Angela is the feminine form of Angelus, from the Greek angelos, "messenger" or "angel", and has been used since the Middle Ages in honor of the angels. Actress Angela Bassett and German chancellor Angela Merkel are among its famous bearers. A top 10 name in the United States in the 1970s, Angela was number 79 in 2000, hovered around number 250 for a decade and dropped to number 408 in 2025.