The baby name Cynthia became a 1950s smash hit. If it hadn’t, it might be a chart-topping favorite now.
Thanks to Toni for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME CYNTHIA MEAN?
The baby name Cynthia started out as an epithet for a moon goddess.
An epithet describes someone. Of Greek origin, the word literally means “something added.”
“Great” is Alexander the Great’s epithet. Not a name, right?
It turns out that plenty of these add-ons were name-like … or came to be understood as names with the passing of time.
Cynthia is the Latin form of the Greek Kynthia. It means “woman from Kynthos.”
Once upon a time, Cynthia referred to one very specific woman.
CYNTHIA IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
In Greek myth, heavily pregnant Leto took refuge on Mount Kynthos on the island of Delos.
Like so many stories, the father of Leto’s twins was king of the gods, Zeus. His wife, Hera, was none too pleased to discover Zeus had strayed – again. She sent a giant snake to chase Leto, forcing her flee to an isolated mountaintop.
Leto gave birth to her twins, the gods Apollo and Artemis, in that remote place.
Moon goddess Artemis was sometimes known as Cynthia, commemorating the place of their birth.
Masculine form Cynthius, associated with Apollo, surfaces in some earlier records, too, but fell out of use.
Cynthia, on the other hand, was used as a given name early days. The poet Propertius composed works to a beloved Cynthia during the first century BC.
MEDIEVAL QUEEN
It turns out that the Greek goddess of the moon would share her bonus name with two queens – sort of.
First, let’s start with a royal bride.
Sanchia was the third of four daughters born to Raymond Berenger IV, Count of Provence, and his savvy wife Beatrice of Savoy. Back in the thirteenth century, the pair married all four of their daughters to monarchs – France, England, Germany, and Sicily.
The third sister married Richard of Cornwall. Her name didn’t translate. Sanchia comes from the Latin Sanctius – holy. It’s the same root as Sancho, and the surname Sanchez, familiar in Spanish.
In English-speaking countries, the new bride became known as Cynthia instead. We tend to call her Sanchia in the historical record now, but in 1243? Somehow her reverent Christian name sounded most like the ancient goddess of the hunt.
Her husband, Richard of Cornwall, was the younger brother of King Henry III. Henry married Eleanor of Provence, Sanchia’s sister. Eleanor played matchmaker.
In 1257, Richard was elected King of Germany. That made Sanchia/Cynthia the queen. While they reigned over what is today called Germany, his official title was King of the Romans.
QUEEN ELIZABETH I
Sometime around the Renaissance, with interest in the classical world renewed, Cynthia became a given name.
In England, the name is closely associated with symbols chosen to celebrate Queen Elizabeth.
Because the monarch never married, parallels to Artemis were irresistible – two virgins, devoted to their respective callings. Elizabeth’s pearls were said to echo the moon.
Ben Jonson’s allegorical comedy Cynthia’s Revels, or The Fountain of Self-Love debuted in the year 1600. It featured plenty of gods, including Diana – the Roman equivalent of Artemis – also called Cynthia.
She was meant to symbolize the queen.
During the same era, the pot Richard Barnfield wrote Cynthia, with certain Sonnets, and the legend of Cassandra. While his name is obscure today, he was a rival to William Shakespeare during the Elizabethan era.
19th CENTURY CYNTHIA
The baby name Cynthia remained in sparing use.
It surfaces in historical records as a given name in the English-speaking world during the eighteenth century.
By the time US Social Security Administration data is available in the late 19th century, Cynthia is clearly an established name, ranking around the 200s and 300s from 1880 through 1900.
But the name’s heyday was yet to come.
CINDY BRADY
Sing it with me now: All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, the youngest one in curls.
The Brady Bunch originally aired from 1969 through 1974, but it remained a pop culture staple long after. Even if you’ve never seen an episode, phrases like “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” probably seem at least a little familiar. Sequels, including a number of movies, followed, boosting the characters for a 1990s audience.
Susan Olsen played Cynthia “Cindy” Brady, the youngest of the six step-sibs. Cindy did eventually grow up – after all, the show ran for five seasons, spawned made-for-TV movie sequels and even a semi-parody big screen release. But Cindy remains etched in the public memory as a sweet little girl.
