Hi Jennifer!

I love your site; it’s Internet candy for me!  I have a quick question about my middle name: Alyda.  It’s tough to find name meanings for it and I have no idea what the origin of it is.  I inherited it from my grandmother (whom everyone called Lyda) and I’ve only met one other person who has this name.  Can you tell me where it’s from and what it means?  If we ever have a daughter, I’ll be passing the name on and I’d like to know the origin.  

Thanks a bunch!

Lauren

Dear Lauren,

First off, I love the term “internet candy!” Thank you so much for your kind words.

Your middle name, Alyda, is most likely an alternate spelling of the Germanic/Dutch name, ALIDA. Alida was originally used as a diminutive (nickname) for Adelaide, which means “Of noble kin.”  

I have added your spelling to our database. 

Sincerely,

Jennifer

 

Jennifer Moss (she/her) is the founder of BabyNames.com, author of The Baby Names Workbook, and Producer of The Baby Names Podcast. Jennifer is widely regarded as the leading expert on popular baby name trends and the naming process, serving as the authoritative source on the subject for national and international media.

Jennifer entered the tech arena in the 80s as a software developer and database architect, and became a pioneer in the Internet industry. In addition to operating BabyNames.com, Jennifer owns a web development agency in central California.