The winner of the Rare Baby Girl Name Poll is Adelaide.
ADELAIDE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian
Pronounced: AD-ə-layd (English)
From the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of the elements adal "noble" and heid "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great. The name became common in Britain in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.
Adelaide first appears on the Social Security list in 1880 at the number 186 spot. Adelaide slowly decreased in popularity into the first half of the 20th century. In 1946 Adelaide dropped off the top 1000 list completely, but showed up again the following year in 1947 at the number 987 spot and again in 1948 at the number 949 spot before disappearing from the list again in 1949. From 1949 to 2004 Adelaide remained off the top 1000 list. In 2005 Adelaide reappears at the number 901 spot, and then decreased in popularity again in 2006 at the number 924 spot. The popular 'older name' fad has helped Adelaide out since 2007, jumping to the number 713 spot and in 2008 moving up further to the number 552 spot. Adelaide has rested in at the halfway mark in the latest updates from the SS list at the number 567 spot for 2009.
I myself was hoping for a bigger jump in Adelaide's popularity, but it might pick up again. More and more I see older names being used these days. I think parents are looking for something different, rare, unique..and yet familiar and classic. A good trend if you ask me. Sure Adelaide isn't as popular as the fan favorite Emma, Abigail, or Isabella, but it has the same classic feel and sound. Addie seems to be a favorite nickname among baby name forums I frequent. It's a cute twist on the more popular Abbie/Abby. And that is what parents are looking for, cute, familiar...but different.
I think Adelaide is a wonderful name with great personality, style and femininity with out being cutesy or goofy. The spelling is unique enough to please the trendier set, yet classic enough to make the 'old school name lovers' very happy. I don't see this name becoming overly popular unless, of course, we have some other sort of die hard "twi-ish" book/movie/etc come out in the next 5 years with a female character/lead whose name happens to *be* Adelaide. Cult like movies/books seem to happen each decade, so maybe in 2020 Adelaide will be the next Isabella...who knows.
Adelaide's nickname possibilities do not stop at Addie alone. If Addie is just not your cup of tea, or too close to the more popular Abbie/Abby, other nicknames include:
Dell
Dela/Della
Lainey
Elle
Ellie
Ella
Adele/Adelle
and even Ida
First/Middles for the name Adelaide for me will be an absolute joy to come up with. Since I find the name Adelaide so fun, refreshing, and adorable I have tons of ideas jumping through my head. Paired w/a modern name, a classic one, a romantic one....they all sound fairly great. I think a 2 syllable middle sounds best, but honestly it's the flow of the total package that makes the name, whether it's 1 syllable or 6, 7, 8..etc.
First/Middle name suggestions for Adelaide might be:
Adelaide Constance
Adelaide Joy
Adelaide Elise
Adelaide Claire
Adelaide Rosalie
Adelaide Fleur
Adelaide Catherine
Adelaide Celeste
Adelaide Liliana
Lucille Adelaide
Carmen Adelaide
Delphine Adelaide
Beatrice Adelaide
Bethany Adelaide
Gillian Adelaide
Romona Adelaide
Gwendolen Adelaide
Willow Adelaide
Alternatives for the name Adelaide might be something like:
Adele/Adelle
Adeline
Adalina
Adelphine
Adrienne
Adrianna
Audrey
Auden
Of the alternatives listed I really love Adele, Adeline, Adrienne, and Auden. All are equally 'rare' names and would be darling. The more extreme rare: Adelphine has it's own charm as well. For public opinion on the name Adelaide please visit the question I've asked about it on Y!A
ADELAIDE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian
Pronounced: AD-ə-layd (English)
From the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of the elements adal "noble" and heid "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great. The name became common in Britain in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.
Adelaide first appears on the Social Security list in 1880 at the number 186 spot. Adelaide slowly decreased in popularity into the first half of the 20th century. In 1946 Adelaide dropped off the top 1000 list completely, but showed up again the following year in 1947 at the number 987 spot and again in 1948 at the number 949 spot before disappearing from the list again in 1949. From 1949 to 2004 Adelaide remained off the top 1000 list. In 2005 Adelaide reappears at the number 901 spot, and then decreased in popularity again in 2006 at the number 924 spot. The popular 'older name' fad has helped Adelaide out since 2007, jumping to the number 713 spot and in 2008 moving up further to the number 552 spot. Adelaide has rested in at the halfway mark in the latest updates from the SS list at the number 567 spot for 2009.
I myself was hoping for a bigger jump in Adelaide's popularity, but it might pick up again. More and more I see older names being used these days. I think parents are looking for something different, rare, unique..and yet familiar and classic. A good trend if you ask me. Sure Adelaide isn't as popular as the fan favorite Emma, Abigail, or Isabella, but it has the same classic feel and sound. Addie seems to be a favorite nickname among baby name forums I frequent. It's a cute twist on the more popular Abbie/Abby. And that is what parents are looking for, cute, familiar...but different.
I think Adelaide is a wonderful name with great personality, style and femininity with out being cutesy or goofy. The spelling is unique enough to please the trendier set, yet classic enough to make the 'old school name lovers' very happy. I don't see this name becoming overly popular unless, of course, we have some other sort of die hard "twi-ish" book/movie/etc come out in the next 5 years with a female character/lead whose name happens to *be* Adelaide. Cult like movies/books seem to happen each decade, so maybe in 2020 Adelaide will be the next Isabella...who knows.
Adelaide's nickname possibilities do not stop at Addie alone. If Addie is just not your cup of tea, or too close to the more popular Abbie/Abby, other nicknames include:
Dell
Dela/Della
Lainey
Elle
Ellie
Ella
Adele/Adelle
and even Ida
First/Middles for the name Adelaide for me will be an absolute joy to come up with. Since I find the name Adelaide so fun, refreshing, and adorable I have tons of ideas jumping through my head. Paired w/a modern name, a classic one, a romantic one....they all sound fairly great. I think a 2 syllable middle sounds best, but honestly it's the flow of the total package that makes the name, whether it's 1 syllable or 6, 7, 8..etc.
First/Middle name suggestions for Adelaide might be:
Adelaide Constance
Adelaide Joy
Adelaide Elise
Adelaide Claire
Adelaide Rosalie
Adelaide Fleur
Adelaide Catherine
Adelaide Celeste
Adelaide Liliana
Lucille Adelaide
Carmen Adelaide
Delphine Adelaide
Beatrice Adelaide
Bethany Adelaide
Gillian Adelaide
Romona Adelaide
Gwendolen Adelaide
Willow Adelaide
Alternatives for the name Adelaide might be something like:
Adele/Adelle
Adeline
Adalina
Adelphine
Adrienne
Adrianna
Audrey
Auden
Of the alternatives listed I really love Adele, Adeline, Adrienne, and Auden. All are equally 'rare' names and would be darling. The more extreme rare: Adelphine has it's own charm as well. For public opinion on the name Adelaide please visit the question I've asked about it on Y!A
Overall I find the name Adelaide a very sweet, classic, romantic, darling name. It's rarity is half it's charm. I think many first/middle combos would work here, esp. if you're trying to come up with an elegant feminine name for your little one.
J. Kristen
