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Home › Baby Names Directory › Bedelia

Bedelia

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Bedelia

Pronounced buh-DEEL-yuh /bəˈdiːl.jə/Medium

Meaning: Bedelia is an Irish elaboration of Bridget (Irish Brighid), which comes from a root meaning 'exalted' or 'the high one.' It arose as a fanciful pet form - Bridget to Biddy to Bedelia - and was long a distinctively Irish choice.Low

In 30 seconds: Bedelia is an Irish pet form of Bridget, 'the exalted one.' Charming and old-fashioned, it was always rare in the U.S. (said buh-DEEL-yuh).
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Origin MediumIrish
MeaningBedelia is an Irish elaboration of Bridget (Irish Brighid), which comes from a root meaning 'exalted' or 'the high one.' It arose as a fanciful pet form - Bridget to Biddy to Bedelia - and was long a distinctively Irish choice.
U.S. rank (1968)#5683 ↗ Rising
1968 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1947
Total births (all-time)≈ 81

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 194719181968

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

Bedelia is an Irish pet form of Bridget, from Brighid, 'exalted one.' It travelled the path Bridget - Biddy - Bedelia and was a distinctively Irish choice. It appears in United States records from around 1918, with a small high in the late 1940s.

It was always rare, given to only a couple dozen girls a year even at its peak, and faded by the late 1960s. Warm and lilting, it carries strong Irish and storybook associations. It reads as vintage-whimsical and, while not broadly revived, fits the fondness for old Irish names.

Did you know? Bedelia grew out of Bridget by way of the nickname Biddy - and many readers know it from the storybook housekeeper Amelia Bedelia, who takes every instruction literally.
Overall data confidence 55%
References - Bedelia — Irish elaboration of Bridget/Brighid 'exalted'

Variations

BridgetDeliaBiddy

Nicknames

DeliaBiddyBee

Famous Bearers

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If you like Bedelia…

Bridget— the parent Irish name Bedelia elaborates
Delia— a short form and near-rhyme
Cordelia— a like ornate -delia vintage name
Amelia— the storybook partner-name and a like -elia sound

Explore names like Bedelia

By themerarevintageirishwhimsical

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Bedelia mean?

It is an Irish pet form of Bridget, from Brighid, meaning 'exalted' or 'the high one.'

How do you pronounce Bedelia?

It's said buh-DEEL-yuh /bəˈdiːl.jə/, three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Bedelia a boy or girl name?

Bedelia is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Bedelia?

It has always been rare in the U.S., an Irish pet form given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak.

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