Araceli
Araceli was the 746th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 364 babies. Its best year was 2002, when it ranked 487th with 573 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 310 places. More babies were named Araceli in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning altar of heaven · Spanish, Latin
Say it ar-uh-SEL-ee /ˌærəˈsɛli/
- Rank in 2025
- #746 girls, up 249 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 364girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2002573 babies
- Total since 1880
- 20,406babies recorded
What does the name Araceli mean?
Araceli is a Spanish name taken from a title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Araceli, venerated as patron of Lucena in Andalusia; the title also names the Roman church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli on the Capitoline Hill. The word comes from Latin ara 'altar' and caeli (coeli) 'of heaven', so it means 'altar of heaven'. Like Dolores or Mercedes, it began as part of a Marian title (María de Araceli) and was later used on its own.
ara (Latin, “altar”)caeli (coeli) (Latin, “of heaven, of the sky”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Pronunciation: In Spanish the stress is on the third syllable: ah-rah-SEH-lee.
Related names: Aracely, Aracelis, Arely.
See also: Latin names, names that mean sky, star, moon or sun.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Araceli' (Spanish section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wikidata item Q3621194 ('Araceli' given name), Wikidata (CC0)
Araceli popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 138 since 1969.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #746 | 364 |
| 2020 | #995 | 256 |
| 2010 | #820 | 328 |
| 2000 | #599 | 422 |
| 1990 | #555 | 424 |
| 1980 | #536 | 351 |
| 1970 | #838 | 163 |
| 1960 | #1,447 | 58 |
| 1950 | #3,675 | 9 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Araceli, counting every spelling?
Araceli is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #569 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #746 for Araceli on its own. Together these spellings went to 527 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Araceli | 364 | #746 | 1,691 |
| Aracely | 151 | #1,427 | 729 |
| Aracelli | 12 | #8,415 | 57 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Araceli?
364 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Araceli (0.10 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Araceli born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 23 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Araceli.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Araceli?
About 19,700 people born in the US named Araceli are alive today, with a median age of 29; half are between 18 and 42. That makes Araceli mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Araceli by state
How common Araceli was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (8.1×), Arizona (3.5×), Nevada (3.2×), Colorado (2.6×), Texas (2.5×). In 26 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Araceli: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Araceli, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Araceli · Sibling names for Araceli
Questions about the name Araceli
What does Araceli mean?
Araceli means “altar of heaven” (Spanish, Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Araceli?
Araceli was the 746th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 364 babies. Its best year was 2002, when it ranked 487th with 573 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 310 places. More babies were named Araceli in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Araceli a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Araceli in the US.
Where is Araceli most popular?
In 2021–2025, Araceli was most common in New Mexico (1.69 per 1,000 girls), followed by Arizona and Nevada.