Alice is a feminine first name with roots in the French and German languages.
Etymology Alice is a form of the Old French name / (older ), short form of , which is derived from the Old High German (see Adelaide), from the Proto-Germanic words , meaning 'noble' and , meaning 'appearance; kind' (compare German 'nobility', 'noble', nominalizing suffix '-hood'), hence 'of noble character or rank, of nobility'. is the Old French form of the name; Alys of Vexin was also known as Alaïs.
Popularity as a given name In 2015, the name appeared in the top 100 most popular names for baby girls in Australia, Belgium, France, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, and Northern Ireland. In England and Wales, it was ranked the 24th most popular name in 2015, but it has been less popular in the US until a recent resurgence. Some sources cite the resurgence starting in 2000, while others showed an up swing starting in 2010 One source attributes this to Tina Fey having named her daughter Alice in 2005, though this is more likely a case of coincidence than causality. Other sources attribute the rise in popularity to media sources such as the Twilight books by Stephenie Meyer. In Sweden and Italy it has appeared in the top ten names in recent years. In 2022, it was the 11th most popular name given to girls in Canada.
The name was most popular in the US in the Victorian era and at the turn of the 20th century. It has been popularized by Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. It was also popular in the Victorian era due to The Princess Alice, a daughter of Queen Victoria. In the US, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of Theodore Roosevelt, was occasionally known as "Princess Alice" in the press and inspired a song called "Alice Blue Gown".
Variants Variants of the given name today include Alicia, Alison, and a short form, Allie, with many spelling variants. Alisa is a form of the name in popular use in Russia, Estonia and other countries. Aliki is the form used in Greek. Eilish () may be the Irish form. There is also a variant from Hebrew origine, עליזה (Alee-zuh) which means cheerful (female.)
People with the first name Alice
Royalty and nobility Alice of Antioch (1110 – after 1136), princess consort of Antioch by marriage to Bohemond II of Antioch Alice of Armenia (1182 – after 1234), ruling Lady of Toron from 1229 to 1234 as the eldest daughter of Ruben III, Prince of Armenia and his wife Isabella of Toron Alice of Champagne (1193 – 1246), queen consort and later regent of Cyprus, later regent of Jerusalem Alice of Hainault (died 1317), Hainault noblewoman and Countess of Norfolk Alice of Namur (died 1169), Lotharingian noblewoman and Countess of Hainault Alice of Saluzzo, Countess of Arundel (died 1292), Savoyard noblewoman and English countess Alice of Vergy, (1182–1251), Duchess of Burgundy Alice Cherleton, Baroness Cherleton (1378–1415), English noblewoman; alleged mistress of Cardinal Beaufort Alice de la Roche (died 1282), Burgundian noblewoman and regent of Beirut Alice de Lacy, Countess of Lincoln (1281–1348), English peeress in her own right Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (née Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott) (1901–2004), member of the British royal family Alice FitzRoy (died bef. 1141), illegitimate daughter of King Henry I of England Alice Heine (1872–1918), princess consort of Monaco, wife of Albert I of Monaco Alice Holland, Countess of Kent (1350–1416), English noblewoman; wife of the half-brother of King Richard II Alix of Hesse (1872–1918), Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom Countess Alice Széchenyi (1911–1974), Hungarian-American heiress and Countess Princess Alice of Battenberg (1885–1969), aka Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark, mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Princess Alice of Parma (1849–1935), Grand Duchess of Tuscany Princess Alice of the United Kingdom (1843–1878), Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, daughter of Queen Victoria Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (1883–1981), member of the British royal family
Authors and poets Alice Adams (1926–1999), American author Alice Albinia (born 1976), British author Alice Birch, British playwright and screenwriter Alice Buckton (1867–1944), British poet, community playwright, feminist and mystic Alice Cary (1820–1871), poet Alice Childress (1916–1994), American novelist and playwright Alice Kingsbury Cooley (1839–1910), British-born American actress, author, and poet Alice Arnold Crawford (1850–1874), American poet Alice Turner Curtis (1860–1958), American writer Alice Williams Brotherton (1848–1930), American writer Alice Culler Cobb (1843-1918), American educator, missionary Alice May Douglas (1865–1943), American poet, author, editor Alice Olin Dows (1881–1963), American author and socialite Alice Dunbar Nelson (1875–1935), American poet, journalist and political activist Alice Eyton (1874–1929), New Zealand screenwriter Alice Flowerdew (1759–1830), English teacher, hymnwriter, religious poet Alice Fulton (born 1952), poet and author Alice Gossage (1861–1929), American newspaperwoman and journalist Alice Greenwood (1862–1935), British historian, teacher and writer Alice Rogers Hager (1894–1969), American writer, journalist, and traveler Alice Hayes (1657–1720), English Quaker preacher and autobiographer Alice Hoffman (born 1952), author of Practical Magic Alice Emma Ives (1876–1930), American dramatist, journalist Alice Eleanor Jones (1916–1981), American science fiction writer and journalist Alice Kuipers (born 1979), British–Canadian author Alice La Mazière (1880–1962), French journalist, socialist, and feminist activist Alice Elinor Lambert (1886–1981), American romance writer Alice MacDonell (1854–1938), Scottish poet Alice Marriott (1910–1992), American historian Alice Meynell (1847–1922) – British editor, writer, and