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    The first name Stella

    A girl’s name from Latin meaning “star”.

    Pronounced /ˈstɛlə/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Latin origin

    Stella means “star” in Latin.

    From Latin stēlla (“star”). Noun sense 2 is after the protagonist of How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 130 girls were named Stella, making it the 333rd most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2011, with 159 births (#307).

    0100200 1996200020052010201520202025
    3,542
    babies named Stella, 1996–2025
    #333
    rank in 2025
    2011
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Stella with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Stella at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 4,136 girls born in the United States were named Stella, the 52nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2018, when 5,164 were.

    03,0006,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    207,288
    babies named Stella since 1880
    #52
    rank in 2025
    2018
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Stella in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Stela
    Czech
    Estelle
    French
    Stela
    Polish, also Stella
    Стелла
    Russian
    Estela
    Spanish, also Estrella

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Stella

    • Stell

    Famous people named Stella

    44 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Stella McCartney
      British fashion designer (born 1971)
    • Stella Adler
      American actress and acting teacher (1901–1992)
    • Stella Stevens
      American actress (1938–2023)
    • Stella Maxwell
      Belgian-New Zealand supermodel (born 1990)
    • Stella Gibbons
      British writer (1902–1989)
    • Stella Kyriakides
      Cypriot politician, born 1956
    • Stella Rimington
      British director of MI5 (1935–2025)
    • Estella Agsteribbe
      Dutch gymnast (1909–1943)
    • Stella Obasanjo
      First Lady of Nigeria (1945-2005)
    • Stella Maeve
      American film and television actress, born 1989
    • Stella Benson
      British writer (1892–1933)
    • Stella Zázvorková
      Czech actress (1922-2005)

    More Latin girls’ names

    All 381 names of Latin origin

    Questions

    What does the name Stella mean?
    Stella means “star” in Latin.
    What is the origin of the name Stella?
    From Latin stēlla (“star”). Noun sense 2 is after the protagonist of How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998).
    How popular is the name Stella?
    In 2025, 130 girls born in England and Wales were named Stella, ranking 333rd. Its peak was 2011, with 159 births.
    What are nicknames for Stella?
    Common nicknames for Stella include Stell.
    Is Stella a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 207,288 US babies named Stella since 1880 were girls.
    When was Stella most popular?
    2018 in the United States, when 5,164 babies were named Stella, its highest rank at 38th.
    How do you pronounce Stella?
    Stella is /ˈstɛlə/, 2 syllables.
    Is Stella also a surname?
    Yes. Stella is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.