 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , illustrated by John Tenniel, is an inspiration for the popularity of the name Alice. | |
| Gender | Female |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | Old French |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | Of nobility |
| Other names | |
| See also | Alaïs, Adalheidis, Adalheide, Adelheide, Alicia, Alisha, Alisa, Alissa, Alyce, Alitha, Alita, Zélie, Alix |
Alice is a feminine first name with roots in the French and German languages.
Alice is a form of the Old French name Alis (older Alais), short form of Adelais , which is derived from the Old High German Adalhaidis (see Adelaide), from the Proto-Germanic words *aþala- , meaning "noble" and *haidu- , meaning "appearance; kind" (compare German Adel "nobility", edel "noble", nominalizing suffix -heit "-hood"), hence "of noble character or rank, of nobility". [1] Alaïs is the Old French form of the name; Alys of Vexin was also known as Alaïs. [2]
In 2015, the name appeared in the top 100 most popular names for baby girls in Australia, Belgium, France, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, and Northern Ireland. In England and Wales, it was ranked the 24th most popular name in 2015, [3] but it has been less popular in the US until a recent resurgence. Some sources cite the resurgence starting in 2000, while others showed an up swing starting in 2010 [4] One source attributes this to Tina Fey having named her daughter Alice in 2005, [1] though this is more likely a case of coincidence than causality. Other sources attribute the rise in popularity to media sources such as the Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer. [5] In Sweden and Italy it has appeared in the top ten names in recent years. [6] In 2022, it was the 11th most popular name given to girls in Canada. [7]
The name was most popular in the US in the Victorian era and at the turn of the 20th century. It has been popularized by Alice in Wonderland , by Lewis Carroll. [1] [6] [2] It was also popular in the Victorian era due to The Princess Alice, a daughter of Queen Victoria. [1] In the US, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, [1] was occasionally known as "Princess Alice" in the press and inspired a song called "Alice Blue Gown". [8]
Variants of the given name today include Alicia , Alison , and a short form, Allie , with many spelling variants. [9] Alisa is a form of the name in popular use in Russia, Estonia and other countries. [10] [11] Aliki is the form used in Greek. Eilis may be the Irish form (pronounced Ailish).
Louisa may refer to:
Bertha is a female Germanic name, from Old High German berhta meaning "bright one". It was usually a short form of Anglo Saxon names Beorhtgifu meaning "bright gift" or Beorhtwynn meaning "bright joy".
'Isabel' is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of Elisabeth. Arising in the 12th century, it became popular in England in the 13th century following the marriage of Isabella of Angoulême to the king of England. Today it is sometimes abbreviated to Isa.
Mabel is an English female name derived from the Latin amabilis, "lovable, dear".
Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Old Iranian. It has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular throughout the Middle Ages. It became less popular between the 16th and 18th century, but became more common again after this period, becoming the second-most popular female name in the United States in 1903. Since this time, it has become less common, but was still the ninth-most common name for women of all ages in the United States as of the 1990 census.
Sarah is a common feminine given name of Hebrew origin. It derives its popularity from the biblical matriarch Sarah, the wife of Abraham and a major figure in the Abrahamic religions. It is a consistently popular given name across Europe, North America, and the Middle East — being commonly used as a female first name by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, and remaining popular also among non-religious members of cultures influenced by these religions.
Violet is a female given name which comes from the eponymous flower. As with other such names, its popularity has varied dramatically over time. Flower names were commonly used from about 1880 through about 1910 in the United States, with usage dropping throughout the next 80 years or so; Violet was the 88th most frequent girls' given name in 1900, dropping below position 1000 by 1960. In 1990, the name appeared again in the top 1000 at position 289 and subsequently increased in popularity. It was the 20th most used name for newborn American girls in 2022. It rose rapidly in popularity for American girls born that year, one of several fashionable names that contain a letter v. In 2022, it was the 27th most popular name given to girls in Canada.
Louise and Luise are, respectively, French and German feminine forms of the given name Louis. Louise has been regularly used as a female name in English speaking countries since the middle of the 19th century. It has ranked among the top 100 names given to girls in France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden and Wales in recent years. It last ranked among the top 1,000 first names for girls born in the United States in 1991, but remains a more common middle name.
Grace is a female name from the Latin gratia. It is often given in reference to the Christian concept of divine grace and used as a virtue name. As one of the theological virtues, Grace was in regular use by English Puritans in the 16th through the 18th centuries. The name also has connotations of physical grace, beauty, and charm.
Sophie is a feminine given name, another version of Sophia, from the Greek word for "wisdom".
Anna is a feminine given name, the Latin form of the Greek: Ἄννα and the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning "favour" or "grace".
Emily is a feminine given name derived from the Roman family name "Aemilius", and is the feminine form of the name Emil.
Elizabeth is a feminine given name, a variation of the Hebrew name Elisheva (אֱלִישֶׁבַע), meaning "My God is an oath" or "My God is abundance", as rendered in the Septuagint.
Helen is a feminine given name derived from the Ancient Greek name Ἑλένη, Helenē, which descends from Proto-Hellenic *Ηwelénā, from a pre-Hellenic or late Proto-Indo-European *Swelénā, ultimately derived from the Indo-European root *swel-.
Mary is a feminine given name, the English form of the name Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek name Μαρία, María or Μαριάμ, Mariam, found in the Septuagint and New Testament. The latter reflects the original Hebrew pronunciation of the name מרים, as attested by the Septuagint. The vowel "a" in a closed unaccented syllable later became "i", as seen in other names such as "Bil'am" (Balaam) and "Shimshon" (Samson).
Daisy is a feminine given name. The flower name comes from the Old English word dægeseage, meaning "day's eye". The name Daisy is therefore ultimately derived from this source. Daisy is also a nickname for Margaret because Marguerite, the French version of the latter name, is also a French name for the oxeye daisy.
Maud or Maude, is an Old German name meaning "powerful battler". It is a variant of the given name Matilda but is uncommon as a surname. The Welsh variant of this name is Mawd.
Charlotte is a feminine given name, a female form of the male name Charles. It is of French or Italian origin, meaning "free man" or "petite". It dates back to at least the 14th century. Other variants of the name and related names include Charlie, Lottie, Lotte, Chara, Karlotta, Carlota, and Carlotta.
Caroline is a feminine given name, derived from the masculine name Charles. Common nicknames and variations include Callie, Cara, Carol, Carole, Carolina, Carolyn, Carly, Carrie, and Caz.
Frances is an English given name of Latin origin. In Latin the meaning of the name Frances is 'from France' or 'free one.' The male version of the name in English is Francis. The original Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman", comes from the Franks who were named for the francisca, the axe they used in battle.
