Adele (also spelled Adèle) is a feminine given name meaning 'nobility'. It derives from German ''Adel'' meaning 'nobility' or ''adal'', 'noble'. In Italy its name day is 24 December in honor of

Adela of Pfalzel Saint Adela (? - 735) and her sister Irmina of Oeren (? - c. 716) were possibly two princesses who may have been the daughters of Saint Dagobert II and his Anglo-Saxon wife, but this has largely been disproved. Some have also said Adela was the dau ...

. Its male form is the Germanic given name Adel. The name appears very similar to the Arabic word "Adel" (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

عادِل and often pronounced ''ɒdel'', meaning 'noble' or 'just' from the Arabic root 'Adl' (Arabic عَدل) pronounced ''ædl'' meaning 'justice' and 'nobility'.

People with the given name

A–F

Adèle of Champagne Adela of Champagne (french: Adèle; c. 1140 – 4 June 1206), also known as Adelaide, Alix and Adela of Blois, was Queen of France as the third wife of Louis VII. She was regent of France from 1190 to 1191 while her son Philip II participate ...

(1140–1206), French queen consort *

Adèle Charvet Adèle Charvet, (born 1983) is a French mezzo-soprano. Life Born in Montpellier, Charvet lived in New-York for up to five years. She began studying music at the age of six and sang in the choir of then at the Maîtrise de Radio France where s ...

(born 1983), French mezzo-soprano *

Adèle of Dreux Adèle of Dreux (1145 – aft. 1210) was a member of Norman French nobility, daughter of Robert I, Count of Dreux and his second wife Hawise of Salisbury. She married Valéran III, Count of Breteuil on 24 June 1156, and had the following iss ...

, French countess *

Adele of Meaux Adela of Vermandois ( – c. 982) was a French noblewoman. She was Countess of Chalon and later Countess of Anjou. Adela was a daughter of Robert of Vermandois, Count of Meaux and Troyes, and Adelaide de Burgundy. Adele died in 982. Family She ...

(950–980), French countess *

Adele of Valois Adele of Valois (''Adèle/Adélaïde'') was a daughter of Ralph IV of Valois and Adele of Bar-sur-Aube. She married firstly Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois and they had: # Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois # Odo I, Count of Vermandois She was als ...

, French countess *

Adele of Vermandois Adele of Vermandois (bef. 915–960) was both a Carolingian as well as a Robertian Frankish noblewoman who was the Countess of Flanders (934–960). Life Adele, born Detlev Schwennicke, ''Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der ...

(910–960), French countess *

Adele Addison Adele Addison (born July 24, 1925) is an American lyric soprano who was a figure in the classical music world during the 1950s and 1960s. Although she did appear in several operas, Addison spent most of her career performing in recital and conc ...

(born 1925), American singer * Adele Adkins, professionally known just as

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...

(born 1988), English singer-songwriter *

Adele Ajosun Oba Adele or Adele Ajosun (died 1837) reigned twice as Oba of Lagos; first, from c1811 to 1821, and a second time from 1835 to 1837. His father was Oba Ologun Kutere and his siblings were Obas Osinlokun and Akitoye, thus the Ologun Kutere line ha ...

(died 1837), Oba of Lagos * Adèle Almati (1861–1919), German-Swedish opera singer *

Adèle Anderson Adèle Anderson (born 14 June 1952) is an English Olivier Award-nominated singer and actress, best known as one third of the cabaret group Fascinating Aïda. Career Anderson has appeared internationally in concerts, in theatrical plays, on the ...

(born 1952), British singer * Adele Änggård (born 1933), British-Swedish costume and stage designer * Adele Anthony (born 1970), Australian musician *

Adele Arakawa Adele Arakawa (born August 31, 1957) is a retired American evening news anchor for NBC affiliate station KUSA-TV of Denver, Colorado. As of June 2007, she provides the female voice of the airport train system at Denver International Airport. Sh ...

(born 1958), American news anchor *

Adele Astaire Adele Astaire Douglass (born Adele Marie Austerlitz, later known as Lady Charles Cavendish; September 10, 1896 – January 25, 1981), was an American dancer, stage actress, and singer. After beginning work as a dancer and vaudeville perform ...

