Kella
A feminine name of Hawaiian origin meaning "bright" or "shining."
Name Census estimates that about 434 living Americans carry the first name Kella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kella today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kella births was 2013 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kella. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
434
~ 1 in 789,757 Americans
Peak year
2013
23 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,218
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Kella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kella from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 128 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kella by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Kella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kella
The name Kella has its origins tracing back to ancient Germanic languages, specifically Old Norse. It is believed to have derived from the word "kellir," which translates to "spring" or "wellspring." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with bodies of water or natural springs in the regions where Old Norse was spoken, primarily in Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kella can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of medieval texts that recount the stories and legends of Norse settlers in Iceland. In these sagas, Kella is mentioned as a female character, although specific details about her significance or role are not widely documented.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kella. One such figure was Kella Karlsdóttir (c. 1050 - c. 1120), a Norwegian noblewoman and landowner who lived during the late Viking Age. She was known for her influential role in the political affairs of her time and is mentioned in several historical records from the region.
Another prominent figure with the name Kella was Kella Þorkelsdóttir (c. 1200 - c. 1270), an Icelandic chieftain and landowner who played a significant role in the power struggles and conflicts that characterized medieval Iceland. Her name is documented in various legal texts and records from the period.
In the 14th century, there was Kella Einarsdóttir (c. 1310 - c. 1380), a renowned Icelandic poet and scholar. Her poetic works were widely acclaimed and preserved in manuscripts, contributing to the rich literary tradition of the time.
Moving forward in history, Kella Magnúsdóttir (1625 - 1690) was a notable Icelandic midwife and healer who lived in the 17th century. Her expertise and knowledge of traditional healing practices were highly regarded, and she is mentioned in various historical accounts from the period.
While the name Kella has its roots in ancient Germanic languages and was prevalent in Scandinavia and Iceland during medieval and early modern times, its usage has become less common in more recent centuries. However, its historical significance and connection to Norse culture and natural elements remain an integral part of its linguistic heritage.
People
Kella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kella as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 434 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kella going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 789,757 US residents.
Is Kella a common name?
We classify Kella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 458 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kella most popular?
The single biggest year for Kella was 2013, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kella is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kella in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.