E. Rossoni proposes two hypotheses for this surname. The first links it to a nickname related to the presence of a stele —a column, in Greek— at the place of residence of the founding family, or to some episode in the founder's life associated with that term. The second suggests that the surname may derive directly from the homonymous place name located in the Reggio Calabria area. Rossoni documents its presence in Sant'Andrea Apostolo dello Ionio and in the Catanzaro area, in Rende within the Cosenza area, and in Crotone.

P. Durante agrees on the Greek origin of the term, pointing to the word stylos, meaning "column", as the etymon.