(1897–1981), American singer and dancer *

Adelle August Adelle August (12 February 1934 – 24 April 2005), was an American movie actress. She was born in Kennewick, Washington as Adele M. Slaybough. In 1952 she graduated from Highline High School, and was crowned Miss Washington USA the same year. ...

(1934–2005), American movie actress * Adèle Bayer (1814–1892), Belgian missionary * Adele Boyd (1932–2018), American field hockey player *

Adele Broadbent Adele Broadbent (born 17 April 1968) is a New Zealand children's author. Biography Broadbent was born in Napier, New Zealand, Napier, New Zealand, on 17 April 1968. Work Broadbent's early book publications include ''The Bike Race'' (2008), ...

(born 1968), New Zealand children's author *

Adele Carles Adele Simone Carles (born 19 February 1968) is a former Australian politician. She was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 2009 to 2013, representing the electorate of Fremantle. She was initially elected as a Greens W ...

(born 1968), Australian politician * Adèle Christiaens, Belgian fencer *

Adele Cutler Adele Cutler is a statistician known as one of the developers of archetypal analysis and of the random forest technique for ensemble learning. She is a professor of mathematics and statistics at Utah State University. Early life and education O ...

, English-born New Zealand and American statistician *

Adelle Davis Adelle Davis (25 February 1904 – 31 May 1974) was an American writer and nutritionist, considered "the most famous nutritionist in the early to mid-20th century." She was an advocate for improved health through better nutrition. She wrote an e ...

(1904–1974), American author *

Adele DeGarde Adele DeGarde (born Adelaide De Gard, also credited Adele De Garde; May 3, 1899 – November 1972) was an American silent film actress, who performed in at least 114 productions between 1908 and 1918. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she init ...

(1899–1972), American actress * Adele DeLeeuw (1899–1988), American writer *

Adele Diamond Adele Dorothy Diamond is a professor of neuroscience at the University of British Columbia, where she is currently a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. One of the pioneers in the field of Developmental Cognitiv ...

, Canadian psychologist *

Adele Dixon Adele Dixon (born Adela Helena Dixon; 3 June 1908 – 11 April 1992) was an English actress and singer. She sang at the start of regular broadcasts of the BBC Television Service on 2 November 1936. After an early start as a child actress, an ...

(1908–1992), English actor *

Adele Dunlap American supercentenarians are citizens or residents of the United States who have attained or surpassed 110 years of age. , the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) had validated the longevity claims of 782 American supercentenarians. As of , it lis ...

(1902–2017), American teacher and nation's oldest living person at the time of her death *

Adele Duttweiler Adele Duttweiler (29 December 1892 – 27 May 1990) was a Swiss philanthropist and the wife of Gottlieb Duttweiler, founder of both the Migros group and the LdU political party. Early life Adele Bertschi was born on 29 December 1892 in Horg ...

(1892–1990), Swiss philanthropist *

Adèle Exarchopoulos Adèle Exarchopoulos (; born 22 November 1993 in Paris) is a French actress. She is best known for her leading role as Adèle in '' Blue Is the Warmest Colour'' (2013), for which she earned international attention and critical acclaim; at the 20 ...

, French actress *

Adele Faccio Adele Faccio (13 November 1920 – 8 February 2007) was an Italian politician and deputy of the Radical Party (Italy), Radical Party (''Partito Radicale'').Morta la radicale Adele Faccio" (February 9, 2007). ''Corriere della Sera.'' Retrieved Ju ...

(1920–2007), Italian politician *

Adele Farina Adele Farina (born 31 March 1964) is an Australian politician. She was a Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 2001 to 2021, representing South West Region. She served as parliamentary secretary to three differ ...

(born 1964), Australian politician *

Adele Ferguson Adele Ferguson is an Australian investigative journalist, best known for her series of exposés of malfeasance in the franchising, aged care, and financial services sectors in Australia which have resulted in major inquiries including the Hayn ...

, Australian investigative journalist * Adele Fifield (born 1966), Canadian director

G–R

* Adele Garrison, American writer *

Adèle Geras Adèle Daphne Geras (née Weston; born 15 March 1944) is an English writer for young children, teens and adults. Early life Geras was born in Jerusalem, British Mandatory Palestine to British Jewish parents. Her father (later a lawyer and H ...

