo-Norman 'caretier'
- Case transferred surname, from Anglo-Norman French 'casse' = box, case, an occupational name for a maker of boxes; also used as a short form of Casey
- Casey from the Irish surname O Cathasaigh, from 'cathasach' = vigilant, watchful
- Cash English word name, from Old French 'casse' = money box, Latin 'capsa' = box, case; also a transferred surname, originally for a case-maker
- Cashton modern American coinage joining Cash to the -ton ending (compare Ashton, Easton); no older documented root
- Caspian from the Caspian Sea, named for the ancient Caspi people; used as a given name after C. S. Lewis's Prince Caspian (1951)
- Cassandra Greek Kassandra, the Trojan prophetess whose warnings were never believed; the second element is probably 'andros' = man, the first uncertain
- Cassian from the Roman family name Cassianus, a derivative of Cassius; the root of Cassius is uncertain
- Cassidy from the Irish surname O Caiside, from 'cas' = curly, a byname for curly hair
- Cassie diminutive of Cassandra or Cassidy
- Cassius Roman family name of uncertain root, sometimes tied to Latin 'cassus' = empty, hollow
- Castiel the name of an angel in later Jewish and occult angel lore, formed on the Hebrew element 'el' = God; the first element is unclear; widely known from the television series Supernatural
- Cataleya modern name from the cattleya orchid, named for the English horticulturist William Cattley; brought into general use by the film Colombiana
- Catalina Spanish form of Katherine, from Greek Aikaterine, of unknown root; the spelling was later pulled toward Greek 'katharos' = pure
- Catherine French form of Katherine, from Greek Aikaterine, of unknown root, later reshaped toward 'katharos' = pure
- Cattleya the orchid genus, named after the English horticulturist William Cattley (d. 1835)
- Cayden modern American coinage, a spelling of Caden in the Aiden/Jayden rhyming family; occasionally linked to the Irish surname Mac Cadain, though the modern name arose independently
- Cayson modern American coinage on the -son pattern (compare Mason, Cason); no older documented root
- Cecelia respelling of Cecilia, the feminine of the Roman family name Caecilius, from 'caecus' = blind
- Cecilia feminine of the Roman family name Caecilius, from Latin 'caecus' = blind; St Cecilia is the patron saint of music
- Cedar English tree name, from Latin 'cedrus', from Greek 'kedros'
- Celeste from Latin 'caelestis' = heavenly, of the sky
- Celia from the Roman family name Caelius, probably from 'caelum' = sky, heaven; also used as a short form of Cecilia
- Celine French form of Latin Caelina, from the Roman family name Caelius, probably from 'caelum' = sky, heaven
- Cesar Spanish form of Caesar, a Roman family name of debated origin, variously tied to 'caesaries' = head of hair and to an Etruscan root
- Chaim Hebrew 'chayyim' = life
- Chana Hebrew form of Hannah = 'favour, grace'
- Chance English word name, from Old French 'cheance' = fortune, luck, ultimately Latin 'cadentia' = a falling (of dice); also a transferred surname
- Chandler occupational surname from Old French 'chandelier' = a maker or seller of candles, from Latin 'candela' = candle
- Charlee modern feminine respelling of Charlie, a pet form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Charleigh modern respelling of Charlie, a pet form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Charles from the Germanic 'karl' = free man; established across Europe by Charlemagne, Carolus Magnus
- Charley pet form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Charli modern short form of Charlotte or Charlene, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Charlie pet form of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Charlotte French feminine diminutive of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man; carried into British use by Queen Charlotte, consort of George III
- Chase transferred surname, from Old French 'chace' = hunt; a nickname for a huntsman
- Chaya Hebrew Chayah = living, alive, the feminine counterpart of Chayim
- Chloe from Greek 'chloe' = the green shoot, new growth; a cult title of Demeter as goddess of the young crops
- Chosen English word name, the past participle of 'choose'; a modern American usage
- Chozen modern American coinage, a respelling of the English word 'chosen'
- Chozyn modern American coinage, a respelling of the English word chosen; no older documented root
- Chris short form of Christopher or Christina, from Greek 'Christos' = anointed one
- Christian from Latin Christianus = 'follower of Christ', Christ from Greek 'christos' = anointed
- Christina Latin Christina, feminine of Christianus = 'follower of Christ'
- Christine French and English form of Christina, from Latin 'christiana' = a Christian, from Greek 'Christos' = anointed one
- Christopher from Greek Christophoros = 'bearing Christ'; the legend of the saint carrying the Christ child across a river grew out of the name rather than the other way round
- Cielo Spanish and Italian 'cielo' = sky, heaven, from Latin 'caelum'
- Cillian Irish, most often traced to 'ceall' = church, or to a diminutive meaning little one
- Claire French form of Clara, from Latin 'clarus' = bright, clear
- Clara Latin 'clara' = bright, clear, distinguished
