Nella is an Italian short form of names such as Antonella and Petronella and is also used as a diminutive of Eleanor, so it borrows their meanings of "priceless" and "rock". Novelist Nella Larsen of the Harlem Renaissance is its most notable American bearer. In the United States Nella is a quiet vintage choice that peaked at number 2291 in 2018 and ranks at number 2852 in 2025.