A feminine given name of Germanic origin meaning 'noble' or 'nobility.'
From Germanic adal meaning 'noble', related to Old High German adal and Old English æðel. The name spread through medieval Europe via Saint Adela, daughter of William the Conqueror, becoming popular in various forms.
Adela connects to a whole family of 'noble' names including Adelaide, Adeline, and even Adolf (though that last one fell from grace). The Germanic concept of 'adal' was so important that it appears in dozens of names, reflecting how central nobility was to medieval identity.
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