- Clarissa Latinate elaboration of Clarice, from Latin 'clarus' = clear, bright, famous
- Clark occupational surname from Middle English 'clerk', a cleric and so one of the few men who could read, from Latin 'clericus'
- Claudia Latin feminine of the Roman family name Claudius, from 'claudus' = lame; a Claudia is greeted in the New Testament (2 Timothy)
- Clay transferred English surname, from Old English 'claeg' = clay, for someone living on clay soil
- Clayton surname from English place names, Old English 'claeg' = clay + 'tun' = settlement
- Clementine French feminine diminutive of Clement, from Latin 'clemens' = mild, merciful
- Cleo short form of Cleopatra and Cleon, from Greek 'kleos' = glory, fame
- Clover English word name, from Old English 'clafre', the plant; associated with luck through the four-leaf clover
- Clyde from the Scottish river, a Brittonic name usually read as the washer or the cleansing one
- Cody transferred Irish surname, anglicized from O Cuidighthigh = 'descendant of the helpful one', from 'cuidightheach' = helper
- Cohen transferred Jewish surname, from Hebrew 'kohen' = priest
- Colbie modern respelling of Colby, an English place name and surname from the Old Norse personal name Koli + 'byr' = farm, settlement
- Colby transferred English surname from a place name, from the Old Norse personal name Koli + 'byr' = farm, settlement
- Cole either from the medieval byname Cola, from Old English 'col' = coal, for dark hair, or a short form of Nicholas
- Coleson modern respelling of the English surname Colson = 'son of Col', Col being a medieval pet form of Nicholas (Greek 'nike' = victory + 'laos' = people)
- Colette French diminutive of Nicole, feminine of Nicholas, from Greek 'nike' = victory + 'laos' = people
- Colin either an English pet form of Nicholas by way of Col, or the anglicized Scottish Cailean, from 'cuilean' = whelp, young hound
- Collin variant spelling of Colin, either a pet form of Nicholas or the Scottish Cailean, from 'cuilean' = whelp
- Collins transferred surname, either from the Irish O Coileain = 'descendant of Coilean', from 'coilean' = young dog, whelp, or English 'son of Colin', Colin being a medieval diminutive of Nicholas
- Colsen modern respelling of the English surname Colson = 'son of Col', Col being a medieval short form of Nicholas
- Colson transferred surname meaning 'son of Col', Col being a medieval short form of Nicholas
- Colt English word name, from Old English 'colt' = a young horse; also a transferred surname of the same origin
- Colter transferred surname, either an occupational name for a keeper of colts, from Middle English 'colt' = young horse, or from the Scottish place name Coulter; the word also names the blade fixed ahead of a ploughshare
- Colton surname from English place names, usually 'Cola's settlement', a byname meaning coal-black plus Old English 'tun' = farmstead
- Connor from the Irish surname O Conchobhair, from Conchobhar, probably 'cu, con' = hound, wolf + a second element read as desiring or as lover; root debated
- Conrad from Germanic 'kuoni' = bold, brave + 'rad' = counsel, advice; 'bold counsel'
- Cooper occupational surname for a maker of barrels and casks, from Middle English 'couper'
- Cora from Greek Kore = maiden, the cult title of Persephone; taken into English use after Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans (1826)
- Coraline a literary elaboration of Coral or Cora, coral from Greek 'korallion'; fixed in modern use by Neil Gaiman's Coraline (2002)
- Corbin Norman surname from Old French 'corbin' = raven, a byname for dark hair
- Corey from an English and Irish surname, either from the Old Norse name Kori or from the Irish O Comhraidhe
- Cory from an English and Irish surname, either from the Old Norse personal name Kori or from the Irish O Comhraidhe
- Cove English word name, from Old English 'cofa' = chamber, den, later a small sheltered inlet
- Creed from the English word for a statement of belief, from Latin 'credo' = I believe
- Crew transferred surname from Crewe in Cheshire, thought to be from a Welsh word for a weir or fish-trap; also read as the English word crew
- Cristian Spanish and Romanian form of Christian, from Latin 'christianus' = follower of Christ; ultimately from Greek 'khristos' = anointed
- Crosby transferred English surname from a place name, from Old Norse 'kross' = cross + 'byr' = farm, settlement
- Crue modern respelling of Crew, from the English place name Crewe in Cheshire, probably from a Welsh word for a weir or fish trap
- Cruz Spanish and Portuguese 'cruz' = cross, from Latin 'crux'; first given as a devotional name
- Crystal English word name, from Greek 'krystallos' = ice, clear quartz
- Cullen either an anglicized form of the Irish surname O Cuilinn, from 'cuileann' = holly, or a transferred surname from the Scottish place name Cullen
- Cynthia from Greek Kynthia, an epithet of the goddess Artemis meaning 'she of Mount Kynthos', the peak on Delos said to be her birthplace
- Cyrus Greek Kyros, from Old Persian Kurush, of uncertain sense; Greek writers linked it to their 'kyrios' = lord, but that is a later gloss
Only names carrying a meaning note are listed here. Popularity-only records exist for many more spellings and are reachable through the full directory search.
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