Estella
Meaning of Estella
Estella, pronounced softly as es-TEL-uh, drifts into the nursery like a silver-white firefly over a Tuscan vineyard at dusk, her Latin roots gleaming in every syllable—she is born of “stella,” the word for star, and thus carries in her small palms the entire night sky, from the faint brush of the Milky Way to the bold flourish of Venus at twilight; yet this celestial heritage is tempered by centuries of European romance, from medieval Spain to Renaissance Italy, where poets laced sonnets with her sparkle and opera composers bestowed the name on sopranos destined to bring down velvet curtains with brava thunder. Dickens set an unforgettable Estella in the candlelit halls of Great Expectations, giving the name a mysterious magnetism—prickly at first touch, yet ultimately tender—while gardeners still favor the Estella Rijnveld tulip, a red-and-cream bloom that opens like a painted fan at Carnival time, an apt botanical emblem for any little girl who will one day unfold her own dazzling colors. Though Estella’s voyage through American popularity charts has risen and dipped like gentle Adriatic waves for more than a century, her recent shimmer upward suggests parents are again looking skyward, charmed by a name that feels both antique and electric. In short, Estella is a warm, moonlit aria—traditional enough to wear pearls at a family wedding, whimsical enough to chase fireflies barefoot, and bright enough to guide her bearer, always, by the compass of the stars.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as es-TEL-uh (/ɛs.ˈtɛ.lə/)
British English
- Pronunced as es-TEL-uh (/ɪs.ˈtɛ.lə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Estella
| Estella Atekwana is a distinguished geophysicist and academic leader, elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. |
| Estella Dawn Warren is a Canadian actress, fashion model, and former synchronized swimmer who won three national titles and has modeled for brands like Victoria's Secret. |
| Estella Marie Thompson, known as Divine Brown, is a former sex worker who gained fame in 1995 after a public incident with Hugh Grant and has remained visible through media appearances. |
| Estella Terry Weeks was an American educator, statistician, and researcher who studied post-World War I reconstruction and the Shakers religious sect. |
