Cornelius is a name of Latin origin, derived from the Roman clan name Cornelia, which was itself derived from the Latin word "cornu," meaning "horn." The name Cornelius means "horn" or "strong as a horn." It is a masculine given name and has been used throughout history.
The earliest known usage of the name Cornelius dates back to ancient Rome. One of the most famous historical figures with this name was Cornelius Nepos, a Roman historian who lived in the 1st century BC. He wrote biographies of notable Romans and Greeks, including Atticus, Cicero, and Catiline.
In the New Testament of the Bible, Cornelius is also mentioned as a centurion in the Roman army. He was the first gentile convert to Christianity and is considered a saint by some Christian denominations.
The name Cornelius gained popularity during the Middle Ages in Europe, particularly among Christians who saw it as a symbol of piety due to its biblical associations. It has remained a popular given name throughout the centuries, although its usage has varied in different cultures and time periods.
Some variations of the name Cornelius include Cornelia (feminine), Cornelio (Italian), Corney (Dutch), Kornel (Hungarian), and Korneel (Flemish). Today, Cornelius is still used as a given name, with its popularity varying by country and region.
Based on the statistics provided for the given name Cornelious in the United States from 1880 to 2021, we can observe several trends over time:
From 1880 to around 1915, there were fewer than 40 births per year with Cornelious as the first name. The number of births peaked at 38 in 1915 and reached a new high of 38 again in 1920.
During the period from 1920 to around 1960, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of Cornelious births each year, with fewer than 40 births annually. The lowest point occurred in 1958 and 1959 with only 18 births each year.
From approximately 1960 onwards, there has been a significant decline in the popularity of the name Cornelious. After reaching a peak of 29 births in 1965, the number of Cornelious births steadily decreased to single digits by the late 1970s.
In recent years (2008-2021), there have been very few births with the name Cornelious each year. The highest number was 15 in 2011, and most years had fewer than 10 Cornelious births annually, with some years having as few as 5 or 7 births.
Overall, from a peak of popularity in the early to mid-20th century, there has been a consistent decline in the number of babies named Cornelious each year. In recent decades, the name Cornelious has become quite rare among newborns in the United States.