Vella
A feminine name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful".
Name Census estimates that about 663 living Americans carry the first name Vella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Vella today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vella births was 1915 (53 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vella. 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
663
~ 1 in 516,975 Americans
Peak year
1915
53 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,268
Tracked since 1882
Popularity
Vella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vella from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 410 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vella 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 Vella during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vellas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky recorded the most babies named Vella, while North Carolina, Kansas, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 18 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vella
The name Vella has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "vella," which means "wave" or "surge." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have been initially associated with the ocean or bodies of water.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Vella can be found in ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and the Upanishads. In these sacred scriptures, the name is mentioned in connection with various deities and mythological figures associated with water and fertility. It is also believed that the name held spiritual significance in ancient Indian cultures, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life and the ebb and flow of existence.
During the medieval period, the name Vella gained popularity in certain regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in areas where Sanskrit-based languages were spoken. Historical records from this era mention individuals bearing the name Vella, although their exact identities and roles remain obscure.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Vella Pillai emerged as a prominent military commander and diplomat in the Tamil region of southern India. He played a crucial role in the conflicts between the Vijayanagar Empire and the Deccan Sultanates, and his exploits are documented in various historical accounts from that time.
Another individual named Vella Mudaliar, who lived in the 18th century, was a renowned philanthropist and social reformer in the Tamil region. He is credited with establishing several educational institutions and promoting the welfare of underprivileged communities.
In the realm of literature, a notable poet named Vella Venkataramana Sastri, who lived in the 19th century, gained recognition for his contributions to Telugu poetry. His works explored themes of love, spirituality, and nature, and he is considered a prominent figure in the literary traditions of the Telugu-speaking regions.
While the name Vella has its roots in ancient Sanskrit and Indian cultures, it has also found its way into other linguistic and cultural contexts over time. However, its historical significance and associations with water, spirituality, and cultural traditions remain deeply rooted in its Indian origins.
People
Vella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vella as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Vella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 663 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vella 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 516,975 US residents.
Is Vella a common name?
We classify Vella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,255 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vella most popular?
The single biggest year for Vella was 1915, when 53 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vella is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vella 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.