Adelaide
Girl name · #289 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Adelaide? In official American birth records, Adelaide has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Adelaide ranks #289 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 1,062 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #272, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,695 girls born in 2025 was named Adelaide.
Babies named Adelaide per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Adelaide first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 65 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 1,240 girls were named Adelaide — good for #255 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Adelaide against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Adelaide in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Adelaide is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Adelaide is most common
Geography matters for names, and Adelaide is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Adelaide is most common in MT (3.9 per 1,000), NH (2.6 per 1,000), ID (2.2 per 1,000), NE (2 per 1,000), CO (1.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Adelaide is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Adelaide
Statistically, parents drawn to Adelaide tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Annalise, Arabella, Brynlee, Adaline, and Annabelle.
AnnaliseArabellaBrynleeAdalineAnnabelleAdalynCharleeAdelyn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Adelaide | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,062 | #289 |
| 2024 | 1,161 | #271 |
| 2023 | 1,106 | #286 |
| 2022 | 1,122 | #282 |
| 2021 | 1,192 | #261 |
| 2020 | 1,140 | #272 |
| 2019 | 1,065 | #304 |
| 2018 | 1,118 | #297 |
| 2017 | 1,163 | #277 |
| 2016 | 1,240 | #255 |
| 2015 | 1,163 | #272 |
| 2014 | 1,050 | #317 |
| 2013 | 1,020 | #320 |
| 2012 | 920 | #346 |
| 2011 | 775 | #408 |
| 2010 | 711 | #434 |
| 2009 | 535 | #571 |
| 2008 | 558 | #551 |
| 2007 | 410 | #713 |
| 2006 | 285 | #926 |
| 2005 | 278 | #901 |
| 2004 | 211 | #1086 |
| 2003 | 167 | #1254 |
| 2002 | 174 | #1179 |
| 2001 | 167 | #1213 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Adelaide?
In official American birth records, the name Adelaide first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 65 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Adelaide a popular girl name?
Adelaide ranked #289 among girls in 2025 with 1,062 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #272.
When was the name Adelaide most popular?
Adelaide peaked in 2016, when 1,240 American girls received the name (ranked #255 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Adelaide?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,695 newborn American girls was named Adelaide. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.