Girl name · Greek
Cynthia
“moon goddess of Mount Kynthos”
Vibes
Common nicknames
Short-forms and diminutives parents often use for Cynthia.
Explore Cynthia further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Cynthia — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Cynthia is an epithet rather than a name: Artemis was born on Mount Kynthos on Delos, so Kynthia meant the one from Kynthos. Elizabethan poets used it constantly as a coded reference to Elizabeth I, which is how it entered English as a given name at all.
It was a US top-10 name in the late 1950s and has fallen steadily since, now sitting at the bottom edge of the top 1000. That makes it currently dated rather than vintage — the awkward decade or two before a name becomes reusable.
Cindy is the short form that carries the datedness; Cyn and Thia do not. Three syllables want one (Cynthia Wren, Cynthia Pearl). On our vibe map it is Vintage Elegant with Celestial meaning underneath.
More Greek names
Cynthia sits in our Greek set — these share its roots.
All Greek names →Cynthia — common questions
Is Cynthia a boy or girl name?
Cynthia is traditionally a girl name of Greek origin.
What does the name Cynthia mean?
Cynthia means “moon goddess of Mount Kynthos” of Greek origin. Cynthia is an epithet rather than a name: Artemis was born on Mount Kynthos on Delos, so Kynthia meant the one from Kynthos. Elizabethan poets used it constantly as a coded reference to Elizabeth I, which is how it entered English as a given name at all.
Where does the name Cynthia come from?
Cynthia is Greek in origin. It was a US top-10 name in the late 1950s and has fallen steadily since, now sitting at the bottom edge of the top 1000. That makes it currently dated rather than vintage — the awkward decade or two before a name becomes reusable.
What are common nicknames for Cynthia?
Cyn, Cindy, and Thia — the short-forms parents most often use for Cynthia.
How popular is Cynthia?
Cynthia did not make the top 1,000 girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Cynthia you might want for the nursery.