Holding steady.
Popularity of Dellie since 1882
Babies named Dellie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1928, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Dellie's real moment was 1902.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 53 |
| 1890s | 90 |
| 1900s | 82 |
| 1910s | 130 |
| 1920s | 123 |
| 1930s | 74 |
| 1940s | 48 |
| 1950s | 28 |
| 1960s | 6 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Dellie is a vintage nickname-style name that enjoyed modest use in the early 1900s, peaking in 1902 with a rank of 804. Its trajectory has been stable since leaving the top 1000, and it has not seen a revival in recent decades. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1882 and has remained consistently rare. Its sound fits alongside other turn-of-the-century diminutives like Nellie and Bessie. While its exact etymology is unclear, Dellie likely originated as a pet form of longer names ending in -del- or -dell-, reflecting a common naming pattern of its era.
Dellie likely arose in the late 19th century as a diminutive or pet form of names such as Adela, Della, or Delia, which themselves derive from Germanic or Greek roots. It was most popular in the United States around the turn of the 20th century, peaking in 1902, though it has since become rare. Its use mirrors a broader fashion for -ie/-y suffixed nicknames used independently.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Delly, Dell
Sibling names for Dellie
Names that share Dellie's style, for a brother or sister.
