dela

Dela is a linguistic element that appears most often in personal names rather than as a stand-alone term. It is derived from the Spanish prepositional phrase de la, meaning "of the," and is commonly used in compound surnames across various cultures that have been influenced by Spanish naming practices.

In Spanish-speaking regions, de la is used to form family names such as de la Cruz, de la Torre, and de la Vega. When such names are adapted into English or other languages, the phrase may be written with spaces (de la Cruz) or, less commonly, contracted into a single unit (Dela Cruz) depending on local conventions. In the Philippines, where many surnames are of Spanish origin, forms beginning with Dela—such as Dela Cruz or Dela Rosa—are widespread and treated as a unit in indexing and daily use.

While "dela" frequently appears as part of a surname, it is not typically a standalone given name or surname in most traditions. Its presence can affect alphabetical ordering and data entry in catalogs and records, where the prefix may be treated separately or as part of the surname.

Related terms include de la, de las, del, and la, which together illustrate how prepositional particles flow into modern personal naming practices.