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Baby Names:

Angela

Meaning: messenger of God

Origin: Latin, Italian

Related names: Angie, Angelica, Angelique, Angel, Angeline, Angelis

Both Latin Angela and her Italian sidekick Angelina are female versions of the name Angel, which means – yep, you guessed it – “Messenger of God.” Hey, who doesn’t want an angelic little girl?

Angela has been a popular name since the 1700′s and was a U.S. Top 10 for more than a decade between 1965 and 1979 before sliding back down the charts. Angelina’s been Top 1000 since 1889, but only rose in popularity once action-hardened heroine Angelina Jolie hit theaters as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. (Apparently her earlier role as “Acid Burn” in 1995′s Hackers didn’t seal the deal yet for American parents.) Angelina hit #86 in 2009, while Angela holds steady at #142.