Adela Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ah-DEH-lah /ˈæd.ə.lə/
Origin: German; Spanish; Italian
Meaning: Noble; noble kind; noble
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Adela has its roots in the Germanic word "adal," which means "noble." This etymology can be traced back to the early medieval period, where it was used in various forms across Germanic languages. The name entered the English language through the Old High German form "Adalheidis," which evolved into the more familiar "Adelaide" and subsequently influenced the shorter form "Adela." The name was further popularized in England during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, as it was brought over by the Normans who had adopted it from the Old French variant.
Historically, the name Adela is associated with several notable figures, including Adela of Normandy, the daughter of William the Conqueror, who lived in the 11th century. She was known for her role in the establishment of various religious institutions in England.
Additionally, the name appears in various medieval texts and chronicles, often linked to noble lineage and virtue, reinforcing its connotation of nobility and honor. The name has also been borne by saints and queens, further embedding it in the historical narrative of European royalty and religious significance.
Culturally, Adela has been associated with themes of nobility and grace, often appearing in literature and art as a symbol of virtuous femininity. The name's enduring appeal can be attributed to its melodic quality and the positive attributes associated with nobility.
Variants of the name, such as Adele, have also emerged in different cultures, reflecting its adaptability and resonance across various linguistic landscapes. Overall, Adela's historical and cultural significance underscores its lasting legacy in European naming traditions.
Famous people named Adela
In this section, you will find notable people named Adela. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Adela who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Adela who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Adela Noriega is an actress best known for Quinceañera, Amor Real, and Fuego en la Sangre.
Adela Zamudio is a writer and feminist best known for her poetry and advocacy for women's rights in Bolivia.
Fictional characters named Adela
The following list of fictional characters named Adela is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Adela is a fictional character from the novel The Secret of the Old Mill by Franklin W. Dixon. She is a key figure in the mystery that the Hardy Boys seek to solve.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Adela, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Adela. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Adela was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Adela has ranked as high as #1167 nationally, which occurred in 2015, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Arizona.
In the past 5 years the name Adela has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Adela is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Adela was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Adela (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 48 | |
| TX | 43 | |
| FL | 15 | |
| WA | 10 | |
| IN | 7 | |
| NC | 7 | |
| NY | 7 | |
| OH | 7 | |
| TN | 6 | |
| IL | 6 | |
| CO | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Adela.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 224 |
| 2023 | 215 |
| 2022 | 221 |
| 2021 | 205 |
| 2020 | 200 |
| 2019 | 193 |
| 2018 | 188 |
| 2017 | 184 |
| 2016 | 202 |
| 2015 | 227 |
| 2014 | 184 |
| 2013 | 209 |
| 2012 | 210 |
| 2011 | 152 |
| 2010 | 128 |
| 2009 | 165 |
| 2008 | 150 |
| 2007 | 143 |
| 2006 | 141 |
| 2005 | 149 |
| 2004 | 120 |
| 2003 | 119 |
| 2002 | 135 |
| 2001 | 119 |
| 2000 | 126 |
| 1999 | 112 |
| 1998 | 152 |
| 1997 | 107 |
| 1996 | 95 |
| 1995 | 97 |
| 1994 | 107 |
| 1993 | 97 |
| 1992 | 85 |
| 1991 | 105 |
| 1990 | 93 |
| 1989 | 85 |
| 1988 | 57 |
| 1987 | 72 |
| 1986 | 75 |
| 1985 | 62 |
| 1984 | 63 |
| 1983 | 69 |
| 1982 | 63 |
| 1981 | 81 |
| 1980 | 77 |
| 1979 | 86 |
| 1978 | 76 |
| 1977 | 74 |
| 1976 | 80 |
| 1975 | 70 |
| 1974 | 85 |
| 1973 | 78 |
| 1972 | 72 |
| 1971 | 76 |
| 1970 | 94 |
| 1969 | 72 |
| 1968 | 70 |
| 1967 | 64 |
| 1966 | 79 |
| 1965 | 91 |
| 1964 | 100 |
| 1963 | 108 |
| 1962 | 108 |
| 1961 | 100 |
| 1960 | 111 |
| 1959 | 105 |
| 1958 | 104 |
| 1957 | 121 |
| 1956 | 127 |
| 1955 | 120 |
| 1954 | 121 |
| 1953 | 129 |
| 1952 | 106 |
| 1951 | 125 |
| 1950 | 122 |
| 1949 | 111 |
| 1948 | 142 |
| 1947 | 119 |
| 1946 | 122 |
| 1945 | 110 |
| 1944 | 100 |
| 1943 | 71 |
| 1942 | 95 |
| 1941 | 90 |
| 1940 | 83 |
| 1939 | 79 |
| 1938 | 74 |
| 1937 | 57 |
| 1936 | 71 |
| 1935 | 86 |
| 1934 | 68 |
| 1933 | 78 |
| 1932 | 101 |
| 1931 | 81 |
| 1930 | 110 |
| 1929 | 105 |
| 1928 | 110 |
| 1927 | 118 |
| 1926 | 111 |
| 1925 | 113 |
| 1924 | 130 |
| 1923 | 121 |
| 1922 | 120 |
| 1921 | 157 |
| 1920 | 161 |
| 1919 | 151 |
| 1918 | 163 |
| 1917 | 138 |
| 1916 | 154 |
| 1915 | 116 |
| 1914 | 74 |
| 1913 | 61 |
| 1912 | 65 |
| 1911 | 63 |
| 1910 | 55 |
| 1909 | 49 |
| 1908 | 35 |
| 1907 | 38 |
| 1906 | 44 |
| 1905 | 36 |
| 1904 | 41 |
| 1903 | 28 |
| 1902 | 33 |
| 1901 | 35 |
| 1900 | 38 |
| 1899 | 36 |
| 1898 | 39 |
| 1897 | 29 |
| 1896 | 28 |
| 1895 | 34 |
| 1894 | 35 |
| 1893 | 32 |
| 1892 | 23 |
| 1891 | 28 |
| 1890 | 23 |
| 1889 | 29 |
| 1888 | 21 |
| 1887 | 17 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1885 | 13 |
| 1884 | 11 |
| 1883 | 15 |
| 1882 | 17 |
| 1881 | 7 |
| 1880 | 9 |