Ardelia
A girl's name of Latin origin with 1,370 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A female given name.
Ardelia is a girl's baby name of Latin origin, derived from the Latin ardere meaning 'to be on fire' or ardent — a name that speaks to passionate enthusiasm and burning spirit, with the -ia feminine suffix adding classical grace.
Ardelia was most popular in the American South and Midwest during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has the graceful, slightly ornate quality of Latin-derived feminine names from that era — meaningful in origin and warm in sound.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Ardelia's final sounds are open, elegant — found across Latin, Greek, and Slavic naming traditions. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Ardelia follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Ardelia's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Ardelia has 94+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1880.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 26 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 41 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 82 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 142 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 163 | — |
| 1930s | 179 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 258 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 232 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 122 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 79 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 40 | — |
The Story of Ardelia
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1924, Ardelia is a name steeped in history. Girls named Ardelia are most likely born between 1914 and 1934.
How rare is Ardelia?
With 1,370 total births on record, Ardelia remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 258 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Ardelia by the numbers
- Would fill 29 school buses
- Meeting one Ardelia per day would take 3.8 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(94 years, 1880–1992)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 6 | #11861 |
| 1987 | 7 | #8843 |
| 1983 | 6 | #9094 |
| 1981 | 8 | #7441 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10493 |
| 1979 | 7 | #8100 |
| 1976 | 5 | #9367 |
| 1974 | 8 | #6294 |
| 1972 | 8 | #5994 |
| 1971 | 5 | #8407 |
| 1970 | 8 | #5847 |
| 1969 | 5 | #7535 |
| 1968 | 9 | #4791 |
| 1965 | 12 | #3750 |
| 1964 | 11 | #4112 |
| 1963 | 7 | #5322 |
| 1962 | 13 | #3607 |
| 1961 | 10 | #4255 |
| 1960 | 15 | #3218 |
| 1959 | 11 | #3833 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ardelia a boy's or girl's name?
When was Ardelia most popular?
How popular is the name Ardelia?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–1992