Stelle
A feminine name derived from Latin, meaning "star".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Stelle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Stelle today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Stelle births was 1918 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Stelle. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Stelle. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1918
10 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
1924 SSA rank
#3,962
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Stelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Stelle from the 1910s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 41 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Stelle 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 Stelle 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 Stelle
The name Stelle originates from the French language and has its roots in the Latin word "stella," which means "star." It is believed to have been derived from the Old French word "estelle," which also translates to "star." The name gained popularity in France during the Middle Ages, particularly among the nobility and upper classes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Stelle can be found in the 12th century French epic poem "Le Roman de la Rose," written by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. The poem features a character named Stelle, who is described as a beautiful and virtuous maiden.
In the 13th century, a French noblewoman named Stelle de Montfort was known for her involvement in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathar heretics in southern France. She was a staunch supporter of the Catholic Church and played a significant role in the events of that time.
During the Renaissance period, a notable bearer of the name was Stelle de Vauguyon, a French courtier and lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine de' Medici in the 16th century. She was known for her intelligence and wit, and was a prominent figure in the royal court of France.
In the 17th century, Stelle de Montpensier was a French noblewoman and author who wrote memoirs and historical accounts. Her work provided valuable insights into the life and culture of the French aristocracy during that era.
Another notable figure was Stelle d'Aubigné, a French writer and playwright who lived in the 17th century. She was known for her satirical works and her criticism of the French society and religious institutions of her time.
As the name Stelle spread across Europe, it also gained recognition in other countries. In the 19th century, Stelle von Rittberg was a German artist and painter who was renowned for her landscape and portrait paintings.
While these examples highlight some of the most notable individuals who bore the name Stelle throughout history, it is important to note that the name has been used across various cultures and time periods, each with its own unique stories and associations.
People
Stelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Stelle as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Stelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Stelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Stelle 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Stelle a common name?
We classify Stelle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 49 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Stelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Stelle was 1918, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Stelle is about 57 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Stelle in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Stelle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Stelle 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.
Is Stelle still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Stelle in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Stelle can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Stelle?
Find out how many Americans are named Stelle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.