Even all these years later, it still holds a spot in pop culture. Actors Barry Williams and Christopher Knight, who played Brady brothers Greg and Peter, host a podcast called The Real Brady Bros.
The show, though, cemented Cindy as the only possible nickname for this classic choice.
MORE FAMOUS CINDYS AND CYNTHIAS
Back to popularity in a minute. For now, let’s talk about the many, many notable namesakes that were not part of American sitcom history.
Famous Cynthias of recent years include:
- Actress Cynthia Nixon, best known for her role in Sex and the City and sequels.
- Cyndi Lauper, the singer best known for her anthem “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
- Fashion designer Cynthia Rowley.
- There’s a characted by the name in Agatha Christie’s very first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles.
- In 1937, Life magazine made a new style of mannequin famous. The very life-like Cynthia became a celebrity in her own right.
- 1947 film Cynthia starred Elizabeth Taylor.
- American folk song “Cindy” has been performed by artists like Elvis Presley snd Nick Cave.
- Pop song “Cindy, Oh Cindy” charted back in 1956, probably helping to propel the name to the Top Ten.
- Animated Rugrats character Angelica carries a Cynthia doll.
- There’s Cindy Lou Who from Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
- The late senator John McCain’s wife was born Cindy Lou, too.
- Ballerina Cynthia Gregory was a major star during the 1970s.
- Fairytale princess Cinderella is sometimes called Cindy, especially in retellings of the tale.
- Supermodel Cindy Crawford lends some high fashion glitz to the name.
- Celebrated writer Cynthia Ozick has been called “the Emily Dickinson of the Bronx.”
- There’s a butterfly called Cynthia.
- England’s answer to Barbie was the Sindy doll.
This list surely misses a few notable figures.
Countless Cynthias have shaped the name, but there’s one that stands out now.
CYNTHIA ERIVO
Talented actress Cynthia Erivo has revived interest in the name. She’s most famous for playing Elphaba in the big screen adaptation of Wicked, but it’s not her first major role.
It started out as a Gregory Maguire novel, then became a smash hit Broadway musical. Rumors of a film adaptation swirled for years, until it finally came together. Erivo played the green-skinned, so very misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana Grande stepped into the bubble of Glinda, the (maybe, possibly, probably not all that) Good Witch.
The first installment was a box office success and a cultural phenomenon. The second half of the film will be released in late 2025.
Erivo is no newcomer. The British singer and actress has won an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony. She just needs an Oscar to join the elite group of EGOT winners.
In our age of names like Olivia and Sophia, Cynthia’s -ia ending makes this a potentially attractive name, very much in the spotlight right now.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME CYNTHIA?
The story of Cynthia’s rise tracks with popular culture in the middle of the twentieth century.
By the late 1930s and 1940s, the baby name Cynthia was on the rise. It entered the US Top 100 in 1945.
In 1954, it reached #10 before sliding back to #11 briefly. From 1956 to 1965, it remained a Top Ten favorite, peaking at #7 in 1957.
That’s long before we met Cindy Brady, but on a timeline that makes it a very appropriate choice for the family.
Cynthia remained in the US Top 100 until 1993. As of 2023, it ranks a relatively rare #873.
OTHER FORMS OF CYNTHIA
When it comes to popularity, we have to talk about other forms of the name, including:
- The nickname Cindy became an independent Top 100 choice in the mid-20th century.
- Cyndi and Cindi, both briefly ranked in the US Top 1000 at peak popularity.
- Cinda, which could be a form of Lucinda or other longer names, now familiar thanks to Only Murders in the Building’s Cinda Canning.
- In Spanish and Portuguese, it’s Cintia. It’s never ranked in the US Top 1000, though it’s been popular in Brazil and other places.
- Attractive Italian form Cinzia is another possibility, but again, it’s very rare in the US. Pronounce it more like chin-zia.
Cindy feels like the obvious nickname, but it reads a little 1960s. But Cynthia in full fits surprising well with names now. From bold florals like Magnolia to ancients like Aurelia, it’s a nicely on-trend sound.
Looking for a Cindy-avoiding nickname? Thea – rhymes with Leah – feels like it ought to be an option, too.
