Ella, Stella, What Next?
Plus real-life wild word names
“Ella” names to watch
Ella, Bella, and Stella are glorious, but a little past their peak popularity.
What comes next? Step in, Della!
Olympic skater Michelle Kwan recently welcomed a daughter named Della Rose, a sister to the equally lovely Kalista Belle. This unsung hero of the “Ella” names is on my watchlist, as I’m sure more parents will turn to it as a distinctive alternative to more popular options.
If your style is even rarer, how about Zella or Nella, or something longer like Marcella? (Though we’d steer clear of Drella, aka the grumpy harpist in Gilmore Girls).
Shout out your favourites below ⬇️
Has everyone been reading our Wild Word Names newsletter?
…because the original word names just keep coming.
Anthem for a music-loving family.
Champion for a surprise arrival.
Rye for a country music couple who got married in a field.
And… was a baby really named Random Chaos? Part of me wonders if it’s a joke online nickname, but stranger things have happened.
Family weighing in on your baby name?
You’re not alone. It may be reassuring to know that even celebrities aren’t immune to family members questioning their name choices — as per Scarlett Johansson’s mother-in-law not getting Cosmo, and Laura Bush suggesting her granddaughter’s nickname, Mila, be spelled differently for the benefit of the folks at home in Texas.
Speaking of Cosmo…
I’m rounding up the names from the UK’s Telegraph newspaper birth announcements, ready to publish soon. There is indeed a Cosmo there this year, not to mention at least three baby girls named Cosima. Is anyone surprised?
Other repeat appearances include a genteel Arthurian name, a cuddly rockstar nickname, and an evergreen girl name from ancient Greece.
Seasonal baby names
Holidays are coming, and we’ve got you covered for Hanukkah names, Christmas names, and winter names of all kinds!🌲
I've been keeping track of the Telegraph names and have been surprised (but also not) by the Cosimas 😅😅
Random Chaos is (or could be) a choice....and yet, 135 babies have been called Random since the 70s in the US, so I kind of believe someone might 🤷
Love Della and Nella - also Estella (definitely a different vibe to Stella), Mozella, Noella, Mirabella and Luella for something longer. And I did meet a Gisella recently which has grown on me slightly :)
To me, Anthem reads much more political than musical! Shades of Ayn Rand.
I have found Ella boring for twenty plus years, and Bella and Stella have followed in those footsteps, but I do like Della. It's pretty and a little pastoral, and I like to picture her hanging out with little Luella in a meadow somewhere.