baby name DeliaThe baby name Delia feels vintage and Victorian, but this name boasts ancient roots.

Thanks to Haley and Caroline for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

ANCIENT PLACE NAME

When names like Savannah and Brooklyn entered the US Top 1000, some called it a new trend. Except we’ve been naming our children after places for millennia.

The Greek island of Delos lies in the Aegean Sea. It means brilliant. Greek myth made Delos the birthplace of the twins Artemis and Apollo. Temples were built in their honor, and today the island and its ruins appear on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

The goddess Artemis sometimes answered to Delia, a reference to her birthplace. The goddess of the moon, a famous huntress, and more, she remains one of the best known figures from Greek mythology.

First century poet Tibullus composed works dedicated to Delia. In that case, the given name Delia appears to be a pseudonym for a (possibly married) woman he loved.

NORMAN CONQUEST

William the Conqueror brought an entire class of names to England, used in what would become the Anglo-Norman language, a dialect of Old Norman French the invaders brought with them to their new home. It changed and evolved over time, and with it, names.

Adelia doesn’t seem to appear specifically in the historical record. But two daughters of King William answered to Adel- names: Adeliza, or maybe Adelida, about whom little is known, and Adela, who became a countess through marriage, ended her days in a convent, and is now considered  a saint.

There’s no question that Adel- names, like Adeline, were well-used throughout Europe, including England, for centuries.

RENAISSANCE and BEYOND

During the Renaissance, poet Samuel Daniel chose the ancient name for his idealized beloved. Maybe Daniel was inspired by the ancient poet.

Or perhaps Artemis, a perpetual maiden who protected mothers and children but swore to remain single herself, served as inspiration.

At some point, the name caught on. US Social Security birth records begin in 1880, when the name ranked its highest ever. It remained in the US Top 200 for another fifteen years.

Edith Wharton gave the name to a character. So did James Joyce.

There’s a controversial Shakespeare scholar named Delia Bacon who was, perhaps, the first person to suggest that someone other than the Bard wrote his plays.

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, we find British composer Derbyshire, Italian ballerina Scalla, and Argentine actress Garces. The variety suggests sparing, but steady and global use of the baby name Delia.

DELIA’S GONE

Then the baby name Delia fell and fell and fell, leaving the Top 1000 entirely after 2007.

A song gives us one possible reason.

Johnny Cash recorded “Delia’s Gone.” He even made a video for the song in 1994, featuring Kate Moss. He wasn’t the first, either. Versions of the song have circulated for decades, with everyone from Cash to Bob Dylan to Pete Seeger covering it in one form or another. It

You would expect a song might boost a name, especially a name with this much appeal. But the lyrics tell a tragic tale.

On Christmas Day 1900, teenaged Moses Houston shot and killed his young girlfriend. Her name? Delia Green. Houston spent his life in a Georgia prison. His beloved became immortal.

As a result, this Greek girl name feels sweetly Southern, but also, perhaps, a bit mournful.

Songs about the tragedy date to at least the 1920s, and the name’s popularity clearly declines during the twentieth century. But is it all down to this sad story?

CELIA and DAHLIA

Except it might not have anything to do with the song.

Celia fell in use during the same time period. Other names ending in -elia also decline during the twentieth century: Shakespeare’s tragic Ophelia, ancient Cornelia, the British(ish) Cordelia, Adelia, and Odelia – possibly more.

The grand dame of girls’ names ending with ELIA? It’s Amelia, of course, that vintage favorite. Just like the rarer names, Amelia fell in use steadily most years into the 1970s. It didn’t really recover until the late 1990s/early twenty-first century.

Led by Amelia, many of these names have made a comeback in recent years. Some hibernated for so long that they feel like complete discoveries.

Speaking of discoveries, lush and romantic flower name Dahlia sounds vintage, but actually debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2006. It sounds very similar to Delia, so maybe that opens the door for Delia’s comeback, too.

Likewise, Biblical Delilah has never been more popular than it is today.

DELIA from the 90s to NOW

You might also think of:

  • In the 90s, dELiA*s sold cute clothes in nearly every mall in America. It still sort-of-kind-of exists, but online only.
  • Writer Delia Ephron is sister to Nora, Amy, and Hallie. A novelist and screenwriter, she’s worked on scripts for movies like You’ve Got Mail and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
  • VC Andrews’ estate used the name for a character. She’s a Mexican teenager who moves in with her wealthy American relatives following her mother’s tragic death. More heartache follows.
  • Characters by the name have appeared on Everwood, The Ghost Whisperer, and Call the Midwife.
  • British TV chefDelia Smith has been a staple on the small screen, teaching basic cookery techniques for decades.
  • Best-selling author Delia Owens has recently been in the headlines thanks to the adaptation of her novel, Where the Crawdads Sing … and her possible involvement in a real-life tragedy.

READY for REVIVAL

The baby name Delia seems poised for revival.

Some of it is the rise of Amelia/Delilah/Dahlia. Plus, ends with LIA names are having a moment.

But it’s also true that the 100-Year Rule suggests that any name big a century ago should sound fresh and new today.

The numbers aren’t there yet; 221 girls were named Delia in the year 2000. As of 2021, that number had continued to drop, reaching 146 girls given the first name Delia.

One good fictional character, celebrity birth announcement, or pop song could change that. But, for now, Delia remains an overlooked vintage charmer, rich in history, but seldom heard.

That might make it the perfect choice for parents seeking a feminine names with deep roots that fits in, while still standing out.

Would you consider the baby name Delia for a daughter? 

Originally published on November 18, 2010, this post was revised and republished on May 3, 2017 and again on August 2, 2022.

baby name Delia baby name Delia

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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34 Comments

  1. Anyone else’s kids reading the Tom Gates books by Liz Pichon? Delia is Tom’s older sister. He sings an unflattering song about his “weirdo” sister … my 11 year old is learning to play it on the piano so it’s been on high rotation here. Not knowing any real life Delia’s, it’s unfortunately all I can think of.

  2. One of my great-great grandmothers was Délia, born in Quebec. I assume it was pronounced with the French vowel sounds. In English I’ve only heard it pronounced like Deal-ya.

  3. I’ve reached 60 and have been the only Delia I’ve ever known until 2 moths ago! I love the name I was given, it’s made me feel special all my life!

  4. I love that you recently republished the name Delia! I used to read the previous entry often. We named our daughter this one year ago and get so many compliments. The song has not been mentioned by anyone yet even though I did my research and used it anyway. It does get mistaken on paper as Delilah sometimes. Her middle name is Pearl.

  5. Delia is gorgeous! I pronounce it DEEL-ya. I’m not sure if I’d use it, but I love it.

  6. Hi, my name is Delia (deal-ee-uh) and I love my name. Always getting compliments of how pretty and graceful it sounds. I love how no one has the name anymore. It makes it unique. 🙂 my full name is Delia Jane!

  7. I like Delia, as a nickname for Cordelia. I don’t know of I would use it as a name all alone, though. I would rather use Cordelia or Adelia, which means I wouldn’t be able to use Delia. I also like Celia (after my step-grandma Celie) or Melia (as a nickname for Emelia, after my great-aunt).