Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
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Adel
UnisexArabic· “just, fair”
- Meaning
- just, fair
- Origin
- Arabic
- Pronunciation
- ah-DEHL
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #4,708
- US babies 2025
- 21
- Best rank
- #2,174 (1992)
- Peak year
- 2007
Meaning and origin of Adel
Adel is an Arabic name that means “just, fair”.
Adel is an Arabic name meaning just or fair, from the root adl, justice. It is common across the Arab world, Iran and North Africa, and it is related to the name Adil. In European languages Adel can also be a short form of Adela or Adelaide, from the Germanic adal, meaning noble, which gives the name a separate history for girls. It is pronounced ah-DEHL in Arabic. Nicknames include Del and Addy.
Popularity over time
Adel first appears in US Social Security records in 1914. It has never ranked in the national top 1,000, which keeps it genuinely uncommon. Its best national rank was #2,174 in 1992, and the most babies received it in 2007, when 52 were named Adel. In 2025, 21 babies were named Adel, and it ranked #4,708 nationally. That is 49% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #3,817 in 1920, #3,617 in 1980, #2,866 in 2000, #2,875 in 2010, and #4,708 in 2025. Of the 1,508 US boys named Adel since records began, 26% were born in the 2000s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 388 babies. Since 2010, 585 more have been named Adel.
Other babies' names that peaked around the same time include Trystin, Perrin, Chaise, Prestyn, and Rhiley.
Gender, sound and spelling
Adel is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 34% of US babies named Adel were girls and 66% were boys.
Adel is usually pronounced ah-DEHL, with two syllables. It has four letters, starts with A and ends in “-el”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Adele, Adell, and Adelle.
Middle names for Adel
A few middle names that flow with Adel: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Adel
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Lists that include Adel
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Adel mean?
Adel is an Arabic name that means “just, fair”.
What is the origin of the name Adel?
Adel has Arabic roots. Adel is an Arabic name meaning just or fair, from the root adl, justice.
Is Adel a popular name?
Not especially. Adel ranked #4,708 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Adel a boy or girl name?
Adel is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 34% of US babies named Adel were girls and 66% were boys.
How do you pronounce Adel?
Adel is usually pronounced ah-DEHL. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings