Novella Girl

Popularity: #879 · Trend: ↗ Rising

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.

NoraViolaClaraElenaLilaSofia

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.

NinaNovaNolaNerinaSelenaIsabellaAmaraMirella

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Novella was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Novella has ranked as high as #943 nationally, which occurred in 1923, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky.

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.

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 Total Births Girl
2025 69 69
2024 44 44
2023 64 64
2022 58 58
2021 51 51
2020 47 47
2019 66 66
2018 53 53
2017 49 49
2016 41 41
2015 35 35
2014 47 47
2013 26 26
2012 28 28
2011 33 33
2010 27 27
2009 25 25
2008 28 28
2007 19 19
2005 6 6
2004 7 7
2003 6 6
2002 9 9
2001 7 7
2000 7 7
1999 8 8
1998 9 9
1997 6 6
1996 8 8
1994 6 6
1993 8 8
1992 13 13
1991 7 7
1990 7 7
1989 9 9
1987 10 10
1986 7 7
1985 13 13
1984 12 12
1983 11 11
1982 17 17
1981 6 6
1980 14 14
1979 12 12
1978 13 13
1977 12 12
1976 12 12
1975 10 10
1974 14 14
1973 24 24
1972 30 30
1971 32 32
1970 19 19
1969 30 30
1968 30 30
1967 34 34
1966 25 25
1965 28 28
1964 36 36
1963 33 33
1962 35 35
1961 37 37
1960 41 41
1959 43 43
1958 41 41
1957 43 43
1956 39 39
1955 51 51
1954 57 57
1953 40 40
1952 36 36
1951 53 53
1950 41 41
1949 49 49
1948 60 60
1947 52 52
1946 55 55
1945 57 57
1944 53 53
1943 58 58
1942 71 71
1941 74 74
1940 67 67
1939 88 88
1938 78 78
1937 72 72
1936 77 77
1935 69 69
1934 80 80
1933 94 94
1932 108 108
1931 90 90
1930 101 101
1929 111 111
1928 100 100
1927 126 126
1926 118 118
1925 124 124
1924 148 148
1923 186 186
1922 143 143
1921 140 140
1920 118 118
1919 146 146
1918 107 107
1917 123 123
1916 107 107
1915 113 113
1914 88 88
1913 70 70
1912 73 73
1911 63 63
1910 49 49
1909 42 42
1908 42 42
1907 40 40
1906 43 43
1905 47 47
1904 37 37
1903 32 32
1902 20 20
1901 28 28
1900 35 35
1899 19 19
1898 20 20
1897 21 21
1896 21 21
1895 19 19
1894 14 14
1893 12 12
1892 17 17
1891 13 13
1890 7 7
1889 14 14
1888 12 12
1887 8 8
1886 9 9
1885 8 8
1883 6 6
1882 6 6

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TN 10
63%
TX 6
38%