OVERLOOKED GODDESS NAME
In its full form, the baby name Cynthia gives elegance and grace. It’s a goddess name, one with energy and spark. Artemis takes the name into the wilderness, but it’s at home in a ball room, too.
Like Gloria or Cordelia, it’s the kind of name that might be ready for reconsideration.
Overall, this name might hit the perfect note for some parents, with a mix of classical mythology and familiar sound.
What do you think of the baby name Cynthia?
First published on April 27, 2009, this post was revised on March 20, 2025.
Reminds me of Cynthia Ann Parker, who at age nine in 1836, was captured and raised by the Comanches. She married a Comanche Chief with whom she had three children. History and names go together.
I’m a 22-year-old Cynthia. While it’s true that most of my namesakes are in the baby boomer range, I’ve never encountered any difficulties with my name. Everyone knows how to spell it, and yet it’s not as common as one would assume. Much like Mr. Jekyll Whispy’s 22-year-old Cynthia, I too love poetry, and through poetry, have come to admire my name. The truth is, growing up, I disliked my name, as I wanted to be like my trendy-named peers – all Brittanys and Ashleys and Jessicas in a row, with no room for seemingly old-fashioned Cynthia. But through poetry, specifically that of Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, I let go of the preconceived notions about my name (old, “heavy,” snobbish, etc.), and saw my name as – dare I say it – poetic, strong, phonetically diverse yet unusual, and graceful. My friends all say that my name fits me, and yet, I look a few years younger than I actually am. I’ve even had quite a few people, some younger than myself, tell me how much they like my name. Anyway, my point is that Cynthia is not a bad name at all – and that’s coming from a Cynthia in a world of Brittanys, Ashleys, and Jessicas.
P.S. My nicknames have been Cyn, Tia/Thia, and Cia. I never let the Cindy thing happen, and neither did my parents.
“Thence, to the Circle of the Moone she clambe/Where Cynthia raignes in everlasting glory.” – Edmund Spenser
i know this was years ago, nobody will see this. but i’m head over heels in love with a girl named Cynthia. i think it’s one of the most beautiful names i have ever heard. it has roots in the greek goddess of the moon. my Cynthia is an accomplished poet, a complete sweetheart and one of the most compelling individuals i’ve ever met. i know this name is truly beautiful because i have spent hours writing it in cursive and saying it aloud to myself. not an old lady name, very cute for a little girl i think. she’s 22 now, 21 when i met her and it never seemed out of place. if you can raise your kids to be mature, full-minded young adults, they won’t have to wait 30 years for their name to fit. better to give your children a dignified, strong, classic name than something like laura or rebecca or michelle or antonia etc. i am biased, of course, but trust me, it is a beautiful name phonetically and implies a beautiful, articulate, and mature kind of person
Hmm – I’m with photoquilty on this one – Cynthia’s completely dated to me. Probably because I’ve only ever known one – a friend of my mum’s who’s about 50 now!
Of the ‘ssss-eir’ C names, Cecily, Cecilia and even Celeste are rather pleasing to me and feel pretty current, but somehow Cynthia misses the mark for me!
Thanks for indulging me with this name:) We’ve actually nixed it BECAUSE of the nickname Cindy. I love Cynthia, and can handle the nn Thia, but I just cannot handle the inevitable Cindy. So, she’s been crossed off our list. Unfortunate how a common nickname can just ruin an otherwise beautiful name.
My favorite cousin in the universe is a Cynthia. We called her Cindy until she was 8, Tia ’til she was 12 and started taking Spanish in school, then she decided to start spelling it Cyndy. As a teen, Goth clubbing with me, she was Cyn (say it.. it’s perfect for the Gothchick!). These days she’s either Cinde, Thia or Cynthia in full. I think it’s a lovely name, lovlier than mine, anyway and deserves to stay on the charts. What a timeless classic Cynthia is. Especially in full. An elegant full name, a half dozen neat-o nicknames, what’s not to love about Cynthia?! 😀
Hm…no. To me she just sounds dated. I like it, but would feel funny giving my baby the name of a 40 or 50 year old lady. She doesn’t feel like a classic, just an old-fashioned trend.