Estela
Girl name · #1626 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Estela ranks #1626 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 128 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2039, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,063 girls born in 2025 was named Estela.
The 122-year story
Estela first appears in the Social Security records in 1903, when 11 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 134 babies and a rank of #1583. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Estela per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Estela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Estela in class?
Estela scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Estela is most common
Geography matters for names, and Estela is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Estelas were CA (37), TX (26), FL (9), AZ (6), NY (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Estela
Statistically, parents drawn to Estela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Adela, Eloisa, Rafaela, Ariela, and Ela.
AdelaEloisaRafaelaArielaElaIdaliaDarielaShoshana
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Estela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 128 | #1622 |
| 2024 | 115 | #1753 |
| 2023 | 133 | #1581 |
| 2022 | 134 | #1583 |
| 2021 | 112 | #1801 |
| 2020 | 96 | #1965 |
| 2019 | 126 | #1668 |
| 2018 | 87 | #2159 |
| 2017 | 95 | #2053 |
| 2016 | 73 | #2479 |
| 2015 | 96 | #2039 |
| 2014 | 76 | #2391 |
| 2013 | 68 | #2597 |
| 2012 | 88 | #2145 |
| 2011 | 88 | #2156 |
| 2010 | 75 | #2476 |
| 2009 | 81 | #2375 |
| 2008 | 84 | #2318 |
| 2007 | 86 | #2257 |
| 2006 | 73 | #2512 |
| 2005 | 74 | #2379 |
| 2004 | 82 | #2175 |
| 2003 | 89 | #2019 |
| 2002 | 83 | #2064 |
| 2001 | 89 | #1941 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Estela a popular girl name?
Estela ranked #1626 among girls in 2025 with 128 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2039.
When was the name Estela most popular?
Estela peaked in 2022, when 134 American girls received the name (ranked #1583 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Estela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,063 newborn American girls was named Estela. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.