Adelaide

Adelaide is a feminine given name of Old High German origin, derived from the elements adal, meaning noble, and heid, meaning kind or type, giving the overall sense of noble natured. It was widely used among medieval European royalty, most notably borne by Saint Adelaide of Italy, a tenth-century empress and wife of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, whose veneration helped spread the name across the continent. The name entered English use through Norman influence and enjoyed a strong revival in the nineteenth century following the reign of Queen Adelaide, consort of William IV of Britain. Closely related forms include Adela, Adele, Adeline, and the Latinized Adelais, from which the French Alice ultimately derives.