Alice (given Name)

Alice (given Name)

Alice is a feminine given name used primarily in English, French, and Italian. It is a shortened form of the Old French Adelais, which is derivation from the Germanic name Adalheidis, from the Germanic word elements adal, meaning noble and heid, meaning type. In Italian alice also means anchovy.

Alice was the most popular female baby name in Sweden in 2009 and has been among the top 10 names given to girls for the past five years. The name ranks in the top 100 most popular names for baby girls in Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, and Northern Ireland. It ranked as the 172nd most popular name for baby girls born in the United States in 2010. Alice ranked as the 51st most common name for women in the United States in the 1990 census.

The name was most popular in the United States in the Victorian era and at the turn of the 20th century. It has been popularized by Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. It was also popular in the Victorian era due to The Princess Alice, a daughter of Queen Victoria. In the United States, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, was occasionally known as "Princess Alice" in the press and inspired a song called Alice Blue Gown.

In recent years, the variants Alicia, Allison, and a short form, Allie, have been more popular names in the United States. Allison was the 38th most popular name for baby girls born in the United States in 2010; Alicia was the 220th most popular name for girls in the United States in 2010 and Allie was the 189th most popular name for girls in the United States in 2010. All three names have multiple spelling variants which are also well-used. Alyssa, the 20th most popular name for baby girls born in the United States in 2010, may sound like a variant, but it is historically of different origin, from the flower Alyssum.