(born 1944), English writer *

Adele Girard Adele Beatrice Girard Marsala (née Girard; June 25, 1913 – September 7, 1993) was a jazz harpist associated with dixieland and swing music. She is the first woman to bring the concert harp to prominence in jazz, with only Casper Reardon prece ...

(1913–1993), American jazz harpist *

Adele Givens Willadele Givens is an American comedian, actress and writer. Beginning her career during the late–1980s in comedy, Givens television appearances include ''The Hughleys'', '' Moesha'', ''The Parkers'', ''Comedy Central Presents'', ''Def Comed ...

, American actress *

Adele Goldberg (linguist) Adele Eva Goldberg (born 1963) is an American linguist known for her development of construction grammar and the constructionist approach in the tradition of cognitive linguistics. Early life Goldberg grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where ...

(born 1963), American linguist *

Adele Goldberg (computer scientist) Adele Goldberg (born July 22, 1945) is an American computer scientist. She was one of the co-developers of the programming language Smalltalk-80 and of various concepts related to object-oriented programming while a researcher at the Xerox Palo ...

(born 1945), American computer scientist *

Adele Goldstine Adele Goldstine (; December 21, 1920 – November 1964) was an American mathematician and computer programmer. She wrote the manual for the first electronic digital computer, ENIAC. Through her work programming the computer, she was also an inst ...

(1920–1964), American computer scientist * Adele Khoury Graham (born 1938), Lebanese educator *

Adele Griffin Adele Griffin (born July 29, 1970) is an American fiction author, writing numerous novels for adults, young adults, and kids. Her novels ''Sons of Liberty'' and ''Where I Want to Be'' were both National Book Award finalists. Personal life Adele ...

(born 1970), American writer *

Adèle Haenel Adèle Haenel (; born 11 February 1989) is a French actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two César Awards from seven nominations and one Lumières Award from two nominations. Haenel began her career as a child actres ...

(born 1989), French actress * Adele Holness, English singer * Adele C. Howells (1886–1951), American general president of the Primary *

Adèle Hugo Adèle Hugo (24 August 1830 – 21 April 1915) was the fifth and youngest child of French writer Victor Hugo. She is remembered for developing schizophrenia as a young woman, which led to a romantic obsession with a British military officer who r ...

(1830–1915), French diary writer and daughter of author Victor Hugo *

Adèle Isaac Adèle Isaac (8 January 1854 – 22 October 1915) was a French operatic soprano, active in Paris in the late 19th century. Isaac was born in Calais. After studying with Gilbert Duprez, her professional debut was in 1870 in Victor Massé's ...

(1854–1915), French opera singer *

Adele Jergens Adele Jergens (November 26, 1917 – November 22, 2002) was an American actress. Early life and career Born in Brooklyn, New York, as Adele Louisa Jurgens (some sources say Jurgenson), she rose to prominence in the late 1930s when she was named ...

(1917–2002), American actress * Adele Kern (1901–1980), German soprano opera and operetta singer * Adèle Kindt (1804–1884), Belgian painter *

Adele King Adèle King (born Adèle Condron-King, 4 April 1951) is an Irish entertainer better known as Twink. She is the mother of singer Chloë Agnew Adele Kurzweil Adele "Dele" Kurzweil (31 January 1925 – 9 September 1942) was an Austrian girl of Judaism, Jewish origin who was tracked down by Nazi Germany and murdered in Auschwitz concentration camp at arrival. Her fate became widely known after suitcases ...

(1925–1942), Austrian Holocaust victim * Adèle Caby-Livannah (born 1957), African writer *

Adelle Lutz Adelle Lutz (born November 13, 1948) is an American artist, designer and actress, most known for work using unconventional materials and strategies to explore clothing as a communicative medium.Koda, Harold. "View: ReView, Introduction," ''Adelle ...

(born 1948), American artist *

Adele Mara Adele Mara (born Adelaida Delgado; April 28, 1923 – May 7, 2010) was an American actress, singer, and dancer, who appeared in films during the 1940s and 1950s and on television in the 1950s and 1960s. Early years Mara was born in Highland P ...

