| Stella | Lucy | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Star | Light |
| Origin | latin | Latin |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | STEL-uh | LOO-see |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2018 (5,164) | 2025 (6,176) |
| In 2025 | 4,136 | 6,176 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Stella | Lucy |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 27,117 | 29,759 |
| 2010s | 44,225 | 42,024 |
| 2000s | 11,843 | 19,399 |
| 1990s | 1,798 | 6,090 |
| 1980s | 1,867 | 4,727 |
| 1970s | 2,563 | 3,700 |
| 1960s | 4,957 | 8,671 |
| 1950s | 8,591 | 13,644 |
| 1940s | 11,363 | 13,128 |
| 1930s | 11,206 | 16,413 |
| 1920s | 25,899 | 27,434 |
| 1910s | 28,526 | 23,117 |
| 1900s | 11,014 | 11,020 |
| 1890s | 9,807 | 10,323 |
| 1880s | 6,130 | 7,520 |
Directly from the Latin word 'stella' meaning 'star'. It is the clearest, least disputed star name, used in Latin literature and revived in English since the Renaissance (notably by Sir Philip Sidney).
From the Latin lux, “light.” Saint Lucy is associated with light and sight.
Lucy is more popular than Stella today: about 6,176 US babies were given the name Lucy in 2025, compared with 4,136 named Stella.
Stella means Star (latin origin), while Lucy means Light (Latin origin).
In US records, Stella first appears in 1880 and Lucy in 1880, so Stella has the longer recorded history.