Celsus as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Celsus

What is the meaning of the name Celsus ?

The baby name Celsus is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈsɛl.səs/ (SELL-səs); Classical Latin: /ˈkɛl.sus/ (KEL-sus).

Celsus is Latin in Origin.

From Latin celsus, meaning “lofty,” “high,” or “exalted,” Celsus began as a Roman cognomen derived from an adjective that also underlies excelsus and the motto excelsior. The same root gave rise to the scholarly surname Celsius. As a given name, it conveys nobility and elevation in tone yet remains crisp and classical.

Attested bearers include Aulus Cornelius Celsus, the Augustan‑era encyclopaedist famed for De Medicina, and the 2nd‑century philosopher Celsus, an early critic of Christianity. The cult of Saints Nazarius and Celsus spread the name in late antiquity, while in medieval Ireland Ceallach of Armagh (1080–1129) was Latinized as St. Celsus, reinforcing ecclesiastical use. Today the form is rare in English but survives in Romance languages: Celso (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese), Celse (French), feminine Celsa; less commonly, Byzantine‑style Kelsos. Variants and short forms include Cel and, in scholarly contexts, Celsius.

⚙ Celsus is a rare find. Our records hold just 20 recorded uses, spread over 7 countries.