(1923–2010), American actress *

Adele Marcus Adele Marcus (February 22, 1906 May 3, 1995) was an American pianist and instructor whose career was based at the Juilliard School in New York City. Life and career Marcus was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the youngest of 13 children of a rabbi ...

(1906–1995), American pianist * Adele Megann (born 1962), Canadian writer *

Adele Morales Adele Carolyn Morales (June 12, 1925 – November 22, 2015) was an American painter and memoirist. Early life Morales was born in New York City, to a family of Peruvian origin. She grew up in Bensonhurst but moved to Manhattan, where she stud ...

(1925–2015), American painter and memoirist *

Adele Nicoll Adele Nicoll (born 28 September 1996) is a British shot putter, discus thrower and bobsledder. She has won multiple Welsh Athletics Championships events, and won the shot put event at the 2022 British Athletics Championships. She came second i ...

(born 1996), Welsh shot putter, discus thrower and bobsledder * Adele aus der Ohe (1864–1937), German pianist and composer * Adele Parks (born 1969), English novelist *

Adele Passy-Cornet Adele Passy-Cornet (22 January 1838 – 2 November 1915) was a German opera singer (soprano). Life Born in Braunschweig, Passy-Cornet was a daughter of the opera singer couple Julius Cornet, Julius and . After she received her first artistic ...

(1838–1915), German opera singer *

Adele W. Paxson Adele Warden Paxson (1913 – December 27, 2000) was an American socialite, philanthropist, conservationist, and a champion breeder of thoroughbred racehorses. Born Adele Corning Warden, she was the daughter of Helen Corning and her husband Clare ...

(1913–2000), American socialite * Adele Ramos, Belizean poet, author, journalist and publisher *

Adele Reinhartz Adele Reinhartz (born 1953) is a Canadian academic and a specialist in the history and literature of Christianity and Judaism in the Greco-Roman period, the Gospel of John, early Jewish–Christian relations, literary criticism including femini ...

, Canadian academic *

Adele Roberts Adele Claire Roberts (born 9 March 1979) is a British broadcaster and reality TV personality and DJ. Roberts worked for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. Her best known television appearances were in '' Big Brother'', '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out ...

(born 1979), British radio DJ and television personality *

Adel Rootstein Adel Rootstein (1930 – 20 September 1992) was a British mannequin designer responsible for premium designs that are sold worldwide. Early life Rootstein was born in Warmbaths, South Africa in 1930. She married the industrial designer Richar ...

(1930–1992), British mannequin designer * Adele Rose (1933–2020), British television writer *

Adele Rova Adele Rova (born 2 May 1996) is a Fijian swimmer. She competed at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships ( 50 metre backstroke, 100 metre breaststroke, 50 metre breaststroke, 50 metre butterfly, 100 metre butterfly, 50 metre freestyle). She ...

, (born 1996) Fijian swimmer

S–Z

* Adele Emily Sandé, known as

Emeli Sandé Adele Emily Sandé, ( ; born 10 March 1987), known professionally as Emeli Sandé, is a Scottish singer and songwriter. Born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, and raised in Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, by an English mother and a Zambian fathe ...

(born 1987), Scottish singer-songwriter *

Adele Sandrock Adele Sandrock (; born Adele Feldern-Förster; 19 August 1863 – 30 August 1937) was a German-Dutch actress. After a successful theatrical career, she became one of the first German movie stars. Early life Sandrock was born in Rotterdam, Net ...

(1863–1937), German actress *

Adele Silva Adele Silva (born 19 November 1980) is an English actress. She played the role of Kelly Windsor in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' on and off from 1993 to 2011. In 1989, she had a minor role in the final classic series ''Doctor Who'' story ''S ...

(born 1980), British soap actress *

Adele Simpson Adele Simpson (December 8,''Adele Simpson'', Current Biography Yearbook, H.W. Wilson Company, 1971, p. 397. 1903 '' – '' August 23, 1995) was an American fashion designer with a successful career that spanned nearly five decades, as well as a ...

