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Stela

♀ Girl

Pronounced STEH-lah /ˈstɛ.lɑ/High

Meaning: A form/spelling of Stella — from the Latin stella, 'a star'Low

In 30 seconds: A star: Stela is a form of Stella. Lyrical, classic, and warm.

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Origin LowLatin

MeaningA form/spelling of Stella — from the Latin stella, 'a star'

U.S. rank (2024)#8337 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births13 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2021

Total births (all-time)≈ 196

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Stela is a form/spelling of Stella — from the Latin stella, 'a star'. A lyrical, classic name common in Romanian, Albanian and Slavic families (said 'STEH-lah').

In the U.S. it appears as a form of Stella. Rare in this form, a-star at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Stella comes from the Latin stella, 'a star' — Stela is a Balkan/Romance form, lyrical and classic (said 'STEH-lah').

Overall data confidence 44%

References — Stella — Latin etymology

Variations

StellaStelahStevie

Nicknames

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If you like Stela…

Stella— the source name

Estela— a Spanish form

Della— a sound-neighbor -ella girls' name

Syla— shares the -la ending

Sola— another Latin name

Explore names like Stela

By themelatin celestial

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Stela mean?

Stela is a form of Stella — Latin 'a star'.

How do you pronounce Stela?

It's said STEH-lah /ˈstɛ.lɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Stela a boy or girl name?

Stela is a girl's name.

How popular is Stela?

Stela is a very rare spelling in the U.S.