Given name & surname

Angelica

“messenger”·“a heavenly messenger; an angel”

Angelica is a variant of Angela. Interpretations include “messenger” and “a heavenly messenger; an angel” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions.

Meaning & origin

What it means

Angelica is a variant of Angela. Interpretations include “messenger” and “a heavenly messenger; an angel” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions.

Explained through its name family

Where it comes from

An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.

How it developed

From Italian Angelica, from Latin angelica.

Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1892. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Angelica through the years

Babies since 1880
93,538
321 boys · 93,217 girls
Most popular year
1996
3,412 babies
2025
398
#708 for girls
2021–25 vs 2016–20
−18%
Easing
05001,0001,5002,0001900192019401960198020002025Highest share 1997248
Angelica in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1892–2025, per million girls born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

Where it’s given

Most at home inFlorida, Texas, California
FewerMore, relative to births Not published
2025 births by state of birth. Tiles are equal-sized so small states stay visible. Highest rates: Florida (44), Texas (74), California (60).

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 398 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 708 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 18.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,404 in 1996. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (74). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 117,165 as a first name in 2020; 411 as a surname in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Angelica’s family of names

Angelica shares a linguistic root with Angelika. Angelica has a related form in Angela. In German usage, Angelica has a related form in Angelika.

Walk Angelica’s family in the name graph

AngelicaAngelycaAngelicahAngelaAngelikaAngellicaAnngelicaAngeliccaAnggelicaAngeliqueAnjelicaAnielaAnjelaAnzhelikaAnzhelaAngelikeAnzhalikaAngyalkaअंजेंDjelikeАнжелікаАнжалікаАнжеликаAngéliqueÀngelsÁngelaАнжелаAngèleAngelíkaÀngelaAngélicaAnželikaΑγγελική

Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Around the world

Angelica has relatives in 15 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.

CatalanHungarianAlbanianLatin

13 related names in 15 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.

Each dot marks where a language is rooted, not where people with the name live today. Bigger dots hold more names. Language locations from Glottolog (CC BY 4.0); map from Natural Earth.

Similar names

If you love Angelica, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Latin · Nature

Antonia

“a flourishing man; from an ancient Roman family”

46UncommonSteady

>99% girls

Latin

Araceli

“from the altar of heaven”

54UncommonRising fast

>99% girls

Spanish · Virtue

Esperanza

“hope” · “filled with hope”

46UncommonEasing

>99% girls

Latin · Nature

Marina

“woman of the sea”

57FamiliarRising

>99% girls

Latin

Elysia

“my God is bountiful”

44UncommonRising

>99% girls

Latin

Erica

“ever the ruler”

44UncommonCooling

>99% girls

Slavic · Royal

Tatiana

“queen of the fairies”

48UncommonCooling

>99% girls

Latin · Nickname-names

Amanda

“one who is much loved”

60FamiliarEasing

>99% girls

Sibling ideas

Names that share Angelica’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Angelica

A sister for Angelica