Stella
A female given name from Latin.
Every Stella since 1880 — 207,288 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Stella
Stella is a top-100 name for girls in the United States, ranked #52 in 2025 with 4,136 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 207,288 American babies have been named Stella. Its peak came in 2018, when 5,164 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Stella stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Stella year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,136 | #52 | — | — |
| 2024 | 4,274 | #49 | — | — |
| 2023 | 4,371 | #46 | — | — |
| 2022 | 4,849 | #40 | — | — |
| 2021 | 4,820 | #41 | — | — |
| 2020 | 4,667 | #42 | 5 | #13,786 |
| 2019 | 4,997 | #40 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5,164 | #38 | — | — |
| 2017 | 5,070 | #42 | — | — |
| 2016 | 4,933 | #45 | — | — |
| 2015 | 4,798 | #51 | 7 | #10,477 |
| 2014 | 4,203 | #66 | 6 | #11,919 |
| 2013 | 3,916 | #70 | — | — |
| 2012 | 4,006 | #62 | 7 | #10,609 |
| 2011 | 3,698 | #74 | 6 | #12,069 |
| 2010 | 3,440 | #85 | 7 | #10,600 |
| 2009 | 2,560 | #126 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,824 | #186 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,463 | #243 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,413 | #242 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,308 | #250 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,123 | #291 | — | — |
| 2003 | 797 | #380 | — | — |
| 2002 | 557 | #499 | — | — |
| 2001 | 422 | #598 | — | — |
| 2000 | 376 | #656 | — | — |
| 1995 | 125 | #1,328 | — | — |
| 1990 | 171 | #1,051 | — | — |
| 1985 | 154 | #996 | — | — |
| 1980 | 228 | #732 | — | — |
| 1975 | 251 | #629 | — | — |
| 1970 | 347 | #543 | — | — |
| 1965 | 511 | #411 | — | — |
| 1960 | 617 | #383 | — | — |
| 1955 | 794 | #305 | — | — |
| 1950 | 1,113 | #226 | — | — |
| 1945 | 993 | #198 | — | — |
| 1940 | 962 | #192 | — | — |
| 1935 | 945 | #187 | 9 | #2,690 |
| 1930 | 1,570 | #140 | 8 | #3,260 |
| 1925 | 2,402 | #114 | 9 | #3,124 |
| 1920 | 3,492 | #82 | 13 | #2,440 |
| 1915 | 3,657 | #64 | — | — |
| 1910 | 1,319 | #72 | — | — |
| 1905 | 1,097 | #67 | — | — |
| 1900 | 1,177 | #68 | 6 | #1,288 |
| 1895 | 1,026 | #60 | — | — |
| 1890 | 924 | #56 | 5 | #1,145 |
| 1885 | 649 | #57 | 5 | #1,084 |
| 1880 | 414 | #60 | — | — |
Famous people named Stella
- Stella Adler Actor · 1901–1992
- Stella Stevens Actor · b. 1936
- Stella McCartney Actor · b. 1971
- Stella Maxwell Model · b. 1990
- Stella Gibbons Writer · 1902–1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Stella mean?
A female given name from Latin.
How popular is the name Stella in 2025?
Stella ranked #52 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,136 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Stella?
207,288 babies have been named Stella in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Stella most popular?
Stella peaked in 2018, when 5,164 newborns received the name.
Is Stella a boy or girl name?
Stella is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Stella rising or falling?
Stella has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Stella?
Well-known people named Stella include Stella Adler (actor), Stella Stevens (actor), Stella McCartney (actor).