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I checked Cambridge dictionary, but it gives both pronunciations (with a 'k' and with a 'S' - sorry, I don't know phonetic symbols) as correct.

However, for most words with more than one "correct" pronunciation, there is always one more used/accepted.

What is the case with "celtic"?

Charley R.
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    A nice thing to remember is that dictionaries generally list more accepted or recommended variants first. Dictionaries that list both pronunciations indeed give precedence to the one with /k/. – Nardog Oct 26 '20 at 22:17

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The word 'Celtic' used for languages and cultures is usually pronounced with a hard 'C', 'keltic'. The only time we use a soft 'C', 'seltic', are when saying the names of the Glasgow Celtic FC football ('soccer') and Boston Celtics baseball teams, and possibly some others.

Aside from this use of the initial soft 'c' in sports teams' names, Celtic with a hard 'c' is the standard; however, you might still sometimes hear the 'c' softly sounded by those who are uninitiated in the history and etymology of Celt and Celtic as well as those who are unfamiliar with the words and resort to the phonetic rules of English. (And, as happens so often in English, those phonetic rules let them down.)

Many sources say that the 'seltic' pronunciation was correct and accepted for both up to approximately the middle of the 20th century.

Pronunciation of Celtic (Merriam-Webster)

Michael Harvey
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  • Why do those sports teams use a different pronunciation? Ignorance? – End Anti-Semitic Hate Oct 26 '20 at 23:16
  • Thanks for the answer. But, as Glasgow Celtic FC is a Scottish team, wouldn't they know enough of Celtic culture to pronounce it correctly? – Charley R. Oct 27 '20 at 11:12
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    The possibly rather dull explanation is that, at the time the club was founded, the 'seltic' pronunciation was the correct one for the cultural meaning. The hard 'k' sound has only come into fashion in the last 30-50 years. – Michael Harvey Oct 27 '20 at 11:16