What does Mercedes mean?
Mercedes means “mercies,” from Our Lady of Mercy.
What does Estrella mean?
The Spanish word for 'star', from Latin 'stella'. Also associated with the Marian title Nuestra Señora de la Estrella (Our Lady of the Star).
Mercedes vs Estrella
Which is more popular?
Mercedes is more popular than Estrella today: about 150 US babies were given the name Mercedes in 2025, compared with 0 named Estrella.
| Mercedes | Estrella | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Mercies | Star |
| Origin | Spanish | spanish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | mer-SEH-dess | es-TREH-yah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 0 |
| Peak year | 1991 (1,798) | 2005 (1,105) |
| In 2025 | 150 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Mercedes
Estrella
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Mercedes | Estrella |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,025 | 2,577 |
| 2010s | 2,950 | 4,404 |
| 2000s | 8,454 | 6,587 |
| 1990s | 15,291 | 1,810 |
| 1980s | 4,410 | 737 |
| 1970s | 1,985 | 309 |
| 1960s | 1,699 | 120 |
| 1950s | 1,741 | 116 |
| 1940s | 1,368 | 46 |
| 1930s | 1,858 | 33 |
| 1920s | 2,828 | 41 |
| 1910s | 1,767 | 19 |
| 1900s | 530 | 0 |
| 1890s | 226 | 0 |
| 1880s | 74 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Mercedes or Estrella more popular?
Mercedes is more popular than Estrella today: about 150 US babies were given the name Mercedes in 2025, compared with 0 named Estrella.
What is the difference between Mercedes and Estrella?
Mercedes means Mercies (Spanish origin), while Estrella means Star (spanish origin).
Which name is older, Mercedes or Estrella?
In US records, Mercedes first appears in 1880 and Estrella in 0, so Estrella has the longer recorded history.