Cecil

"Blind" — a Roman clan name transformed into an emblem of British aristocracy

Cecil derives from the Latin Caecilius, a Roman family name from the gens Caecilia, itself likely derived from caecus meaning blind. In England the name became associated with the powerful Cecil family, who were leading statesmen under Elizabeth I — most notably William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and his son Robert Cecil. As a first name, Cecil was fashionable in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, with Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist and diamond magnate, being perhaps the most historically prominent bearer. The name has a distinctly patrician, old-school British feel that places it firmly in the category of vintage classics.