cicely

Cicely is a feminine given name in English, historically used as an alternative spelling of Cecily or Cecilia. It derives from the Latin Caecilia, the feminine form of Caecilius; the exact meaning is uncertain, but the name is commonly linked to the Latin root caecus, meaning blind. While Cicely is older and less common today than Cecilia or Cecily, it appears in historical and literary contexts and is borne by several notable women.

Notable people with the given name include the American actress Cicely Tyson, the Australian-born British actress Cicely Courtneidge, and the English illustrator Cicely Mary Barker, known for her Flower Fairies drawings. The spelling Cicely is also found in earlier English literature and genealogical records as a variant of Cecilia.

Sweet cicely, or Myrrhis odorata, is a perennial herb in the Apiaceae (carrot) family. Native to Europe, it is cultivated as an herb in temperate gardens. The plant produces tall, hollow stems with large, feathery, fernlike leaves and small white flowers arranged in umbels. Both the leaves and seeds are edible and have a mild anise-like flavor. Historically, sweet cicely was used to flavor desserts, beverages, and fruit dishes and was valued as a natural sweetener before refined sugar became widespread. In cultivation, it prefers rich, moist soil and some shade, and it can tolerate partial shade of garden borders.

In sum, Cicely describes a given name with medieval and literary roots and a plant known for its fragrant foliage and culinary uses, illustrating the name’s presence in both personal and botanical contexts.