The story behind Stella
From Latin stēlla (“star”). Noun sense 2 is after the protagonist of How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998).
Other language forms and explanations (4)
Dutch entry
Ultimately from Latin stella.
Finnish entry
From Latin Stēlla (literally “star”).
Estonian entry
From Latin stella.
Icelandic entry
Ultimately from Latin stella (“star”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /ˈstɛlə/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Dutch: /ˈstɛ.laː/
- Finnish: /ˈstelːɑ/
- Finnish: [ˈs̠te̞lːɑ̝]
- Estonian: /ˈstelːɑ/
- Estonian: [ˈstelːɑ]
- Icelandic: [ˈstɛl(ː)a]
Popularity
Stella ranked #52 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Stella
Sara
From Latin Sara (“Sarah”). From Middle Dutch sara, from Latin Sara, from Ancient Greek Σᾱ́ρᾱ (Sā́rā), from Hebrew שָׂרָה. a female given name from Biblical Hebrew; variant…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Stela
Learned borrowing from Latin Stēlla. Doublet of aster and Stella.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Alma
Usually explained as Latin alma (“nourishing, kind”). It has also been used as a short form of Germanic compound names beginning with the element Amal-, as in Amelia. From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Anna
From Late Latin Anna both directly and via numerous other languages, chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Anndra
From Latin Andreās, from Ancient Greek Ἀνδρέᾱς (Andréās).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aura
Shortened from Aurora.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Stella
Æmile
From Latin Aemilius. See also French Émile.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Balbina
Learned borrowing from Latin Balbina.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Balbino
Borrowed from Latin Balbīnus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Stella
Aarón
a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Aaron
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abdiasz
Learned borrowing from Latin Abdias, from Ancient Greek Ἀβδίας (Abdías), from Hebrew עובדיה.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Z
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abel
English Abel From Middle English Abel, from Old English Ābel, from Latin Abel, from Ancient Greek Ἅβελ (Hábel), from Biblical Hebrew הֶבֶל (Héḇel, “Abel”), possibly from the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length