Dela is of African origin, specifically from the Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria. It means 'God's gift'. The name gained prominence due to its use by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe in his novel 'Things Fall Apart', where Dela was a female character. Today, it is recognized globally and often associated with individuals who embody grace and uniqueness.
The name Dela experienced significant popularity fluctuations over time, with peaks occurring around the late 19th to early 20th centuries and again more recently from the late 2010s onwards. The highest number of births recorded in a single year was 16, which occurred in 2023. However, there have also been periods where the name was scarcely used, with some years showing only 5 births or even fewer. Overall, there have been a total of 531 births with the name Dela since 1888.