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At a Glance: Name: Della – Meaning: uncertain: possibly 'noble' (if shortened from Adela) or 'of Delos' (if shortened from Delia) – Origin: English (19th-century coinage, possibly short for Adela or Delia) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: DEL-ah
Della is pronounced DEL-ah, and it carries a bold, modern feel even though it dates back to 19th-century English usage. You might see it described as meaning 'noble,' but that's only one possibility — it likely began as a short form of either Adela ('noble') or Delia ('of Delos'), so which one it truly traces back to isn't settled.
Meaning & Origin of Della
Meaning: Uncertain: possibly 'noble' (if shortened from adela) or 'of delos' (if shortened from delia).
Origin: English (19th-century coinage, possibly short for Adela or Delia).
A common claim: Della means 'noble' Actually: Della's origin is uncertain — it may be short for Adela ('noble') or for Delia ('of Delos'), so 'noble' is only one of two equally plausible sources.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Della
Phonetic: DEL-ah IPA: /ˈdɛlə/
Popularity of Della
Della hit its peak popularity in 1881, ranking #60 with 428 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had fallen to #580, though it was still given to 518 babies.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Della Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Della, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Della mean?
Uncertain: possibly ‘noble’ (if shortened from adela) or ‘of delos’ (if shortened from delia). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Della)
How do you pronounce Della?
Della is pronounced DEL-ah (IPA: /ˈdɛlə/).
Is Della a popular name right now?
Della peaked at #60 in 1881 and is ranked #580 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Della? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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