Meaning and history
Stella means star in Latin. The name was introduced into English literature by Sir Philip Sidney for the subject of his 16th-century sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella, but it did not become common as a given name until the 19th century. Notable bearers include fashion designer Stella McCartney and acting teacher Stella Adler.
20062006: 1,413 births, rank #241
2007: 1,463 births, rank #243
2008: 1,824 births, rank #184
2009: 2,560 births, rank #126
2010: 3,440 births, rank #85
20112011: 3,698 births, rank #74
2012: 4,006 births, rank #62
2013: 3,916 births, rank #70
2014: 4,203 births, rank #66
2015: 4,798 births, rank #51
20162016: 4,933 births, rank #45
2017: 5,070 births, rank #42
2018: 5,164 births, rank #38
2019: 4,997 births, rank #40
2020: 4,667 births, rank #42
20212021: 4,820 births, rank #41
2022: 4,849 births, rank #40
2023: 4,371 births, rank #46
2024: 4,274 births, rank #49
20252025: 4,136 births, rank #52
Stella has risen sharply in the modern US rankings, moving from #656 in 2000 to #52 in 2025. It now stands at #52 for girls. Its highest annual birth count came in 2018, with 5,164 births.