The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Stella!

Comments and insights on the name Stella: | Edit

Popular usage: English

Personal experiences with the name Stella: | Edit

My 4-year-old twin daughters are named Stella and Luna (meaning star and moon). I love both of their names! Like the story Stella Luna.

My friends named their little girl Stella (she's 6 months). It seemed old lady-ish at first (it hasn't really picked up in Australia yet), but now her beautiful, smiley face is what I think of when I hear the name.

Nicknames for Stella: | Edit

Stell, Stells, Ella
Stella Moo
Stella can be a nickname for Pastel.

My husband and I sometimes call our daughter Stellar.

Meanings and history of the name Stella: | Edit

The name Stella derives from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, "stella maris" meaning "star of the sea." The Spanish Estella, and thus the English and French Estelle, also derives from the Latin "stella" meaning "star."

This name was created by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets 'Astrophel and Stella'. It was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century.

Famous real-life people named Stella: | Edit

Stella McCartney, fashion designer and daughter of musician, Paul McCartney
Stella Tennant, Scottish supermodel
Stella Stevens, film director, actress, producer and nude model
Stella Dorothea Gibbons, novelist, journalist, short-story writer and poet
Stella Obasanjo, First Lady of The Federal Republic of Nigeria
Stella Matthews, daughter of musician, Dave Matthews
Stella McDermott, daughter of 90210's Tori Spelling
Stella Ritter, daughter of John Ritter
Stella Adler (1901-1992): American actress and acclaimed acting teacher; founder of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting - students include Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro

Stella in song, story & screen: | Edit

Stella Luna is the name of a Childrens Story.

Stella Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1947). There is an iconic line in which Stanley screams, "Stella!"

Titular character of the Elvis Costello song "Stella Hurt," based off of 30s jazz and blues singer Teddy Grace, real name Stella

"Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down" is a song by Interpol.

"Stella Blue" is a song by the famous band The Grateful Dead.

Stella is an ex-girlfriend (played by Sarah Chalke) of Ted on the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother."

"Stella" is a song off of All Time Low's album, Nothing Personal.

Stella is Joe's girlfriend in the tv show, Jonas.

Stella Guitar is a famous style Blues guitar