Given name · also French
Adelaide
“noble”·“kind”·“type”
Adelaide has a related form in Alice. Alice’s older Germanic elements mean “noble” and “kind” or “type.” The connection with nobility belongs to the name’s linguistic roots. Adelaide is a variant of Adela. One German interpretation is “of the nobility; serene; of good humor.”
Original FrenchAdélaïde
Meaning & origin
What it means
Adelaide has a related form in Alice. Alice’s older Germanic elements mean “noble” and “kind” or “type.” The connection with nobility belongs to the name’s linguistic roots. Adelaide is a variant of Adela. One German interpretation is “of the nobility; serene; of good humor.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with French and Germanic naming traditions.
How it developed
Its Germanic formation brings together adal (“noble”) and heid (“kind, sort”). Adelaide has a related form in Alice. The shared background comes through Alice: The longer Adalheidis was greatly shortened before reaching its Old French form. Alice and Adelaide therefore share an older source, even though they became distinct names.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
The name’s historical associations include the wife of King William IV.
Adelaide through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 35,007
- 0 boys · 35,007 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 1,240 babies
- 2025
- 1,062
- #289 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,062 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 289 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 1.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,240 in 2016. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (78). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 16,431 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Adelaide’s family of names
In English usage, Adelaide has a short form in Ada. In English usage, Adelaide shares an earlier linguistic root with Alice. Adelaide has a related form in Adela.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Adelaide has relatives in 16 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Germanic roots to each of them.
19 related names in 16 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 22
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Adelaide
- Adelaide of ItalyHoly Roman Empress, Catholic saint (931–999)
- Adelaide of AquitaineFrench noble woman and queens consort950–1004
- Adelaide of Mauriennesecond spouse but first Queen consort of Louis VI of France1092–1154
- Adelaide KaneAustralian actress (born 1990)
- Adelaide del VastoCountess of Sicily (1089–1101) and Queen of Jerusalem (1112–1117)1074–1118
- Adelaide ClemensAustralian actressborn 1989
- Adelaide Anne ProcterEnglish poet and philanthropist (1825–1864)
- Adelaide of SusaMarchioness of Turin from 1034 to 10911020–1091
- Adelaide of ParisQueen of the West Franks from 877 to 879
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Adelaide, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ella
“from a foreign land”
>99% girls
Elena
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Bella
“a woman famed for her beauty”
>99% girls
Catalina
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Matilda
“one who is mighty in battle”
>99% girls
Isabel
“my God is bountiful” · “a giving woran”
>99% girls
Esmorís
“whole” · “king”
—
Armelle
“a princess; born to royalty”
>99% girls