Fun Facts About the Name Angela
- An established favorite: Angela held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 47 consecutive years, from 1956 through 2002.
- More than 675 thousand babies named Angela: U.S. records list 675,380 babies given the name Angela from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,135 boys received the name Angela - about 1 boy for every 315 girls.
What Does the Name Angela Mean?
Angela is the feminine form of the Late Latin name Angelus, which derives from the Greek angelos, meaning "messenger." In Greek and later Latin Christian usage, angelos took on the sense of "angel" - a heavenly messenger - and that is the meaning the name carries. The Greek word was itself used to render the Hebrew malʾakh, "messenger," a term applied in Jewish and Christian scriptures to both human envoys and heavenly beings.
The ending -a marks the name as feminine, following the pattern of many Latin feminine names. Angela is sometimes confused with the similar-sounding Angelica, which comes from the Latin angelicus, "angelic," and with Angelina, a diminutive of Angela. These names are related in association and sound, but each has its own formation.
Angela Name History & Origins
The name arose in Christian communities where angels were an object of devotion, and it belongs to the same family of names as Angelus, Angelina, and Angelica. It is documented in medieval Italy: Angela of Foligno (c. 1248 - 1309), a Franciscan mystic, is an early bearer. A later and better-known figure is Saint Angela Merici (1474 - 1540) of Brescia, who founded the Company of Saint Ursula, a teaching order for women. Her fame carried the name through Catholic Europe, where it appears in forms such as Spanish Ángela, French Angèle, Polish Aniela, and German Angela.
In the English-speaking world the name is found from the 18th century onward, entering later than in Italy and Spain, and it became more widely used during the 19th century. The traditional Christian sense of "angel" remained the ordinary understanding of the name throughout its history.
How Popular is the Name Angela?
Angela remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1956 to 2002. Its highest annual birth count was in 1971, and people born that year turn 55 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #408 | 765 | 0.0476% |
| 2024 | #282 | 1,117 | 0.0692% |
| 2023 | #255 | 1,213 | 0.0757% |
| 2022 | #226 | 1,321 | 0.0806% |
| 2021 | #235 | 1,282 | 0.0782% |
| 2020 | #251 | 1,189 | 0.0736% |
| 2019 | #257 | 1,271 | 0.0758% |
| 2018 | #265 | 1,242 | 0.0730% |
| 2017 | #235 | 1,351 | 0.0783% |
| 2016 | #214 | 1,511 | 0.0853% |
| 2015 | #220 | 1,491 | 0.0835% |
| 2014 | #191 | 1,737 | 0.0973% |
| 2013 | #196 | 1,651 | 0.0941% |
| 2012 | #193 | 1,640 | 0.0931% |
| 2011 | #189 | 1,678 | 0.0954% |
| 2010 | #160 | 1,916 | 0.1078% |
| 2009 | #142 | 2,258 | 0.1229% |
| 2008 | #132 | 2,542 | 0.1344% |
| 2007 | #125 | 2,756 | 0.1434% |
| 2006 | #114 | 2,926 | 0.1539% |
| 2005 | #113 | 2,897 | 0.1568% |
| 2004 | #105 | 3,162 | 0.1722% |
| 2003 | #104 | 3,320 | 0.1817% |
| 2002 | #83 | 3,715 | 0.2068% |
| 2001 | #77 | 3,914 | 0.2174% |
| 2000 | #79 | 3,829 | 0.2109% |
| 1999 | #90 | 3,632 | 0.2048% |
| 1998 | #100 | 3,369 | 0.1907% |
| 1997 | #93 | 3,652 | 0.2098% |
| 1996 | #90 | 3,867 | 0.2206% |
| 1995 | #85 | 4,119 | 0.2342% |
| 1994 | #81 | 4,414 | 0.2472% |
| 1993 | #73 | 4,572 | 0.2527% |
| 1992 | #69 | 5,079 | 0.2754% |
| 1991 | #59 | 5,802 | 0.3094% |
| 1990 | #52 | 6,666 | 0.3511% |
| 1989 | #47 | 7,199 | 0.3905% |
| 1988 | #38 | 7,915 | 0.4445% |
| 1987 | #35 | 8,581 | 0.4936% |
| 1986 | #33 | 9,269 | 0.5403% |
| 1985 | #31 | 10,225 | 0.5942% |
| 1984 | #26 | 11,292 | 0.6706% |
| 1983 | #22 | 13,218 | 0.7912% |
| 1982 | #16 | 15,002 | 0.8859% |
| 1981 | #15 | 15,926 | 0.9548% |
| 1980 | #12 | 17,967 | 1.0821% |
