Capella
Capella is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Auriga. It has the Bayer designation α Aurigae, which is Latinised to Alpha Aurigae and abbreviated Alpha Aur or α Aur. Capella is the sixth-brightest star in the night sky, and the third-brightest in the northern celestial hemisphere after Arcturus and Vega.
Meaning & Origin of Capella
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Capella is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Auriga. It has the Bayer designation α Aurigae, which is Latinised to Alpha Aurigae and abbreviated Alpha Aur or α Aur. Capella is the sixth-brightest star in the night sky, and the third-brightest in the northern celestial hemisphere after Arcturus and Vega.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Capella
Capella first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2015, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 5 Capellas were born — ranking #16,416 that year. As of 2026, Capella ranks #16,416 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Capellas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Capella
Phonetically similar names — useful when Capella is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Cappella
- Cupola
- Capello
- Capelli
- Kabila
- Capilla
- Kapila
- Acapella
- Kabbalah
- Coppola
- Kabala
- Cabello
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Capella
What does the name Capella mean?
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About the name Capella
Capella is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2015 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Capella's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #16,416. Use the chart and map above to compare Capella's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.