Ad%c3%a9lie

The name Adélie is a French feminine form derived from the Old High German name Adalheidis, composed of the elements adal, meaning noble, and heid, meaning kind or type, giving an overall sense of noble nature. It is closely related to the more widely used forms Adèle, Adeline, and Adelaide. The name gained a particular geographical association through the French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, who named a region of Antarctica Adélie Land in honor of his wife Adèle, and this connection later gave rise to the well-known Adélie penguin. The name remains chiefly used in French-speaking regions.