Alice is a form of the Old French name Alis / Alys (older Alais), short form of Adelais, which is derived from the Old High German Adalhaidis (see Adelaide), from the Proto-Germanic words *aþala-, meaning "noble" and *haidu-, meaning "appearance; kind" (compare German Adel "nobility", edel "noble", nominalizing suffix -heit "-hood"), hence "of noble character or rank, of nobility".

[2] 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.

Some sources cite the resurgence starting in 2000, while others showed an up swing starting in 2010[4] One source attributes this to Tina Fey having named her daughter Alice in 2005,[1] though this is more likely a case of coincidence than causality.

[5] In Sweden and Italy it has appeared in the top ten names in recent years.

[1][6][2] It was also popular in the Victorian era due to The Princess Alice, a daughter of Queen Victoria.