Adel (name) explained

Adel
Gender:Masculine and feminine
Language origin:Proto-Germanic
Region: Northern Europe
Derivation:From proto-Germanic "aþalą" and "ōþilą"
Meaning:Noble, nobility, elite
Variant:Ådel, Ädel, Ádel, Adél, Adal, Adil, Adiel, Ædel, Édel, Edel
Related Names:Adelson, Adeldaughter, Adelantis, Adelais, Adelaide, Adeliza, Adeline, Adelina, Adelle, Adella, Adelta, Adelia, Aderic, Adolf, Albert, Alice, Ethel, Ethelle
Language:Proto-Germanic
Petname:Addy, Addie, Adels, Addles, Al, Adelie

Adel is a given name of ancient European origins that evolved from words meaning "noble", "nobility" or "elite".

It is derived primarily from the languages of north-western Europe, which include English, French, Luxembourgish, German, Dutch, Frisian, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Faroese, and Icelandic. Today, "Adel" is a gender-neutral given name and short form of given names with this combining element.

Nordic variants of the name include Ådel, Ädel, Ádel, and Ædel. German and Dutch variants of the name include Adal and Edel. French variants of the name include Édel and Adél (not to be confused with Adèle). Adelson and Adelaide are notable masculine and feminine forms. Adelle (Adèle) is a popular feminine alternative.[1] [2] [3]

Although global, Adel remains prominent in north-western European countries. It can also be found as a family name with or without an affix (such as de Adel, den Adel, or van Adel).

The earliest known woman with the name was Princess Adel of Liège (born). The earliest known man with the name was King Adel of Sweden (born). His son's name was Adelson[4] [5] [6] The legendary king of the Frisians and founder of the kingdom, Friso, had a son named Adel (later king of Frisia), supposedly born in the 3rd century BC.[7]

Adel is an exemplar of a monothematic name. It is also the root of the names Adelais, Aderic, Adolf, Albert, and Alice, and their variants in other languages.

It is not related to the Arabic name Adil, also spelled Adel, which derives from the root 'ādil, meaning just or equitable.[8]

Origins

Ancient words

The name derives from Old Dutch "ōþil", Old German "adal", Old Norse "aðal", Old French "œ̄ðel", and Old English "æðel" by evolution of proto-Germanic "aþalą" (meaning "noble" and "kin") and "ōþilą" (meaning "inheritance" and "rule of the land").[9] [10] [11] [12] [13]

Today, "adel" is used throughout much of north-western Europe as the word for nobility.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Popularity

Globally

Adel was found over 4,000 times as a family name and over 15,000 times as a given name in 55 different countries. It is a relatively rare name. Aside from Nordic countries, it is most prominent in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia.[19] [20] [21]

Variations

Other languages

EnglishFrenchDutchGermanDanishNorwegianSwedishFinnishIcelandicRussian
AdelAdélAdelAdelAdelAdelAdelAdelAdelАдель
EthelÉdelEdelAdalÅdelÅdelÅdelÅdelÁdelAdel
EthèleEdelÆdelÆdelÄdelÄdelÆdel

Other forms

EnglishFrenchSpanishItalianGreekGermanDutchDanishNorwegianSwedishIcelandic
AdelsonAdelsohnAdelzoonAdelsønAdelssønnAdelssönAdelssonur
AdelantisAdelantosΑδελάντης
AdelaisAdélaïsAdalheidis
AdelaideAdélaïdeAdelaidaAdelheidAdelhart
AdelizaΑδελίζα
AdelineAdélineAdelínaAdelhein
AdelleAdèleAdella
AdeltaAdelítaΑδελτα
AdeliaAdéliaAdelíaAdelía

Given name

Royalty

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Other

Family name

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Fictional characters

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Adelson (notable masculine form). Names Encyclopedia.
  2. Web site: Adelaide (notable feminine form). Names Encyclopedia.
  3. Web site: Adelle (notable feminine form). Names Encyclopedia.
  4. Book: The Catholic Encyclopedia. 1909.
  5. Book: The Swedish Chronicle (Vetus chronicon sveciæ prosaicum or Prosaiska krönikan). 1400s.
  6. Book: Peterson, Lena. Lexikon över urnordiska personnamn (Lexicon of Nordic personal names before the eighth century). Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore. 2007.
  7. Book: Hamconii, Martini. Frisia sev de viris rebvsqve Frisiæ illvstribvs. 1620. National Library of the Netherlands (original from the University of Amsterdam).
  8. Book: Wehr, Hans. A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic. 1979. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. 9783447020022. en.
  9. Book: Dale, Van. Groot woordenboek van de Nederlandse taal (Great Dictionary of the Dutch Language). Van Dale Lexicografie. 2005.
  10. Book: Dale, Van. Groot etymologisch woordenboek (Great Etymological Dictionary). French & European Publications. 2007.
  11. Book: An Etymological Dictionary of the French Language. Brachet. Auguste. Kitchin. George. Clarendon Press. 1878.
  12. Book: Skeat, Walter. An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. Courier Corporation. 1882.
  13. Book: Kluge, Friedrich. An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language. George Bell & Sons. 1891.
  14. Web site: Adel (German-to-English translation). bab.la (Oxford University Press).
  15. Web site: Adel (Dutch-to-English translation). bab.la (Oxford University Press).
  16. Web site: Adel (Danish-to-English translation). bab.la (Oxford University Press).
  17. Web site: Adel (Norwegian-to-English translation). bab.la (Oxford University Press).
  18. Web site: Adel (Swedish-to-English translation). bab.la (Oxford University Press).
  19. Web site: Adel (male-name statistics). Nordic Names. 15 September 2018.
  20. Web site: Adel (female-name statistics). Nordic Names. 15 September 2018.
  21. Web site: Adel (name statistics). Names Encyclopedia. 15 September 2018.

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