The first name Adele
A girl’s name from French meaning “noble”.
Pronounced /əˈdɛl/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
French origin
Adele means “noble” in French.
Borrowed from French Adèle, equivalent of Adela, from a Germanic root meaning “noble”. Compare athel, German edel, Old English æþele.
More names that mean noble.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 51 girls were named Adele, making it the 719th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1998, with 165 births (#246).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Adele with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Adele at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 362 girls born in the United States were named Adele, the 751st most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 1,030 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Adele
49 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- AdeleEnglish singer-songwriter (born 1988)
- Adèle HaenelFrench actress, born 1989
- Adele GoldbergAmerican computer scientist (born 1945)
- Adele JergensAmerican actress (1917–2002)
- Adele MaraAmerican actress (1923-2010)
- Adele GoldstineAmerican computer programmer (1920–1964)
- Adele NeuhauserAustrian actress, born 1959
- Adèle Hugo2nd daughter of Victor Hugo (1830–1915)
- Adele AstaireAmerican dancer and entertainer (1896-1981)
- Adèle CastillonFrench singer and actress, born 2001
- Adele SandrockGerman actress (1863-1937)
- Adele RomanskiAmerican film producer, born 1982
More French girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Adele mean?
- Adele means “noble” in French.
- What is the origin of the name Adele?
- Borrowed from French Adèle, equivalent of Adela, from a Germanic root meaning “noble”. Compare athel, German edel, Old English æþele.
- How popular is the name Adele?
- In 2025, 51 girls born in England and Wales were named Adele, ranking 719th. Its peak was 1998, with 165 births.
- Is Adele a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 42,373 US babies named Adele since 1880 were girls.
- When was Adele most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 1,030 babies were named Adele, its highest rank at 191st.
- How do you pronounce Adele?
- Adele is /əˈdɛl/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Adele?
- Adel.