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Alternatives to Stella

slginfj
By slginfj
Updated Thu May 25 2023
  1. Adela

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      A vibrant variation of Adele, with a bit of extra flair from that "-a" ending. It could join the army of popular A girls' names, especially with its tie to the success of singer Adele.
  2. Aleta

    • Description:

      Aleta is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Greek, it's a variation of Alethea, meaning "truth," while some sources connect it to Spanish origins as a diminutive of Alicia. The name also appears in mythology as one of the Nereids, sea nymphs from Greek legends. Aleta enjoyed modest popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century but remains relatively uncommon today. The name has a melodic, flowing quality with its simple three-syllable structure and soft sounds. Aleta strikes a balance between familiarity and distinctiveness—recognizable without being common. Its classical roots give it timeless appeal, while its slight exoticism adds interest. Parents might choose Aleta seeking a name with historical depth that still feels fresh and underused in contemporary contexts.

  3. Annabelle

    • Origin:

      Combination of Anna and Belle or French form of Amabel

    • Meaning:

      "loving"

    • Description:

      This is a charming name that rose steeply along with other-belle names, such as Isabelle, until the horror film Annabelle and its sequels knocked it out of favor. Made famous by the Edgar Allen Poe poem Annabel Lee. Annabelle is saucy and stylish, a tad upscale, has a sense of humor, is melodious and lively, but is unfortunately off its peak.
  4. Aristella

    • Description:

      Aristella is a rare feminine name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek word 'aristos' meaning 'best' or 'excellent,' combined with the suffix '-ella,' creating a name that essentially means 'little excellent one' or 'little noble one.' This elegant name carries connotations of nobility, excellence, and celestial beauty, particularly due to its similarity to the word 'stellar.' Though uncommon in most Western countries, Aristella appeals to parents seeking a distinctive classical-sounding name with positive associations. The name has an inherent musical quality and sophistication that gives it a timeless appeal, despite its relative obscurity in popular name rankings.
  5. Aster

    • Origin:

      English; Amharic

    • Meaning:

      "star"

    • Description:

      This is a fresh new addition to the botanical list; comedian Gilbert Gottfried made it a real bouquet when he named his daughter Lily Aster. And the name of the little girl on television's Dexter sounds like Aster, but is actually spelled Astor, which brings it more high society name. Aster relates to the Greek word for star. In Ethiopia, Aster is pronounced "ah-STAIR", and is the Amharic variation of Biblical Esther.
  6. Asteria

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "star"

    • Description:

      Asteria is an Anglicized spelling of the Greek Astraea or Astraia, the goddess of justice and innocence. She became the constellation Virgo, so all forms of this name would be especially appropriate for a child born in late August or early September.
  7. Astrid

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian

    • Meaning:

      "divinely beautiful"

    • Description:

      Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful."
  8. Aurora

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dawn"

    • Description:

      The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
  9. Bella

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Isabella, Italian

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"

    • Description:

      Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Arabella, is red hot right now. Bella is one of the most, well, beautiful girl names starting with B. It carried a hint of a nice Old World grandmotherly veneer, until it became attached to Twilight's Bella Swan.
  10. Brielle

    • Origin:

      Short form of Gabrielle, French, Cajun, Hebrew, Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "god is my strength; hunting grounds"

    • Description:

      Though it sounds modern, Brielle is, among other things, a traditional Cajun contraction of Gabrielle, and the name of a historic seaport in the Western Netherlands, also known as Brill. Today, it is used more widely as a nickname for Gabrielle and as a stand-alone name that fits in easily with Isabelle, Briana, and Brinley. In a recent year, it appeared in the US Top 200, ranking above the longer form and used nearly four times as often.
  11. Calla

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"

    • Description:

      Calla is a botanical name that is much more distinctive than popular Lily or similar Callie. Rarely heard today, it did appear in the popularity lists in the last decades of the nineteenth century.
  12. Celeste

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "heavenly"

    • Description:

      Celeste is a softly pretty and somewhat quaint name with heavenly overtones, which kids might associate with Queen Celeste of Babar's elephant kingdom. She's a light and lovely choice that's finally getting noticed.
  13. Celia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "heavenly"

    • Description:

      Celia, splendidly sleek and feminine, is a name that was scattered throughout Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature, but still manages to feel totally modern.
  14. Clara

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bright, clear"

    • Description:

      Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right around Number 100, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
  15. Della

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Adela, Adele or Adelaide

    • Meaning:

      "noble"

    • Description:

      Fresh, bright, and sunny, Della could be an alternative to Ella, Delilah, or Adeline. Familiar but not yet overused, it combines the elements of contemporary favorites with vintage charm.
  16. Eleanor

    • Origin:

      English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style.
  17. Ella

    • Origin:

      German; English

    • Meaning:

      "all, completely; fairy maiden"

    • Description:

      Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie.
  18. Elle

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "she"

    • Description:

      Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name.
  19. Ellie

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Eleanor and Ellen

    • Meaning:

      "bright shining one"

    • Description:

      Ellie first took off in the UK—yes, in this nickname form—and this warm and friendly name has also become hugely popular here. In 2011, Ellie entered the US Top 100 girl names for the first time and has remained near the top of the charts ever since.
  20. Ellis

    • Origin:

      English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "benevolent"

    • Description:

      Ellis, a surname used sparingly as a first in the Wallace/Morris period, sounds new now for girls, as a gender-neutral alternative to Ella or Alice. It debuted in the US Top 1000 for girls in 2015.-- Ellis has always been in the Top 1000 for boys -- and seems to be headed straight up. One of the most popular gender-neutral names, currently there are two baby boys named Ellis for every girl.