Declining since 2013, #5,722 for girls today.
Popularity of Adelie since 2003
Babies named Adelie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2013, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Adelie's real moment was 2021.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 135 |
| 2010s | 382 |
| 2020s | 171 |
Meaning & origin
Adelie is a modern name that entered U.S. records in 2003, a relatively recent addition to the baby name landscape. It reached its peak popularity in 2021, and since 2013 its trajectory has been falling. Currently ranked 5,722 with a frequency of 1 in 76,537, Adelie remains a rare choice. The name has not been associated with any top states, indicating its usage is scattered across the country. Its melodic quality and similarity to classic names like Adeline may attract parents seeking a distinctive yet familiar-sounding option. As a 21st-century coinage, Adelie lacks deep historical roots but offers a fresh, light feel.
Adelie is a modern coinage, first recorded in the United States in 2003. It may be a creative respelling of Adeline or Adalie, or inspired by the Adélie penguin, named after the wife of French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville. The name has since entered limited but steady use, often chosen for its melodic sound.
“Adelie” around the world
Where Adelie lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
70
babies in 2024
Quebec
37
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Addie, Dee, Lee
Sibling names for Adelie
Names that share Adelie's style, for a brother or sister.
