stella

Stella is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from the word stella, meaning star. In Latin, stella is a noun for a celestial body, and the name has been adopted in various cultures as a symbol of brightness and guidance.

As a personal name, Stella has seen broad usage in Europe and the English-speaking world, with its popularity rising in the 19th and 20th centuries and continuing in many countries today. It appears in many languages with little change and is occasionally used as a surname as well.

Notable people named Stella include Stella Adler, an American actress and acting teacher; Stella McCartney, a British fashion designer; Stella Tennant, a Scottish model; and Stella Stevens, an American actress. In fiction, Stella Kowalski is a central character in Tennessee Williams’s play A Streetcar Named Desire, and Stella Payne is the heroine of How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

Other common references to Stella include Stella Artois, a well-known Belgian beer brand, and the use of stella as the Latin root word for star in scientific and literary contexts. The name has inspired various fictional characters and cultural works beyond these examples.

See also: Stella (name); Stellar.