Della Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DEL-uh //ˈdɛl.ə//
Origin: Italian; English
Meaning: Italian: noble; English: short form of Adela
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Della has its roots in the Italian name Adela, which is derived from the Germanic element "adal," meaning "noble." The name Adela made its way into Old French as "Adele" before being adapted into various forms across Europe. In the English-speaking world, Della emerged as a diminutive or variant of Adela, gaining traction in the 19th century as a standalone name.
The transition into English showcases the influence of both Italian and French linguistic traditions, reflecting the broader patterns of name adoption and adaptation during that period. Historically, the name Della can be associated with various notable figures and cultural milestones.
While not directly mentioned in biblical texts, the roots of its parent name Adela can be traced back to the medieval period, where names derived from noble lineage were common among European aristocracy. The name gained further recognition through literary works and the arts, particularly in the 19th century, when names reflecting nobility and elegance became fashionable.
This period saw the rise of romantic literature, where names like Della were often used to evoke a sense of grace and refinement. Culturally, Della carries connotations of nobility and dignity, resonating with the ideals of chivalry and virtue prevalent in medieval European society.
The name has been embraced in various artistic expressions, including literature and music, often symbolizing beauty and strength. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Dell have appeared in literature, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry.
Overall, Della's historical journey reflects a blend of linguistic evolution and cultural significance, marking its place in the lineage of names that celebrate noble heritage.
Famous people named Della
In this section, you will find notable people named Della. 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 Della who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Della 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.
Della Reese is a singer and actress best known for Touched by an Angel, Della, and The Twilight Zone.
Della Street is a fictional character in the Perry Mason series created by Erle Stanley Gardner.
Fictional characters named Della
The following list of fictional characters named Della 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.
Della Duck is a fictional character from the comic book series DuckTales. She is the mother of Huey, Dewey, and Louie and plays a significant role in their adventures.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Della, 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 Della. 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 Della was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Della has ranked as high as #283 nationally, which occurred in 1917, and has been most popular in Kentucky, North Carolina, California, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Della has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Della 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 Della was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Della (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 |
|---|---|---|
| OH | 28 | |
| CA | 27 | |
| IL | 26 | |
| TX | 26 | |
| PA | 22 | |
| IN | 22 | |
| TN | 22 | |
| MO | 20 | |
| NC | 20 | |
| FL | 17 | |
| GA | 17 | |
| KY | 16 | |
| WI | 16 | |
| UT | 15 | |
| MN | 15 |
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 Della.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 518 |
| 2023 | 453 |
| 2022 | 449 |
| 2021 | 405 |
| 2020 | 284 |
| 2019 | 339 |
| 2018 | 314 |
| 2017 | 252 |
| 2016 | 248 |
| 2015 | 217 |
| 2014 | 194 |
| 2013 | 164 |
| 2012 | 174 |
| 2011 | 120 |
| 2010 | 133 |
| 2009 | 115 |
| 2008 | 77 |
| 2007 | 68 |
| 2006 | 87 |
| 2005 | 78 |
| 2004 | 75 |
| 2003 | 68 |
| 2002 | 62 |
| 2001 | 44 |
| 2000 | 45 |
| 1999 | 50 |
| 1998 | 37 |
| 1997 | 42 |
| 1996 | 54 |
| 1995 | 53 |
| 1994 | 57 |
| 1993 | 49 |
| 1992 | 59 |
| 1991 | 55 |
| 1990 | 56 |
| 1989 | 79 |
| 1988 | 64 |
| 1987 | 62 |
| 1986 | 84 |
| 1985 | 59 |
| 1984 | 74 |
| 1983 | 90 |
| 1982 | 96 |
| 1981 | 98 |
| 1980 | 108 |
| 1979 | 115 |
| 1978 | 119 |
| 1977 | 180 |
| 1976 | 145 |
| 1975 | 165 |
| 1974 | 165 |
| 1973 | 173 |
| 1972 | 204 |
| 1971 | 247 |
| 1970 | 291 |
| 1969 | 291 |
| 1968 | 324 |
| 1967 | 326 |
| 1966 | 369 |
| 1965 | 389 |
| 1964 | 469 |
| 1963 | 535 |
| 1962 | 520 |
| 1961 | 615 |
| 1960 | 745 |
| 1959 | 676 |
| 1958 | 663 |
| 1957 | 538 |
| 1956 | 542 |
| 1955 | 590 |
| 1954 | 591 |
| 1953 | 550 |
| 1952 | 614 |
| 1951 | 654 |
| 1950 | 620 |
| 1949 | 574 |
| 1948 | 611 |
| 1947 | 732 |
| 1946 | 588 |
| 1945 | 532 |
| 1944 | 636 |
| 1943 | 681 |
| 1942 | 681 |
| 1941 | 673 |
| 1940 | 650 |
| 1939 | 680 |
| 1938 | 748 |
| 1937 | 787 |
| 1936 | 721 |
| 1935 | 774 |
| 1934 | 796 |
| 1933 | 850 |
| 1932 | 844 |
| 1931 | 863 |
| 1930 | 887 |
| 1929 | 866 |
| 1928 | 897 |
| 1927 | 946 |
| 1926 | 1,009 |
| 1925 | 1,028 |
| 1924 | 1,050 |
| 1923 | 1,125 |
| 1922 | 1,155 |
| 1921 | 1,153 |
| 1920 | 1,137 |
| 1919 | 1,190 |
| 1918 | 1,162 |
| 1917 | 1,192 |
| 1916 | 1,172 |
| 1915 | 1,086 |
| 1914 | 879 |
| 1913 | 789 |
| 1912 | 733 |
| 1911 | 645 |
| 1910 | 602 |
| 1909 | 568 |
| 1908 | 549 |
| 1907 | 582 |
| 1906 | 557 |
| 1905 | 593 |
| 1904 | 607 |
| 1903 | 611 |
| 1902 | 609 |
| 1901 | 534 |
| 1900 | 748 |
| 1899 | 595 |
| 1898 | 656 |
| 1897 | 624 |
| 1896 | 642 |
| 1895 | 648 |
| 1894 | 681 |
| 1893 | 660 |
| 1892 | 666 |
| 1891 | 607 |
| 1890 | 631 |
| 1889 | 606 |
| 1888 | 621 |
| 1887 | 496 |
| 1886 | 565 |
| 1885 | 500 |
| 1884 | 541 |
| 1883 | 453 |
| 1882 | 447 |
| 1881 | 428 |
| 1880 | 391 |