What Does the Name Stella Mean?
Stella is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning “star.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Stella |
|---|---|
| Gender | female |
| Origin | Latin |
| Meaning | star |
| Variants | Estella, Estelle, Stela, Estrella |
| Popularity | Top 40 US girls' name in the 2010s-2020s after a revival. |
The meaning and origin of Stella
The name Stella means “star” and has Latin origins. Means 'star' in Latin. It was coined by the poet Sir Philip Sidney in the 16th century for his sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella and later popularized as a given name.
Variants and related names
Stella is related to several other names you may recognize: Estella, Estelle, Stela, Estrella. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Stella?
Top 40 US girls' name in the 2010s-2020s after a revival.
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Stella mean?+
The name Stella means “star” and is of Latin origin.
What is the origin of the name Stella?+
Stella originates from Latin.
Is Stella a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Stella has trended in the US over time.
Stella by gender
More girl's names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press