The name Angela originates from the Greek word 'ángelos,' which signifies 'angel.' This name experienced a peak in popularity in the United States between 1965 and 1979, consistently ranking among the top ten most common names for girls during that period.

The name Angela is recognized across numerous languages, with variations appearing in Albanian (Anxhela), Russian and Ukrainian (Anzhela), Spanish (Ángela), Italian (Angella), Irish (Aingeal), French (Angèle), and Polish (Aniela), among others. Its transliteration into Chinese is 安吉拉 (Ānjí lā), and in Korean, it is romanized as Anjella or Aenjella without a direct meaning. Japanese variations include Angera and Anjera. While the primary meaning relates to angels, some interpretations, such as the Arabic transliteration 'Anjila, can also imply 'homage.'