Cornelius was a prominent Roman family name, probably derived from cornu, meaning "horn". In the New Testament Cornelius is the centurion who becomes the first Gentile convert to Christianity, and in American history the name belongs to railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. Cornelius ranked number 790 in 2000, peaked at number 789 in 2003 and has since fallen to number 1908 in 2025.