Cornelius

Meaning of Cornelius

Cornelius strides out of ancient Rome with a trumpet flourish, its Latin root cornu meaning “horn” and hinting at both martial fanfare and the promise of plenty poured from a cornucopia. In the storied gens Cornelia it draped senators in togas; in the Book of Acts it clothed a kindhearted centurion who opened Christianity’s gates to the wider world. Later it hopped the Atlantic on pilgrim ships, eventually adorning railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt and—even more whimsically—the fudge-loving minister of magic in Harry Potter. Spoken aloud as kawr-NEE-lee-uhs, the four-syllable name rolls like bronze bells, stately yet friendly. Though its U.S. ranking has drifted from a dashing Top-200 mainstay in the Gilded Age to a boutique choice in the 800s today, that mellow descent only polishes its vintage charm, ensuring your little Cornelius won’t share his moniker with half the playground. Scholarly but soft, traditional yet twinkling, Cornelius offers parents a time-tested herald’s horn: it announces a boy who may grow into a philosopher, an adventurer, or simply the warm heartbeat of the family orchestra.