Fun Facts About the Name Star
- More than 8 thousand babies named Star: U.S. records list 8,430 babies given the name Star from 1880 through 2025. Even 157 boys received the name Star - about 1 boy for every 53 girls.
What Does the Name Star Mean?
Star is the English word for a celestial body: a luminous point seen in the night sky. The noun goes back to Old English steorra, which comes from Proto-Germanic *sterrōn and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root for "star" (*h₂stḗr-). That same ancient root is behind Latin stella, Greek astḗr, and Sanskrit tārā, but those are cognates in other branches of the language family, not the direct source of the English word.
As a personal name, Star is a word name: it carries the literal sense of the ordinary noun rather than translating a personal name from another language. Interpretations such as guidance, destiny, or fame are symbolic readings attached to the word over time, not part of its etymology.
Names in other languages that also mean "star," such as Spanish Estrella or French Étoile, descend separately from Latin stella. They share a distant root with English Star but are not its origin.
Star Name History & Origins
English word names drawn from ordinary vocabulary - flowers, virtues, and natural objects - appear in English-speaking communities from the 16th and 17th centuries onward and became more common in the 19th century. Star belongs to that tradition rather than to the inherited stock of Old English personal names, which largely fell out of use after the Norman Conquest. The given name is found in English-language records by the 19th century and is used mainly for girls, though it also occurs as a boy's name.
The related surname Starr is recorded in England in the Middle Ages and is generally traced to Middle English sterre, "star." Whether it began as a nickname, a house sign, or a place description is not settled. The given name and the surname developed on separate tracks.
The word's strong presence in Christian imagery - above all the Star of Bethlehem in the Gospel of Matthew, which guided the Magi - and in general English usage helped keep star familiar as a vocabulary item, but there is no documented evidence that any single religious or literary reference created the personal name. Star also appears in modern double names and as an occasional short form, and the spelling variant Starr is used for both surnames and given names.
How Popular is the Name Star?
Star recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1997. Its best rank was #897 in 1980.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,062 | 92 | 0.0057% |
| 2024 | #1,904 | 105 | 0.0065% |
| 2023 | #2,074 | 94 | 0.0059% |
| 2022 | #2,046 | 95 | 0.0058% |
| 2021 | #1,662 | 126 | 0.0077% |
| 2020 | #1,619 | 129 | 0.0080% |
| 2019 | #1,636 | 130 | 0.0077% |
| 2018 | #1,936 | 103 | 0.0061% |
| 2017 | #1,790 | 117 | 0.0068% |
| 2016 | #2,114 | 93 | 0.0052% |
| 2015 | #2,102 | 93 | 0.0052% |
| 2014 | #1,889 | 107 | 0.0060% |
| 2013 | #1,926 | 104 | 0.0059% |
| 2012 | #1,601 | 136 | 0.0077% |
| 2011 | #1,477 | 152 | 0.0086% |
| 2010 | #1,362 | 172 | 0.0097% |
| 2009 | #1,544 | 147 | 0.0080% |
| 2008 | #1,323 | 187 | 0.0099% |
| 2007 | #1,247 | 199 | 0.0104% |
| 2006 | #1,248 | 194 | 0.0102% |
| 2005 | #1,225 | 186 | 0.0101% |
| 2004 | #1,277 | 168 | 0.0091% |
| 2003 | #1,189 | 181 | 0.0099% |
| 2002 | #1,183 | 174 | 0.0097% |
| 2001 | #1,131 | 186 | 0.0103% |
| 2000 | #1,051 | 198 | 0.0109% |
| 1999 | #1,083 | 186 | 0.0105% |
| 1998 | #973 | 209 | 0.0118% |
| 1997 | #910 | 221 | 0.0127% |
| 1996 | #1,231 | 143 | 0.0082% |
| 1995 | #1,916 | 73 | 0.0042% |
| 1994 | #1,825 | 79 | 0.0044% |
| 1993 | #1,851 | 78 | 0.0043% |
| 1992 | #1,773 | 83 | 0.0045% |
| 1991 | #1,930 | 73 | 0.0039% |
| 1990 | #1,874 | 76 | 0.0040% |
| 1989 | #1,683 | 82 | 0.0044% |
| 1988 | #1,801 | 70 | 0.0039% |
| 1987 | #1,697 | 72 | 0.0041% |
| 1986 | #1,504 | 83 | 0.0048% |
| 1985 | #1,830 | 62 | 0.0036% |
| 1984 | #1,321 | 93 | 0.0055% |
| 1983 | #1,178 | 112 | 0.0067% |
| 1982 | #1,148 | 123 | 0.0073% |
| 1981 | #1,065 | 133 | 0.0080% |
| 1980 | #897 | 170 | 0.0102% |
| 1979 | #972 | 148 | 0.0092% |
| 1978 | #953 | 147 | 0.0096% |
| 1977 | #1,008 | 134 | 0.0087% |
| 1976 | #1,190 | 96 | 0.0066% |
| 1975 | #1,401 | 76 | 0.0052% |
| 1974 | #1,461 | 69 | 0.0047% |
| 1973 | #1,564 | 60 | 0.0041% |
| 1972 | #1,452 | 67 | 0.0044% |
| 1971 | #1,527 | 66 | 0.0040% |
| 1970 | #2,114 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1969 | #1,867 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 1968 | #1,701 | 48 | 0.0029% |
| 1967 | #1,639 | 49 | 0.0030% |
| 1966 | #1,585 | 51 | 0.0030% |
| 1965 | #1,738 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 1964 | #1,392 | 66 | 0.0035% |
| 1963 | #1,388 | 65 | 0.0034% |
| 1962 | #1,342 | 69 | 0.0035% |
| 1961 | #1,266 | 77 | 0.0038% |
| 1960 | #1,277 | 75 | 0.0037% |
| 1959 | #1,288 | 70 | 0.0035% |
| 1958 | #1,394 | 59 | 0.0029% |
| 1957 | #1,167 | 83 | 0.0041% |
| 1956 | #1,235 | 72 | 0.0036% |
| 1955 | #1,420 | 51 | 0.0026% |
| 1954 | #1,421 | 51 | 0.0026% |
| 1953 | #1,527 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 1952 | #1,504 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 1951 | #1,480 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1950 | #1,449 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1949 | #1,407 | 44 | 0.0026% |
| 1948 | #1,284 | 52 | 0.0031% |
| 1947 | #1,104 | 66 | 0.0037% |
| 1946 | #1,853 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 1945 | #2,141 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #2,089 | 18 | 0.0014% |
| 1943 | #2,338 | 16 | 0.0011% |
| 1942 | #2,529 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1941 | #2,375 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1940 | #3,822 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1939 | #2,899 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #3,806 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1937 | #2,916 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1936 | #2,501 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1932 | #5,004 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #5,165 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1926 | #4,255 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1922 | #2,753 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,825 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #13,904 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #13,812 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #8,127 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #10,612 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #13,919 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #13,778 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #10,695 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #12,072 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #10,182 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #9,493 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #8,864 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,739 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #6,625 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #7,191 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #4,536 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #5,416 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #7,165 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #5,957 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #4,984 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #5,748 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #5,903 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #5,784 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #5,648 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #4,440 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1919 | #4,722 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Star Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Star's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Star's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.