Adelie
About Adelie
Adelie comes from French origins and is often associated with nobility, deriving from the Germanic name Adelaide, meaning 'noble' or 'nobility.' The name gained recognition from the Adelie penguin, discovered in 1840 by French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, who named the species after his wife, Adèle. As a girl's name, Adelie offers a delicate, elegant sound with a connection to both nature and aristocratic heritage. While not among the most common names, Adelie has been steadily increasing in popularity, particularly among parents seeking a name that is distinctive yet easy to pronounce. Its French flair and penguin association give it both sophistication and a whimsical quality that appeals to modern naming sensibilities.
Pronounced ad-uh-LEE.
As of October 2026, Adelie ranked #5729 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #3167 in 2013.
AI-written. Reviewed by Pamela Redmond
Sources: US popularity data is from the Social Security Administration. Meanings and origins are from Nameberry's name references.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #3,184 | 51 | 28.5 |
| 2015 | #3,766 | 40 | 22.4 |
| 2016 | #4,157 | 35 | 19.8 |
| 2017 | #4,812 | 28 | 16.2 |
| 2018 | #4,459 | 31 | 18.2 |
| 2019 | #3,786 | 39 | 23.2 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | #3,292 | 48 | 29.3 |
| 2022 | #3,964 | 37 | 22.6 |
| 2023 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | — | 0 | 0 |
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Adelie.
- Mairi
- Eline
- Ailis
- Olena
- Evette
- Ailbhe
- Maebh
- Adélaïde
- Semyon
- Edeline
- Maire
- Geneviève
- Emilienne
- Mirella
- Ilona
- Heddi
- Anaelle
- Fiora
- Linnéa
- Laoise
Adelie on lists
Adelie in pop culture
- Adelie penguin
species of penguin common along the entire Antarctic coast
- Adelie Spenser
A character in the Being Tamzin series by Lark Westerly