Angelita is a unique and captivating name of Spanish origin. It is derived from the Spanish word "angelito," which means "little angel." This name has been popular among Spanish-speaking communities for centuries, but it has also gained recognition in other parts of the world due to its charming sound and meaningful connotation.
The history of Angelita can be traced back to medieval Spain, where it was often used as a term of endearment or a nickname for young girls who were believed to possess angelic qualities. Over time, this affectionate title evolved into a given name, becoming particularly popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
In literature and art, Angelita has been immortalized by various authors and artists. One notable example is the Mexican painter José Guadalupe Posada, who created an iconic image of a young girl named Angelita dressed as La Catrina, a skeleton figure that represents death in Mexican culture. This artwork, titled "La Calavera Catrina," is now considered an important symbol of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations.
Today, Angelita continues to be cherished by families who choose this name for their daughters, drawn to its beautiful sound and spiritual significance. It has also inspired numerous variations and related names, such as Anjelica, Anjelina, and Angelica, further enriching its legacy in the world of nomenclature. Despite its historical popularity and cultural relevance, Angelita remains a distinctive and memorable choice for parents seeking a unique and meaningful name for their child.
The statistics provided show the annual number of births with the name Angelita in the United States from 1883 to 2023. Over this period, the popularity of the name has fluctuated significantly.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the name Angelita was quite uncommon, with fewer than 15 births per year on average between 1883 and 1907. However, starting around 1908, there was a noticeable increase in the number of babies named Angelita, reaching a peak of 41 births in 1912.
The popularity of the name continued to rise throughout the 1910s and 1920s, with several years exceeding 100 births. The highest point was reached in 1926, with 134 Angelita babies born that year. This trend persisted into the 1930s, although there were some fluctuations.
In the mid-20th century, particularly from the 1950s onwards, the name Angelita began to decline in popularity. There were still several years with over 100 births, but these became less frequent as time went on. By the 1970s and 1980s, the number of babies named Angelita had fallen significantly, typically ranging between 50 and 150 births per year.
Since the early 1990s, the name Angelita has become increasingly rare in the United States. There were only a few years with over 100 births, and by the late 2010s and early 2020s, the number of Angelita babies born each year had fallen to single digits, with just 19 births in 2022.
In total, over the period from 1883 to 2023, there were 11,659 babies named Angelita born in the United States. These statistics provide an interesting snapshot of the changing popularity of this name throughout history.