Estella
Girl name · #509 in 2025 · Distinctive
In 2025, 581 baby girls were named Estella, placing it at #509 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #877, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,098 girls born in 2025 was named Estella.
The 145-year story
Estella first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 162 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 638 girls were named Estella — good for #261 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Estella per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Estella against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Estella in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Estella is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Estella is most common
Geography matters for names, and Estella is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Estella is most common in AR (1.7 per 1,000), MN (0.9 per 1,000), OR (0.9 per 1,000), IA (0.8 per 1,000), KS (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Estella is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Estella
Statistically, parents drawn to Estella tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Della, Luella, Carmella, Louella, and Estelle.
DellaLuellaCarmellaLouellaEstelleCeceliaZellaFlora
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Estella | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 581 | #509 |
| 2024 | 609 | #502 |
| 2023 | 489 | #610 |
| 2022 | 633 | #499 |
| 2021 | 452 | #659 |
| 2020 | 375 | #731 |
| 2019 | 354 | #784 |
| 2018 | 370 | #747 |
| 2017 | 352 | #779 |
| 2016 | 307 | #905 |
| 2015 | 317 | #877 |
| 2014 | 280 | #956 |
| 2013 | 289 | #889 |
| 2012 | 300 | #884 |
| 2011 | 234 | #1054 |
| 2010 | 250 | #1004 |
| 2009 | 225 | #1121 |
| 2008 | 206 | #1227 |
| 2007 | 201 | #1233 |
| 2006 | 178 | #1314 |
| 2005 | 196 | #1173 |
| 2004 | 204 | #1118 |
| 2003 | 113 | #1687 |
| 2002 | 98 | #1821 |
| 2001 | 69 | #2304 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Estella a popular girl name?
Estella ranked #509 among girls in 2025 with 581 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #877.
When was the name Estella most popular?
Estella peaked in 1921, when 638 American girls received the name (ranked #261 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Estella?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,098 newborn American girls was named Estella. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it 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.