Angela
/ˈæn.d͡ʒəl.ə/
The name Angela descends from the Late Latin angelus, itself a borrowing from the Greek angelos (ἄγγελος), meaning “messenger.” In classical Greek the word referred to any bearer of tidings, divine or mortal, and was used by Homer and Herodotus in
ordinary narrative contexts.
The Septuagint translators adopted angelos in the 3rd century BCE to render the Hebrew mal’akh (מַלְאָךְ), the term for heavenly messengers, and Christian Latin inherited this theological sense.
What the name Angela means
The feminine form angela appeared as an adjective and as a personal name in late antique inscriptions.
The name’s devotional status was established by several important saints. Saint Angela of Foligno (1248-1309) was an Italian Franciscan mystic whose Memoriale remains a landmark of medieval visionary literature.
Saint Angela Merici (1474-1540) founded the Ursulines, the first teaching order for women in the Catholic Church, and was canonized by Pope Pius VII in 1807.
Her feast day falls on January 27, and her work shaped centuries of female religious education across Europe and the Americas.
Literature and music reinforced the name throughout the modern era. Franz Lehar’s operetta Der Graf von Luxemburg (1909) featured a lead named Angela, and the character appears in the novels of Sholem Asch, Thomas Hardy, and Graham Greene.
The Rolling Stones released “Angie” in 1973, a diminutive form that became a household song. The long-running American sitcom Who’s the Boss? (1984-1992) featured Angela Bower as its female lead, embedding the name in 20th-century American pop culture.
Across the United States, Angela entered the SSA top 1000 in 1880 and climbed through the mid-20th century, reaching its peak of 5th place in 1975.
It held top 10 status through the early 1980s before declining gradually. The name remains among the top feminine names in Italy, Spain, and Germany, where Angela Merkel served as Chancellor from 2005 to 2021.
Contemporary bearers include American actresses Angela Bassett and Angela Lansbury, novelist Angela Carter, and German politician Angela Merkel.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Angela
Angela - similar names
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