Estel
Estel was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1898, when it ranked 1198th; the most babies were born in 1916 (23). More babies were named Estel in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Estelle) star · Occitan, French, Latin
- Rank in 2025
- Not rankedgirls
- Babies in 2025
- 0girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 191623 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,841babies recorded
What does the name Estel mean?
Estel is a spelling of Estelle, pronounced the same way, so it shares Estelle's meaning and origin.
Estelle is a French name that Wiktionary traces to Occitan estela, star, from Latin stella. Wiktionary notes it was the name of a third-century martyr, and that French étoile and Latin stella are related words. DMNES records the plain Latin form Stella as a medieval name. Estelle has been used in the US since records began in 1880. Estella is a Latin-looking variant, and Stella and Spanish Estrella come from the same Latin word.
estela (Occitan, “star”)stēlla (Latin, “star”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Estella, Stella, Estrella, Stelle.
See also: Latin names, names that mean sky, star, moon or sun.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Estelle' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Stella', DMNES (Durham University)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Estel popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | #5,746 | — | 6 |
| 1970 | — | #4,405 | — | 6 |
| 1960 | — | #1,997 | — | 17 |
| 1950 | #5,541 | #1,838 | 5 | 17 |
| 1940 | #3,302 | #1,255 | 8 | 29 |
| 1930 | #2,744 | #826 | 11 | 62 |
| 1920 | #2,030 | #750 | 19 | 77 |
| 1910 | #2,227 | #793 | 6 | 15 |
| 1900 | #2,026 | — | 5 | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Estel, counting every spelling?
Estel is a spelling of Estelle, a name family that ranked #577 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together. Together these spellings went to 523 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estelle | 523 | #573 | 2,168 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
Estel by state
How common Estel was among girls born in each state in 1914–1918, around its peak. In 50 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Estel: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Estel, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Estel
What does Estel mean?
Estel is a spelling of Estelle, which means “star” (Occitan, French, Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Estel?
Estel was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1898, when it ranked 1198th; the most babies were born in 1916 (23). More babies were named Estel in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Estel a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Estel in the US.
Where was Estel most popular?
In 1914–1918, Estel was most common in Texas (0.02 per 1,000 girls).