Originally a short form of names like Adela or Adelaide, from Germanic meaning noble. Became independent in the 19th century American South and carries a warm, old-fashioned charm.
Nicknames
del · delly
Vibe
warm
How it ages.
Vintage and genuinely charming; part of the current wave of great-grandmother names cycling back.
The cultural moment.
Reviving strongly in the US and UK since the mid-2010s, now feels fresh again.