What does Amelia mean?
Amelia comes from the Germanic amal, meaning “work” in the sense of industriousness and striving. It is sometimes blended with the Latin-rooted Emilia.
What does Adeline mean?
A French elaboration of Germanic adal, “noble.”
Amelia vs Adeline
Which is more popular?
Amelia is more popular than Adeline today: about 12,699 US babies were given the name Amelia in 2025, compared with 3,864 named Adeline.
| Amelia | Adeline | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Industrious, striving | Noble |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | uh-MEEL-yuh | AD-uh-line |
| Syllables | 4 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2021 (13,041) | 2016 (4,120) |
| In 2025 | 12,699 | 3,864 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Amelia
Adeline
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Amelia | Adeline |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 76,108 | 19,006 |
| 2010s | 93,850 | 23,383 |
| 2000s | 33,292 | 5,719 |
| 1990s | 13,559 | 1,180 |
| 1980s | 9,740 | 493 |
| 1970s | 5,321 | 348 |
| 1960s | 4,824 | 532 |
| 1950s | 5,189 | 905 |
| 1940s | 5,324 | 1,619 |
| 1930s | 5,958 | 3,450 |
| 1920s | 8,787 | 9,917 |
| 1910s | 8,832 | 8,985 |
| 1900s | 3,664 | 2,646 |
| 1890s | 3,725 | 1,697 |
| 1880s | 2,957 | 932 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Amelia or Adeline more popular?
Amelia is more popular than Adeline today: about 12,699 US babies were given the name Amelia in 2025, compared with 3,864 named Adeline.
What is the difference between Amelia and Adeline?
Amelia means Industrious, striving (Germanic origin), while Adeline means Noble (Germanic origin).
Which name is older, Amelia or Adeline?
In US records, Amelia first appears in 1880 and Adeline in 1880, so Amelia has the longer recorded history.