| 1979 | #8 | 20,257 | 1.2619% |
| 1978 | #7 | 20,518 | 1.3394% |
| 1977 | #6 | 20,999 | 1.3696% |
| 1976 | #5 | 22,039 | 1.5042% |
| 1975 | #5 | 23,360 | 1.6023% |
| 1974 | #5 | 22,803 | 1.5538% |
| 1973 | #7 | 20,898 | 1.4331% |
| 1972 | #6 | 23,562 | 1.5489% |
| 1971 | #6 | 25,900 | 1.5566% |
| 1970 | #6 | 24,930 | 1.4261% |
| 1969 | #7 | 21,062 | 1.2485% |
| 1968 | #7 | 20,671 | 1.2601% |
| 1967 | #7 | 19,551 | 1.1842% |
| 1966 | #9 | 18,535 | 1.0953% |
| 1965 | #10 | 18,752 | 1.0623% |
| 1964 | #22 | 16,257 | 0.8580% |
| 1963 | #30 | 13,278 | 0.6889% |
| 1962 | #36 | 11,663 | 0.5930% |
| 1961 | #38 | 10,841 | 0.5371% |
| 1960 | #50 | 8,682 | 0.4294% |
| 1959 | #68 | 6,773 | 0.3347% |
| 1958 | #83 | 5,766 | 0.2866% |
| 1957 | #89 | 5,326 | 0.2605% |
| 1956 | #93 | 5,033 | 0.2507% |
| 1955 | #109 | 3,895 | 0.1992% |
| 1954 | #118 | 3,543 | 0.1824% |
| 1953 | #120 | 3,185 | 0.1693% |
| 1952 | #134 | 2,642 | 0.1425% |
| 1951 | #150 | 2,137 | 0.1187% |
| 1950 | #148 | 2,057 | 0.1201% |
| 1949 | #150 | 1,967 | 0.1150% |
| 1948 | #158 | 1,801 | 0.1061% |
| 1947 | #176 | 1,648 | 0.0930% |
| 1946 | #192 | 1,280 | 0.0815% |
| 1945 | #193 | 1,057 | 0.0809% |
| 1944 | #200 | 1,008 | 0.0759% |
| 1943 | #215 | 933 | 0.0669% |
| 1942 | #201 | 1,016 | 0.0752% |
| 1941 | #215 | 822 | 0.0680% |
| 1940 | #234 | 726 | 0.0635% |
| 1939 | #229 | 734 | 0.0669% |
| 1938 | #233 | 717 | 0.0650% |
| 1937 | #214 | 784 | 0.0737% |
| 1936 | #253 | 595 | 0.0572% |
| 1935 | #252 | 618 | 0.0589% |
| 1934 | #250 | 627 | 0.0600% |
| 1933 | #252 | 577 | 0.0572% |
| 1932 | #252 | 608 | 0.0570% |
| 1931 | #242 | 619 | 0.0581% |
| 1930 | #244 | 639 | 0.0568% |
| 1929 | #233 | 676 | 0.0605% |
| 1928 | #259 | 621 | 0.0538% |
| 1927 | #272 | 601 | 0.0504% |
| 1926 | #278 | 572 | 0.0483% |
| 1925 | #282 | 560 | 0.0460% |
| 1924 | #267 | 600 | 0.0480% |
| 1923 | #249 | 666 | 0.0552% |
| 1922 | #258 | 641 | 0.0534% |
| 1921 | #255 | 671 | 0.0544% |
| 1920 | #255 | 665 | 0.0555% |
| 1919 | #251 | 654 | 0.0579% |
| 1918 | #238 | 721 | 0.0623% |
| 1917 | #226 | 742 | 0.0686% |
| 1916 | #229 | 716 | 0.0686% |
| 1915 | #225 | 698 | 0.0709% |
| 1914 | #212 | 590 | 0.0775% |
| 1913 | #228 | 447 | 0.0716% |
| 1912 | #223 | 398 | 0.0713% |
| 1911 | #231 | 292 | 0.0698% |
| 1910 | #239 | 260 | 0.0656% |
| 1909 | #248 | 204 | 0.0588% |
| 1908 | #260 | 183 | 0.0547% |
| 1907 | #261 | 174 | 0.0546% |
| 1906 | #301 | 123 | 0.0417% |
| 1905 | #270 | 148 | 0.0508% |
| 1904 | #286 | 124 | 0.0450% |
| 1903 | #267 | 132 | 0.0504% |
| 1902 | #291 | 116 | 0.0439% |
| 1901 | #317 | 89 | 0.0372% |
| 1900 | #327 | 107 | 0.0357% |
| 1899 | #336 | 80 | 0.0343% |
| 1898 | #317 | 98 | 0.0379% |
| 1897 | #298 | 95 | 0.0406% |
| 1896 | #370 | 60 | 0.0252% |
| 1895 | #342 | 70 | 0.0300% |
| 1894 | #345 | 64 | 0.0287% |
| 1893 | #327 | 67 | 0.0315% |
| 1892 | #335 | 63 | 0.0297% |
| 1891 | #475 | 29 | 0.0156% |
| 1890 | #373 | 45 | 0.0236% |
| 1889 | #371 | 42 | 0.0235% |
| 1888 | #432 | 33 | 0.0185% |
| 1887 | #372 | 33 | 0.0226% |
| 1886 | #439 | 24 | 0.0166% |
| 1885 | #501 | 18 | 0.0135% |
| 1884 | #450 | 20 | 0.0155% |
| 1883 | #397 | 22 | 0.0196% |
| 1882 | #361 | 24 | 0.0223% |
| 1881 | #584 | 9 | 0.0098% |
| 1880 | #683 | 7 | 0.0077% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | #9,057 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #9,837 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #8,035 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #7,134 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #7,561 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #5,893 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #7,680 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #5,687 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #6,872 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #5,334 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #5,487 