Girl name · Greek
Angela
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: messenger, angelAngela is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "messenger, angel". It is used in Italian, English, German and Spanish.
- Meaning
- Messenger, angel
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- AHN-jeh-lah (Italian)
Meaning and origin of Angela
As a girl's name, Angela comes from Greek and means "messenger, angel". It is used in Italian, English, German and Spanish. In Spanish it is spelled Ángela.
In Italian, say AHN-jeh-lah. In Spanish, say AHN-heh-lah. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Angela on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Angela on 3 lists.
“Angel, messenger; Latin feminine of Angelus, from Greek angelos”
From Angelic names, angelic names for girls
“Messenger, angel; Greek. Say AHN-jeh-lah”
From Italian girl names, italian saints' names for girls
“Messenger, angel; Greek. Say AHN-heh-lah”
From Spanish girl names, classic female Spanish names
How popular is Angela?
- US rank in 2025
- #408
- 765 babies, 476 per million girls
- Best rank
- #5 in 1974
- Most babies: 25,901 in 1971
- Babies since 1880
- At least 673,257
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 177 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 302 per million |
| 1900s | 478 per million |
| 1910s | 677 per million |
| 1920s | 525 per million |
| 1930s | 611 per million |
| 1940s | 846 per million |
| 1950s | 2,098 per million |
| 1960s | 8,721 per million |
| 1970s | 14,578 per million |
| 1980s | 6,788 per million |
| 1990s | 2,509 per million |
| 2000s | 1,695 per million |
| 2010s | 885 per million |
| 2020s | 709 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #214 | #234 | #265 | #257 | #251 | #235 | #226 | #255 | #281 | #408 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Angela
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- AngeAngel (Greek, unisex)
- AngèleAngel, messenger (Greek, girl)
- AngelinaMessenger (Greek, girl)
- AngelitaLittle angel (Greek, girl)
- AnielaAngel, messenger (Greek, girl)
Names spelled like Angela
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- AngelineAngel, messenger (Greek, girl)
- MalachiMy messenger (Hebrew, boy)
- AingealAngel, messenger (Greek, girl)
- AngelinoLittle angel (Greek, boy)
- AngeloAngel, messenger (Greek, boy)
- AngelosAngel, messenger (Greek, boy)
- AngieAngel, messenger (Greek, girl)
- AnxoMessenger, angel (Greek, boy)
- ApostolosApostle, messenger (Greek, boy)
- ElçinEnvoy, messenger (Turkish, unisex)
Middle names for Angela
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Angela: common questions
What does the name Angela mean?
Angela comes from Greek and means "messenger, angel".
Is Angela a boy or girl name?
Angela is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Angela come from?
Angela comes from Greek and means "messenger, angel". Today it is used in Italian, English, German and Spanish.
How do you pronounce Angela?
In Italian, say AHN-jeh-lah. In Spanish, say AHN-heh-lah. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Angela?
Angela ranked #408 in the US in 2025, with 765 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Angela?
Forms of Angela with the same meaning and origin include Ange (French), Angèle (French), Angelina (English), Angelita (Spanish) and Aniela (Polish).
What middle names go with Angela?
Middle names that flow well with Angela include Briar, Daisy, Elise, Faith and Lucy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.