Celie is a charming and unique feminine given name of French origin, derived from the word 'chéri', meaning dear or beloved. It was popularized by Alice Walker's novel and subsequent film adaptation, "The Color Purple," in which Celie is a central character. The name has since gained international recognition and continues to be favored by parents seeking distinctive names for their daughters. In some cultures, it may also be spelled as Célie or Celine, with the latter being more commonly used due to its association with other notable figures such as singer Celine Dion. Regardless of spelling, Celie remains a beautiful and meaningful choice for a baby girl's name.
The name Celie has seen significant fluctuations in popularity over the past century and a half, with no clear trend towards consistent usage. Between 1880 and 2023, there were a total of 502 births registered with this name. While it experienced periods of increased popularity, such as between 1914 and 1917 with over 60 births each year, it has also had decades with minimal usage, for instance in the 1930s to 1950s where annual births numbered five or fewer. Since the turn of the millennium, however, there has been a resurgence in its use, with peaks in 2001 and 2009, and consistently higher numbers in recent years.