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #4,069 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1996 | #4,622 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #7,021 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #5,889 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #5,374 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #3,927 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #3,335 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1990 | #2,312 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1989 | #1,516 | 54 | 0.0027% |
| 1988 | #1,949 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1987 | #1,468 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 1986 | #1,537 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1985 | #1,525 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1984 | #1,198 | 58 | 0.0032% |
| 1983 | #1,632 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1982 | #1,229 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 1981 | #1,273 | 52 | 0.0029% |
| 1980 | #1,203 | 58 | 0.0033% |
| 1979 | #1,058 | 70 | 0.0041% |
| 1978 | #1,012 | 73 | 0.0044% |
| 1977 | #1,000 | 74 | 0.0045% |
| 1976 | #1,113 | 58 | 0.0037% |
| 1975 | #875 | 90 | 0.0058% |
| 1974 | #849 | 89 | 0.0057% |
| 1973 | #942 | 73 | 0.0047% |
| 1972 | #976 | 69 | 0.0043% |
| 1971 | #848 | 92 | 0.0052% |
| 1970 | #884 | 83 | 0.0045% |
| 1969 | #1,110 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 1968 | #1,034 | 51 | 0.0029% |
| 1967 | #892 | 65 | 0.0037% |
| 1966 | #1,059 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 1965 | #1,190 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 1964 | #1,174 | 43 | 0.0022% |
| 1963 | #1,320 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 1962 | #1,515 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1961 | #1,635 | 24 | 0.0011% |
| 1960 | #1,774 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1959 | #1,711 | 22 | 0.0010% |
| 1958 | #1,956 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1957 | #2,280 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1956 | #2,500 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #3,897 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1954 | #2,954 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #2,397 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #2,881 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1951 | #3,374 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #3,708 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,193 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1945 | #3,001 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #3,120 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #2,745 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #3,225 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,519 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1938 | #2,187 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1937 | #2,915 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1932 | #2,855 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1930 | #2,617 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1929 | #2,993 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1928 | #3,368 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #3,162 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1926 | #4,233 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #4,217 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #4,374 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1923 | #4,261 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #3,263 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #3,223 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #2,975 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #4,202 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
