Adelaide

Adelaide is a name of Germanic origin comprised of the ancient components “adal” meaning ‘noble’ and “heid” meaning ‘kind, sort’. The name was borne by one of the most prominent women of the 10th century, Saint Adelaide of Italy (although she was born in present day Switzerland). Her first marriage was a planned alliance during a time of great political chaos in Italy; however, her husband soon died and his usurper tried to force the young Adelaide (then barely 20) to marry his son. When she refused, she was forced to flee and threw herself at the mercy of Otto the Great of Germany. Otto had other plans – taking advantage of this precarious situation, he went ahead and conquered Italy himself and then married Adelaide. Husband and wife were soon crowned Emperor and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope John XII. Adelaide is the patron saint of some pretty interesting things: besides empresses, princesses, brides and widows, she is also the patron of exiles, second marriages and in-law problems. In any case, she was a much admired woman during medieval times. The name Adelaide didn’t become popular in England until the 19th century owing to the German-born wife of King William IV, Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (1792–1849). In fact, Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after this pious woman. Queen Consort Adelaide was beloved by the British people for her modesty and charity – and they sympathized with her greatly due to her many failed childbirths and early deaths of children. It was her inability to produce an heir that led to the crowning of her niece-by-marriage, Queen Victoria. Adelaide is also the French spelling (rendered as Adélaïde and pronounced a-day-la-EED). Pet forms include Ada, Addie and Della. The original German name of Adalheidis has given the English a slew of “noble” names such as Alice, Allison and even Heidi.