Novella Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: noh-VEL-uh /nəˈvɛlə/
Origin: Latin; Italian
Meaning: Latin: new; Italian: a short novel
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Novella has its roots in the Latin word "novella," which means "new" or "a new thing." This term is derived from the Latin adjective "novus," meaning "new." The transition of the name into English occurred through the influence of Italian, where "novella" refers to a short story or tale, particularly in the context of the literary tradition established during the Renaissance. The term gained prominence in the 14th century, particularly with Giovanni Boccaccio's "Decameron," which is a collection of novellas that significantly impacted European literature.
Historically, the name Novella has been associated with various cultural and literary figures. In the 19th century, it became more widely recognized due to its use in literature and the arts, often symbolizing freshness and innovation.
The name has been borne by several notable individuals, including Novella Carpenter, an American author known for her works on urban farming, which reflects the name's connotation of newness and creativity. Additionally, the name has been used in various artistic contexts, including operas and plays, further embedding it in cultural history.
Culturally, Novella carries connotations of renewal and storytelling, making it a fitting choice for characters in literature and art. The name's association with narrative forms underscores its significance in the literary canon, where it evokes the idea of fresh perspectives and new beginnings.
While diminutive forms such as "Novi" may exist, the name Novella itself remains a distinct and evocative choice, resonating with themes of innovation and creativity throughout its historical usage.
Famous people named Novella
In this section, you will find notable people named Novella. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Novella who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Novella who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Novella Carpenter is an author best known for Farm City, The Essential Urban Farmer, and The Art of Eating In.
Novella Royale is a fashion designer best known for her vintage-inspired clothing and accessories.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Novella, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Novella. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Novella was first seen in the United States in 1882.
Novella has ranked as high as #726 nationally, which occurred in 1923, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama.
In the past 5 years the name Novella has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Novella is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Novella was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Novella (2023)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TN | 10 | |
| TX | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Novella.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 44 |
| 2023 | 64 |
| 2022 | 58 |
| 2021 | 51 |
| 2020 | 47 |
| 2019 | 66 |
| 2018 | 53 |
| 2017 | 49 |
| 2016 | 41 |
| 2015 | 35 |
| 2014 | 47 |
| 2013 | 26 |
| 2012 | 28 |
| 2011 | 33 |
| 2010 | 27 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2007 | 19 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2000 | 7 |
| 1999 | 8 |
| 1998 | 9 |
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1996 | 8 |
| 1994 | 6 |
| 1993 | 8 |
| 1992 | 13 |
| 1991 | 7 |
| 1990 | 7 |
| 1989 | 9 |
| 1987 | 10 |
| 1986 | 7 |
| 1985 | 13 |
| 1984 | 12 |
| 1983 | 11 |
| 1982 | 17 |
| 1981 | 6 |
| 1980 | 14 |
| 1979 | 12 |
| 1978 | 13 |
| 1977 | 12 |
| 1976 | 12 |
| 1975 | 10 |
| 1974 | 14 |
| 1973 | 24 |
| 1972 | 30 |
| 1971 | 32 |
| 1970 | 19 |
| 1969 | 30 |
| 1968 | 30 |
| 1967 | 34 |
| 1966 | 25 |
| 1965 | 28 |
| 1964 | 36 |
| 1963 | 33 |
| 1962 | 34 |
| 1961 | 38 |
| 1960 | 41 |
| 1959 | 43 |
| 1958 | 41 |
| 1957 | 43 |
| 1956 | 39 |
| 1955 | 51 |
| 1954 | 57 |
| 1953 | 40 |
| 1952 | 36 |
| 1951 | 53 |
| 1950 | 41 |
| 1949 | 49 |
| 1948 | 60 |
| 1947 | 52 |
| 1946 | 55 |
| 1945 | 57 |
| 1944 | 53 |
| 1943 | 58 |
| 1942 | 71 |
| 1941 | 74 |
| 1940 | 67 |
| 1939 | 88 |
| 1938 | 78 |
| 1937 | 72 |
| 1936 | 77 |
| 1935 | 69 |
| 1934 | 80 |
| 1933 | 94 |
| 1932 | 108 |
| 1931 | 90 |
| 1930 | 101 |
| 1929 | 111 |
| 1928 | 100 |
| 1927 | 126 |
| 1926 | 118 |
| 1925 | 124 |
| 1924 | 148 |
| 1923 | 186 |
| 1922 | 143 |
| 1921 | 140 |
| 1920 | 118 |
| 1919 | 146 |
| 1918 | 107 |
| 1917 | 123 |
| 1916 | 107 |
| 1915 | 113 |
| 1914 | 88 |
| 1913 | 70 |
| 1912 | 73 |
| 1911 | 63 |
| 1910 | 49 |
| 1909 | 42 |
| 1908 | 42 |
| 1907 | 40 |
| 1906 | 43 |
| 1905 | 47 |
| 1904 | 37 |
| 1903 | 32 |
| 1902 | 20 |
| 1901 | 28 |
| 1900 | 35 |
| 1899 | 19 |
| 1898 | 20 |
| 1897 | 21 |
| 1896 | 21 |
| 1895 | 19 |
| 1894 | 14 |
| 1893 | 12 |
| 1892 | 17 |
| 1891 | 13 |
| 1890 | 7 |
| 1889 | 14 |
| 1888 | 12 |
| 1887 | 8 |
| 1886 | 9 |
| 1885 | 8 |
| 1883 | 6 |
| 1882 | 6 |