Declining since 2012, #10,107 for girls today.
Popularity of Adelai since 2003
Babies named Adelai per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 58 |
| 2010s | 149 |
| 2020s | 61 |
Meaning & origin
Adelai is a rare modern name that first appeared in U.S. records in 2003, a time when vowel-ending, soft-sounding names for girls were gaining fashion. Its trajectory has been falling since 2012, with a peak in 2013, reflecting a brief moment of attention before declining in use. In 2025, it ranked 10,107, with approximately 1 in 178,585 newborn girls receiving the name. The name has no recorded top states, indicating its rarity across the country. Like many creative respellings, Adelai likely draws from the popularity of Adelaide and similar names but stands apart with its distinct ending.
Adelai likely emerged as a modern variant of Adelaide, itself from the Germanic Adalheidis, meaning 'noble kind'. It may also be a respelling of Adelay or a contraction of names like Adelaida. The name first entered U.S. records in 2003 and has seen modest, fluctuating use, particularly in the 2010s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Addie, Lai, Dela
Sibling names for Adelai
Names that share Adelai's style, for a brother or sister.
