Stella

History & Origin

Stella comes directly from the Latin word stella, meaning star. While it has ancient roots, its use as a personal name in English is largely a literary creation, introduced by Sir Philip Sidney and later by Jonathan Swift (who wrote poems to a woman he called Stella). It became a fashionable given name in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Stella peaked in the U.S. in the early 20th century, then declined, only to stage a major comeback from the 2000s onward. It crossed back into the top 50 around 2010 and continues to rise, driven by its crisp sound, celestial meaning, and a certain vintage glamour. The cry 'Stella!' in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire also keeps it culturally alive.