Fun Facts About the Name Circe
- 298 babies named Circe: U.S. records list 298 babies given the name Circe from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Circe Mean?
Circe is the English form of the Greek name Κίρκη (Kirkē), and its meaning is uncertain. The usual explanation connects it to the Greek noun κίρκος (kirkos), which can mean "circle" or "ring" and also refers to a kind of hawk. Because the same Greek word has both senses, the original sense behind the name is not settled; suggested translations such as "hawk" or "circle" are possible but not certain. Later symbolic readings of Circe as a figure of enchantment or transformation belong to her literary myth, not to the name's etymology.
Circe Name History & Origins
The name Circe comes from Greek Κίρκη, Latinized as Circē, and passed into English through Latin. In Greek myth, Circe is a goddess or sorceress, daughter of the sun god Helios and Perse (or Perseis), and sister of Aeetes and Pasiphae. She lives on the island of Aeaea. In the Odyssey, Odysseus and his crew reach her island; she turns several of his men into pigs, and Odysseus, protected by the herb moly, forces her to restore them. He stays with her for a year. Hesiod's Theogony also names her as the mother of Agrios and Latinos by Odysseus. Later Greek and Roman writers expanded her story: Apollonius of Rhodes has her purify Jason and Medea, and Ovid tells of her transforming Scylla and Picus. These episodes helped establish her as a stock figure of enchantment and metamorphosis in Western literature. In English, the name is known mainly through translations of these classical works; it has also been used as a given name, though it remains uncommon.
How Popular is the Name Circe?
Circe has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #4,226 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,792 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2024 | #4,785 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2023 | #6,469 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #4,226 | 34 | 0.0021% |
| 2021 | #5,265 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 2020 | #5,901 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2019 | #6,225 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #16,400 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #16,819 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #14,912 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #12,188 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #12,242 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #15,394 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #14,018 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #10,978 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #11,843 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #13,316 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #14,245 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #14,901 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #13,958 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #10,835 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #13,592 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #10,722 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #8,352 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #8,177 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #7,592 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1967 | #6,965 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Circe Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Circe's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Circe's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.