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Adelfa

♀ Girl

Pronounced uh-DEL-fuh /əˈdɛl.fə/Low

Meaning: Adelfa is the Spanish name of the oleander, a flowering shrub. The word descends from Greek adelphe, meaning 'sister,' the same root behind names like Philadelphia.Low

In 30 seconds: Adelfa is the Spanish word for the oleander flower, from a Greek root meaning 'sister.' It was always rare and peaked in the nineteen-forties (said uh-DEL-fuh).

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Origin LowSpanish, Greek

MeaningAdelfa is the Spanish name of the oleander, a flowering shrub. The word descends from Greek adelphe, meaning 'sister,' the same root behind names like Philadelphia.

U.S. rank (1974)#8783 ↘ Falling

1974 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1946

Total births (all-time)≈ 345

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Adelfa is a Spanish botanical name for the oleander, a hardy Mediterranean flowering shrub. Its deeper root is the Greek adelphe, 'sister,' so the name carries both a bloom and a family word within it, a quietly layered choice.

In the United States it stayed rare, borne mostly within Spanish-speaking families and reaching a small peak around 1946 before tapering off. A woman named Adelfa at that time would be a grandmother or great-grandmother today.

Did you know? The same Greek root, adelphos, that gives Adelfa its 'sister' sense also lies inside the city name Philadelphia, the 'city of brotherly love.'

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Adelfa — Spanish 'oleander'; from Greek adelphe 'sister'

Variations

AdelaAdelfiaAdelpha

Nicknames

FitaAdelaDelfi

Famous Bearers

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If you like Adelfa…

Adela— a related Spanish A-del girl's name

Adelina— shares the Adel- opening and Spanish flavor

Delfina— a like flower-linked Spanish name

Alba— another Spanish nature-word given name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Adelfa mean?

It is the Spanish name of the oleander shrub, from Greek adelphe meaning 'sister.'

How do you pronounce Adelfa?

It is said uh-DEL-fuh /əˈdɛl.fə/, three syllables with the stress in the middle.

Is Adelfa a boy or girl name?

Adelfa is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Adelfa?

It has always been rare in the United States, most often within Spanish-speaking families, peaking in the nineteen-forties.