Stella
Say it: STEL-a/ˈstɛlə/
GirlMeans star6 letters2 syllables
#160
in Ireland (2025)
#162 with spellings combined
29
babies in 2025
#102
best rank (2024)
832
babies since 1964
Up 102
10-year rank change
Stella through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #162 |
| 2024 | 47 | #102 |
| 2023 | 34 | #139 |
| 2022 | 36 | #147 |
| 2021 | 42 | #126 |
| 2020 | 39 | #130 |
| 2019 | 30 | #170 |
| 2018 | 31 | #172 |
| 2017 | 36 | #154 |
| 2016 | 22 | #217 |
| 2015 | 19 | #264 |
| 2014 | 23 | #224 |
| 2013 | 25 | #220 |
| 2012 | 19 | #265 |
| 2011 | 16 | #307 |
| 2010 | 19 | #277 |
| 2009 | 22 | #239 |
| 2008 | 10 | #431 |
| 2007 | 17 | #267 |
| 2006 | 7 | #465 |
| 2005 | 9 | #372 |
| 2004 | 6 | #476 |
| 2003 | 6 | #439 |
| 2002 | 7 | #374 |
| 2001 | 8 | #335 |
| 2000 | 5 | #413 |
| 1998 | 4 | #426 |
| 1997 | 6 | #394 |
| 1995 | 3 | #516 |
| 1988 | 6 | #381 |
| 1987 | 7 | #362 |
| 1986 | 4 | #458 |
| 1985 | 6 | #386 |
| 1984 | 6 | #389 |
| 1983 | 5 | #438 |
| 1982 | 6 | #399 |
| 1981 | 8 | #351 |
| 1980 | 9 | #337 |
| 1979 | 13 | #299 |
| 1978 | 10 | #315 |
| 1977 | 12 | #283 |
| 1976 | 9 | #312 |
| 1975 | 15 | #243 |
| 1974 | 9 | #300 |
| 1973 | 20 | #225 |
| 1972 | 14 | #248 |
| 1971 | 17 | #229 |
| 1970 | 9 | #282 |
| 1969 | 13 | #237 |
| 1968 | 8 | #270 |
| 1967 | 10 | #238 |
| 1966 | 15 | #203 |
| 1965 | 18 | #186 |
| 1964 | 6 | #274 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Stella mean?
Star
Latin, from stella (star).
Say it right
STELa
The story of Stella
Stella is the Latin word for star. It came into use as an English name through Philip Sidney’s sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella, written in the 1580s. Catholics also know Stella Maris, “star of the sea”, as a title of the Virgin Mary, which may have helped it along.
Its best-known Irish link is a nickname. Jonathan Swift, the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, called his close friend Esther Johnson “Stella”, and his letters to her were later published as the Journal to Stella.
Stella was given in small numbers in Ireland in the 1960s and 1970s, then almost disappeared in the late 1980s and 1990s. It has come back strongly. In 2015 it was number 264, and in 2024 it had its best year, with 47 girls, when it reached number 102.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Stella (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Stella (given name)
- Wikipedia: Esther Johnson
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Stella | 29 | 832 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #178 (2020); 111 babies since 2004.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.