A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Estella since 1880
Babies named Estella per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Estella's real moment was 1883.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,321 |
| 1890s | 3,174 |
| 1900s | 3,068 |
| 1910s | 5,092 |
| 1920s | 5,797 |
| 1930s | 3,908 |
| 1940s | 3,731 |
| 1950s | 3,380 |
| 1960s | 2,083 |
| 1970s | 1,200 |
| 1980s | 800 |
| 1990s | 617 |
| 2000s | 1,557 |
| 2010s | 3,053 |
| 2020s | 3,139 |
Meaning & origin
Estella, meaning 'star', has a classic yet sparkling appeal. First recorded in 1880, it enjoyed peak popularity in 1883, ranking among the top 100 names. After a long decline, it began rising again in 1996, and by 2025 it sits at rank 509 with about 1 in 2,766 births. The name is especially favored in states like Arkansas, New Mexico, and Minnesota. Its literary association with Dickens' Great Expectations gives it a timeless, romantic quality, while its Latin roots connect it to a rich tradition of star-inspired names. The revival of Estella reflects a broader trend toward vintage names with elegant sounds and strong meanings.
Estella is the Latinate form of the Spanish name Estrella, meaning 'star'. It was popularized in England by Charles Dickens' novel 'Great Expectations' (1861), where the character Estella Havisham is a central figure. The name saw peak usage in the United States in the 1880s and has experienced a revival since the late 1990s.
Where Estella is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Estella” around the world
Where Estella lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Stella, Ellie, Ella, Essie
Sibling names for Estella
Names that share Estella's style, for a brother or sister.
