Matt Damon Baby Name Contest: And the winner is…

The Nameberry Matt Damon Baby Name Contest came to a close just before Stella Zavala was born on Sunday, joining sisters Alexia, Isabella and Gia.

Almost 250 responses poured in, entering what seemed like just about every a-ending Latinate girl’s name from Adriana and Ariana to Verona and Viviana.

But one entrant came up with Stella, and that was Stephanie Bailey.  Congratulations, Stephanie–your signed set of our books is headed for the mail!

Stella is currently #126 on the popularity list, and has been rising steadily since it reappeared on the list in 1998, in the wake of Ella, Bella and Isabella.  In our recent tally, Stella was #1 among starbabies, used by such celebs as Tori Spelling and Ellen Pompeo

As for our winner, Stephanie, 30, works as a program analyst for the California State Energy Commission.  Long name obsessed, she has a daughter named Savannah Harper–the second name  in honor of the author of one of Stephanie‘s favorite books and Ben Harper, who wrote “our song.”

Again, congrats to Stephanie and thanks to all the rest of you who entered!