Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Adelaide
GirlFrench, Germanic· “noble kind”
- Meaning
- noble kind
- Origin
- French, Germanic
- Pronunciation
- AD-uh-layd
- Syllables
- 3
- US rank 2025
- #289
- US babies 2025
- 1,062
- Best rank
- #179 (1883)
- Peak year
- 2016
Meaning and origin of Adelaide
Adelaide is a French and Germanic name that means “noble kind”.
Adelaide comes through French from the Germanic Adalheidis, made from adal, meaning noble, and heid, meaning kind or type. Saint Adelaide, a tenth-century Holy Roman Empress, carried the name in the Middle Ages. In Britain it became fashionable through Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV, and the Australian city of Adelaide was named in her honor. After a long quiet stretch, Adelaide has returned as a vintage favorite in the United States. It feels dignified but warm, with plenty of nickname options, including Addie, Adela, Laidey and Heidi, which itself began as a German pet form of the name.
Famous parents who chose Adelaide: Seth Meyers and Alexi Ashe Meyers (2021). More celebrity baby names
Popularity over time
Adelaide has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 89 different years. Its best national rank was #179 in 1883, and the most babies received it in 2016, when 1,240 were named Adelaide. In 2025, 1,062 babies were named Adelaide, and it ranked #289 nationally. Its use has been fairly steady over the past decade.
Its national rank moved from #299 in 1920, #1,153 in 1950, #3,992 in 1980, #1,387 in 2000, #434 in 2010, and #289 in 2025. Of the 35,007 US girls named Adelaide since records began, 29% were born in the 2010s, its biggest decade. The 2020s come next, with 6,783 babies.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Amiyah, Amina, Alessandra, Adelynn, and Paislee.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Adelaide ranked highest in Montana, Colorado, and New Hampshire.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | #79 | 11 |
| Colorado | #119 | 45 |
| New Hampshire | #121 | 10 |
| Idaho | #124 | 16 |
| Alaska | #137 | 5 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Adelaide is usually pronounced AD-uh-layd, with three syllables. It has eight letters, starts with A and ends in “-de”.
Middle names for Adelaide
A few middle names that flow with Adelaide: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Adelaide
Similar names
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Lists that include Adelaide
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Adelaide mean?
Adelaide is a French and Germanic name that means “noble kind”.
What is the origin of the name Adelaide?
Adelaide has French and Germanic roots. Adelaide comes through French from the Germanic Adalheidis, made from adal, meaning noble, and heid, meaning kind or type.
Is Adelaide a popular name?
Yes. Adelaide ranked #289 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Adelaide a boy or girl name?
Adelaide is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Adelaide?
Adelaide is usually pronounced AD-uh-layd. 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