Girls · #65 in 2025
Alice: Meaning, Origin & Popularity
- Origin
- Old French from Germanic Adalheidis
- Meaning
- Nobility
- Pronunciation
- AL-is
- Nickname options
- Allie
Origin and meaning
Alice developed through Old French forms of the Germanic name Adalheidis, the family behind Adelaide. Its root refers to nobility. The short modern form preserves that long history without showing all of it in the spelling.
U.S. popularity
Alice ranked #65 for girls in the United States in 2025, with 3,547 girls given this spelling. Its highest recorded U.S. rank was #8, reached in 1880, 1882, 1906. Historical coverage: 1880–2025. Peak refers to rank, not the largest number of births.
Source: Social Security Administration; historical peaks calculated from its national name files. Rankings count each spelling separately within the listed sex.
The Hello Baby Names take
Alice feels thoughtful and straightforward, with a quiet storybook charm. It has enough history to feel substantial and few extra sounds to get in the way. Parents who love classics but prefer a small, self-contained name may find it especially appealing.
Things to consider
Allie is available, but Alice does not need shortening. Check the final S sound against a surname beginning with S or Z.
If you love Alice, consider…
- Clara: Shares the clear, composed vintage style.
- Lucy: Adds a sunnier, more playful mood.
- Nora: Offers a rounder two-syllable sound.
- Eleanor: Expands the classic feeling into a longer name.
- Audrey: Brings a firmer, more tailored shape.
- Iris: Keeps the compact finish with botanical imagery.
- Jane: Makes the understated style even simpler.
- Eloise: Adds a more lively, elaborate rhythm.