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Home › Baby Names Directory › Fontella

Fontella

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Fontella

Pronounced fon-TEL-ah /fɒnˈtɛl.ə/Medium

Meaning: Fontella reads as a coinage, most likely evoking 'fountain' (Latin fons) with an -ella ending; it is best known from soul singer Fontella Bass.Low

In 30 seconds: A soulful coinage: Fontella likely evokes 'fountain' (said 'fon-TEL-ah'), carried by singer Fontella Bass. Route uncertain, which we note.
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Origin LowAmerican
MeaningFontella reads as a coinage, most likely evoking 'fountain' (Latin fons) with an -ella ending; it is best known from soul singer Fontella Bass.
U.S. rank (1990)#11860 ↘ Falling
1990 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1966
Total births (all-time)≈ 589

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196619001990

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Fontella reads as a coinage, likely from 'fountain,' with an -ella ending; the route is uncertain, which we note. It saw a flicker near 1966, when Fontella Bass had her hit 'Rescue Me' (said 'fon-TEL-ah').

It never grew common and is rare today. Musical, ornate, and firmly period.

Did you know? Fontella had a small moment around 1966, the year singer Fontella Bass topped the charts with 'Rescue Me.'
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Fontella — Coinage; likely 'fountain'; singer Fontella Bass ('Rescue Me')

Variations

FontelleFontellaFontaine

Nicknames

FontaElla

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Fontella…

Estella— a like -ella vintage name
Fontaine— a like Font- 'fountain' name
Marcella— a rhyming -ella name
Novella— a like ornate -ella pick

Explore names like Fontella

By themeuncertainvintagecoinedfeminine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Fontella mean?

Fontella is a coinage, most likely evoking 'fountain'; the route is uncertain, which we note.

How do you pronounce Fontella?

It's said fon-TEL-ah /fɒnˈtɛl.ə/ — the stress lands on the part shown in capitals.

Who made the name Fontella known?

Soul singer Fontella Bass, of 'Rescue Me,' is its best-known bearer.

How popular is Fontella?

Fontella had a small high point in the mid-nineteen-sixties and has been rare since.

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