It’s a delicate nom for a petite mademoiselle, or perhaps for an animated elephant.
Thanks to Another for suggesting our Name of the Day: Celeste.
Celeste strikes us as pretty and polite. With her French flair, she could easily be little sister to Madeleine or Gabrielle. But despite her similarities to some of the most popular picks in recent decades, Celeste has never been as popular as you might expect.
Celeste has never cracked the Top 200 in the US, despite the fact that she’s appeared in the Top 1000 every year since 1880. Last year, she came in at a modest #354 – more girls were named Paola, Iris and even Tatum.
She sounds antique, and indeed her story is a long one. Celeste comes from the Latin caelestis, meaning heavenly. Caelestis may have been used as a personal name, but Celestine was probably the preferred form, worn by five popes between the 400s and 1200s. We can’t find a Celeste in the historical record before the 1800s, but Celestria was in use in England in the 1200s. It’s reasonable to assume that different forms of the name were known, but rare, for generations.
We stumble across Celestes steadily after about 1800. One of our favorites is Tennessee Celeste Claflin, known to friends as Tennie C. Along with her sister Victoria, she opened the first woman-owned Wall Street brokerage back in the 19th century. She wasn’t quite a Celeste, but we like the link to the flamboyant suffragette anyhow.
There’s also:
- Oscar-nominated actress Celeste Holm, best known for her role in 1950′s All About Eve;
- From children’s book fame, Jean de Brunhoff’s Babar the Elephant married fellow pachyderm Celeste and made her his Queen;
- One of the posthumous VC Andrews series of novels is built around a character called Celeste;
- Seasons one and two of Veronica Mars included character Celeste Kane;
- On the LPGA tour, we find Paraguayan-born golfer Celeste Troche.
While the standard English pronunciation is the two-syllable seh LEST, there’s a sometimes heard Latina twist – say LESS tay. There are also similar names Celine and Selena to consider.
There’s even an operatic link. In Verdi’s Aida, there’s an aria called Celeste Aida. It’s part-serenade, part-lament sung by the lovesick captain of the guards to the beautiful princess-masquerading-as-slave-girl Aida.
Overall, we think Celeste’s popularity is hurt most by the lack of an easy nickname. It’s the kind of choice that would have to fit a child perfectly. Genevieve shortens to Gen and Josephine becomes Josie, but we have a hard time imagining a tomboy called Celeste.
Still, if it’s a nickname proof appellation you’re seeking, Celeste is an appealing one. She’s familiar, but she’s not overused by any means. If it’s the meaning that draws you, but your tastes run to the more daring, there’s always the French noun name Ciel. Or tuck Celeste in the middle spot – it’s a nice alternative to Marie or Grace. In any case, we think Celeste is a far more subtle and sophisticated choice than Nevaeh.
I quite love Celeste, we knew a Celeste, the little sister to Gabrielle and Sebastien when we lived in France, and Cel was the sweetest little thing!
Celine is too Celine Dion for me.
And Selena will always make me cry…
I like Celeste a lot! Unfortunately it’s not on any future baby name list, having been knocked off in the early stages of my last pregnancy by my tradition loving husband. I like the meaning, too. Maybe if I remind DH about the Babar connection he might think again…
I love Celeste! It’s classy and I like that it isn’t common or over the top. I was considering it, but my dear boyfriend said no since it rhymes with something I’m not even gonna bother saying. He said if I have to use it, then I should use it as a middle name. One of my teachers in 8th grade was named Celeste and I also knew a little girl in Elementary school with that name.
I love Celine and Selena too. I like Celine Dion’s music so I get no bad vibes from the name.
I knew a Celeste in HS, the only problem she said she ever had with her name is it’s rhyme: molest. She also didn’t like her lack of nicknames. And there’s the breaking point for me; I adore nicknames. I’d happily use Celeste in the middle, but honestly? Celestine on a guy intrigues me more. Now there’s something I’d consider!
I also think she’s a brand name in the States: Mama Celeste ring a bell for anyone? Definitely middle material. No one could call Celeste filler material, I think!
Reminds me most of Queen Celeste in the Babar books. I used to love those. I don’t think I’d use it. I do like Selena….. and no relation to Celeste but I like Celia, Cecilia, Cecily.
I don’t mind lack of nicknames. With most names I’d like to use the whole name…with some exceptions… I like Kate as a nn for Katherine and Cassie for Cassandra
I want to like Celeste for the reasons Verity cited above, she sounds pretty, feminine but not frilly, she’s underused and has little room for manoeuvre as far as nicknames are concerned, plus I ought to like her she sounds a lot like many of the names I do love but for some reason I just can’t quite get to grips with her. I don’t think Daphne and Celeste singing ‘Ohh stick you, you’re mama too, and your daddy’ has helped the situation along either! Still, I’m gonna work on my self…
I’ve never been a fan of Celeste, on sound alone, but Celestine used to be pretty high on my list.
Well, I’m a Celeste, and I love being one because it’s different. I don’t know any other Celestes and I’ve only ever heard of one or two in my life.
THe nickname thing was sort of annoying so then to accommodate, when I was about 9 I decided I didn’t want a nickname. My siblings had attempted to give me several nicknames that I HATED.
When I started High School, I got various nicknames, including; Cesspit, Cecil, Ces, Cesty, Celesty-my-besty, Celeste-the-best, Celecel (I think you would spell it like that), Cest and Strangely, Celery (although I’m apparently not alone on that one).
There are so many, and all of them I hate. Some more than others. Only today I found a what a “Cesspit” is. Ouch.
Some reckon its too many syllables, but its only 2!
Its also funny watching some people trying to say it, but most people can say it.
Also, tonnes of people spell it wrong.
And occasionally people realise what things it rhymes with (see Lola’s post) and think they’re very clever and funny.
Anywayz, just thought you’d like to hear from a Celeste’s point of view.
(Also, Yay Queen Celeste from BarBar and Celeste as in Daphne and Celeste!!!)
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i love this name, i want it as an option for my daughter (due in February), but the husband isnt liking ANYTHING and its getting very annoying. I was hooked on Maya but now i think its too common. Celeste would be a great alternative.