poet Alice Moore McComas (1850–1919), American author, editor, lecturer, reformer Alice McDermott (born 1953), author Alice Duer Miller (1874–1942), author and poet Alice Munro (1931–2024), Canadian author Alice Naylor-Leyland, British fashion writer Alice Oseman (born 1994), British author and illustrator of young adult fiction Alice Oswald (born 1966), British poet Alice Parizeau (1930–1990), Polish journalist Alice Hobbins Porter (1854–1926), British–born American journalist and editor Alice Priestley (born 1962), Canadian writer and illustrator Alice Rivaz (1901–1998), Swiss author Alice Sebold (born 1963), American author of The Lovely Bones Alice Spigelman, Hungarian–born Australian clinical psychologist, writer, and human rights advocate Alice Tawhai, New Zealand writer Alice Thompson, Scottish novelist Alice Bellvadore Sams Turner (1859–1915), American physician and writer Alice Voinescu (1885–1961), Romanian writer Alice Walker (born 1944), novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist Alis Wen (born c. 1520), Welsh language poet Alice Willard (1860–1936), American journalist and businesswoman Alice Robinson Boise Wood (1846–1919), American classicist and poet Alice Zimmern (1855–1939) British writer, translator, and suffragist
Musicians Alice (Visconti, born Carla Bissi) (born 1954), Italian singer-songwriter Alice (born Song Joo-hee), South Korean singer, a member of Hello Venus Alice Babs (1924–2014), Swedish singer and actress Alice Bag (born 1958), American punk rock singer Alice Boman (born 1987), Swedish singer-songwriter and musician Alice Caymmi (born 1990), Brazilian singer Alice Cohen (born 1958), American singer-songwriter and musician also known by the stage name Alice Desoto Alice Coltrane (1937–2007), American jazz pianist also known as Swamini Turiyasangitananda Alice Cooper (born 1948), American male rock musician Alice Coote (born 1968), British mezzo-soprano opera singer Alice Longyu Gao (born 1994), Chinese singer, songwriter, and disk jockey Alice Glass (born 1988), Canadian singer Alice Herz-Sommer (1903–2014), Czech–born Israeli classical pianist and music teacher Alice Ivy (born 1993), Australian musician and producer Alice Levine (1986), British radio disk jockey and presenter Alice Phoebe Lou (born 1993), South African–born German singer and songwriter Alice Martineau (1972–2003), British singer and songwriter Alice Merton (born 1993), German–Canadian singer and songwriter Alice Nielsen (1872–1943), American operatic lyric soprano Alice Nutter (born 1962), English musician Alice on the Roof (born 1995), Belgian singer Alice Prin (1901–1953), French singer and actress Alice Russell (born 1975), English singer Alice Carter Simmons (1883–1943), American pianist, organist, and music educator Alice Smith (born 1977), American singer and songwriter Alice Mary Smith (1839–1884), English composer Alice Verlet (1873–1934), Belgian operatic coloratura soprano Alice Verne-Bredt (1864–1958), English piano teacher, composer, and violinist Alice Vinette (1894–1989), Canadian composer Alice Ivy Wigmore (1895–1982) Australian violinist and philanthropist
Actresses and filmmakers Alice Amter (born 1966), English actress Alice Atherton (1854–1899), American burlesque dancer and actress Alice Barrett (born 1956), American actress Alice Bellagamba (born 1987), Italian actress and dancer Alice Bendová (born 1973), Czech actress Alice Bier Zandén (born 1995), Danish–Swedish actress Alice Bird, British actress Alice Brady (1892–1939), American actress Alice Braga (born 1983), Brazilian actress and producer Alice Calhoun (1900–1966), American actress Alice Carvalho (born 1996), Brazilian actress, screenwriter and singer Alice Chan (born 1973), Hong Kong actress Alice Cocéa (1899–1970), French actress Alice Connor (born 1990), English actress Alice Davenport (1864–1936), American actress Alice Day (1906–1995), American actress Alice Dinnean (born 1969), American puppeteer Alice Diop (born 1979), French filmmaker Alice Dixson (born 1969), Filipino–American actress, commercial model, and beauty queen Alice Dovey (1884–1969), American actress Alice Dwyer (born 1988), German actress Alice Englert (born 1994), Australian actress, filmmaker, singer, and songwriter Alice Evans (born 1968), British–American actress Alice Eve (born 1982), English actress Alice Faye (1915–1998), American actress and singer Alice Fearn (born 1983), English actress and singer Alice Gale (1858–1941), American actress Alice Ghostley (1923–2007), American actress and singer Alice Greczyn (born 1986), American actress and model Alice Guy-Blaché (1873–1968), French filmmaker Alice Haig (born 1985), English actress Alice Hirson (1929–2025), American actress Alice Hollister (1886–1973), American actress Alice Howell (1886–1961), American actress Alice Isaaz (born 1991), French actress Alice Joyce (1890–1955), American actress Alice Kremelberg, American actress and writer Alice Krige (born 1954), South African actress Alice Lake (1895–1967), American actress Alice Lowe (born 1977), English actress, comedian, and filmmaker Alice Lloyd (1873–1949), English music hall artist and vaudevillian Alice Mann (actress) (1899–1986), American actress Alice Marriott (1824–1900), English actress Alice G. McGee (1869–1895) American actress and lawyer Alice Moran, Canadian actress Alice Nellis (born 1971), Czech filmmaker Alice Norin (born 1987), Norwegian–Indonesian actress Alice O'Fredericks (1899–1968), Swedish–born Danish actress and filmmaker Alice Ong (born 1994), Burmese actress and model Alice Ormsby-Gore (1952–1995), English aristocrat Alice Pearce (1917–1966), American actress Alice Playten (1947–2011), American actress Alice Ripley (born 1963), American actress Alice Robitaille (1923–2011), Canadian actress Alice Rohrwacher (born 1981), German–Italian filmmaker Alice B. Russell (1889–1985), American actress Alice St Clair (born 1988), English actress and poet