What does Adele mean?
Adèle comes from the Germanic adal, “noble.”
What does Colette mean?
Colette is a French short form of Nicolette, “victory of the people.”
Adele vs Colette
Which is more popular?
Colette is more popular than Adele today: about 962 US babies were given the name Colette in 2025, compared with 362 named Adele.
| Adele | Colette | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Noble | Victory of the people |
| Origin | French | French |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ah-DEL | koh-LET |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1892 |
| Peak year | 1918 (1,030) | 2025 (962) |
| In 2025 | 362 | 962 |
| Trend | Steady | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Adele
Colette
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Adele | Colette |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,077 | 4,403 |
| 2010s | 4,021 | 4,998 |
| 2000s | 1,281 | 1,666 |
| 1990s | 870 | 1,426 |
| 1980s | 846 | 1,790 |
| 1970s | 1,006 | 2,494 |
| 1960s | 1,892 | 4,764 |
| 1950s | 3,863 | 3,670 |
| 1940s | 3,763 | 1,204 |
| 1930s | 4,076 | 747 |
| 1920s | 7,660 | 461 |
| 1910s | 6,880 | 250 |
| 1900s | 1,881 | 76 |
| 1890s | 1,498 | 38 |
| 1880s | 748 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Adele or Colette more popular?
Colette is more popular than Adele today: about 962 US babies were given the name Colette in 2025, compared with 362 named Adele.
What is the difference between Adele and Colette?
Adele means Noble (French origin), while Colette means Victory of the people (French origin).
Which name is older, Adele or Colette?
In US records, Adele first appears in 1880 and Colette in 1892, so Adele has the longer recorded history.