(1903–1995), American fashion designer *

Adele Spitzeder Adelheid Luise "Adele" Spitzeder (; 9 February 1832 – 27 or 28 October 1895), also known by her stage name Adele Vio, was a German actress, folk singer, and con artist. Initially a promising young actress, Spitzeder became a well-known private ...

(1832–1895), German actor, folk singer and confidence trickster *

Adele Stolte Adele Stolte (12 October 1932 – 26 September 2020) was a German soprano singer in concert and Lieder, and an academic voice teacher. Biography Born in Sperenberg, Stolte attended schools in Lübeck and Potsdam. She studied voice with Anneli ...

(1932–2020), German soprano singer *

Adelle Stripe Adelle Stripe (born 1976) is an English writer and journalist. Work Stripe's writing is rooted in the non-fiction novel form and explores working-class culture, untold histories of Northern England, popular music, and small-town life. ''Bla ...

(born 1976), English poet * Adele Stürzl (1892–1944), Austrian resistance fighter *

Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon, F.M.I., also known as Mary of the Conception (french: Marie de la Conception) (10 June 1789 – 10 January 1828), was a French Catholic religious sister and the co-founder of the Marianist Sisters with William J ...

(1789–1828), French nun *

Adele Tucker Adele Evelina Johnson Tucker MBE (8 August 1868 – 4 January 1971) was a Bermudian schoolteacher and trade unionist. She is best known as one of the founders of the Bermuda Union of Teachers, the first registered union on the island. Tucker was b ...

(1868–1971), Bermudian schoolteacher and trade unionist * Adele Ann Wilby (born 1950), Australian activist *

Adele Wiseman Adele Wiseman (May 21, 1928 – June 1, 1992) was a Canadian author. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she received a BA in English literature and psychology from the University of Manitoba in 1949. Her parents were Russian Jews who emigrated from ...

(1928–1992), Canadian author *

Adele Wong Adele Wong (born 8 March 1983) is a Singaporean actress, singer, writer, and screenwriter. Biography Born in Singapore, Wong traces her ancestry to Shanghai, China. She graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) with an honors d ...

(born 1983), Singaporean actress

Fictional characters

*Adele Verans, the young French ward of

Mr. Rochester Edward Fairfax Rochester (often referred to as Mr Rochester) is a character in Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel ''Jane Eyre''. The brooding master of Thornfield Hall, Rochester is the employer and eventual husband of the novel's titular protagonist ...

in the novel ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

'' and its adaptations *Adele Airota, mother-in-law of the narrator Elena in the

Neapolitan Novels The Neapolitan Novels, also known as the Neapolitan Quartet, are a four-part series of fiction by the pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante, published originally by Edizioni e/o, translated into English by Ann Goldstein, and published by Eu ...

**Elena's daughter, also named Adele Airota, but always called Dede * Adèle Blanc-Sec, main character of ''Les Aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec'' written by Jacques Tardi *Adele Mundy, Communications Officer librarian, and spy in the

RCN Series The RCN SeriesBaen.com"The Roads to the RCN Series", David Drake, 2012 (accessed March 22, 2012) (also known as the Lt. Leary series) is a sequence of stand-alone science fiction novels by David Drake. They center around Daniel Leary, an Officer (a ...

space opera *Adele Azupadi, a character in the TV series ''

The Story of Tracy Beaker ''The Story of Tracy Beaker'' is a British children's book first published in 1991, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Background The book is told from the point of view of Tracy Beaker, a troubled ten-year-old gi ...

'' *Adele Stackhouse, Sookie's grandmother in ''

True Blood ''True Blood'' is an American fantasy horror drama television series produced and created by Alan Ball. It is based on ''The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', a series of novels by Charlaine Harris. A reboot is currently in development. The serie ...

'' *Adèle Ratignolle, a standard of feminine beauty in the American classic '' The Awakening'' by Kate Chopin *Adele Ferguson, a character in the book Behind Her Eyes (novel) by Sarah Pinborough

References

{{given name, Adele English feminine given names French feminine given names German feminine given names Italian feminine given names Irish feminine given names Scottish feminine given names Welsh feminine given names

People with the given name

A–F

G–R

S–Z

Fictional characters

See also

References