Given name
Luella
“a famous warrior”
Luella is a variant of Louise. In German use, Louise carries the interpretation “a famous warrior.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Luella is a variant of Louise. In German use, Louise carries the interpretation “a famous warrior.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Luella is used as a spelling variant of Louella.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Luella through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 32,621
- 16 boys · 32,605 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 949 babies
- 2025
- 349
- #780 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +15%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 349 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 780 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 14.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 949 in 1918. In 2025, Minnesota had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (27). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,137 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Luella’s family of names
Luella has a related form in Louise. Luella has an alternative spelling in Louella. In English usage, Luella has a related form in Louella.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Luella
- Luella MinerAmerican educator, missionary in China1861–1935
- Luella Dowd SmithAmerican author (1847–1941)
- Luella Gearactor (1897-1980)
- Ella Hudson DayAmerican composer (1876-1951)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Luella, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Della
“born of the nobility”
>99% girls
Leona
“having the strength of a lion” · “resembling a lion”
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Lottie
“a small, strong woman” · “free man”
>99% girls
Ila
“of the earth” · “from the island”
>99% girls
Carmela
“garden” · “of the fruitful orchard”
>99% girls
Alma
“one who is nurturing and kind” · “refers to the soul”
1% boys · 99% girls
Lennie
“having the strength of a lion”
12% boys · 88% girls
Odessa
“one who wanders; an angry woman”
>99% girls