girl's name
Bella
BEL-la (English)
- Origin Italian
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 106,545
the United States
#136
2025 births
Bella is a girl's name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful." It is also a pet form of Isabella and Annabella, which have nothing to do with beauty — so its meaning depends on whether it stands alone or stands in.
- Bella is a name of Italian origin.
- Peaked in 2010, when 5,144 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,557 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Bella Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 242 |
| 1890s | 431 |
| 1900s | 555 |
| 1910s | 1,576 |
| 1920s | 1,349 |
| 1930s | 363 |
| 1940s | 235 |
| 1950s | 305 |
| 1960s | 227 |
| 1970s | 236 |
| 1980s | 195 |
| 1990s | 854 |
| 2000s | 16,838 |
| 2010s | 43,253 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 17,107 |
What Bella Means
Bella means beautiful when taken from the Italian bella. As a short form of Isabella it inherits God is my oath instead, and as a short form of Annabella it inherits grace.
Where Bella Comes From
Bella is the Italian and Spanish bella, beautiful, from the Latin bellus. Its other life is as a diminutive: Isabella descends from the Hebrew Elisheva, God is my oath, and Annabella from Anna, grace — neither has any connection to beauty, and the resemblance is coincidence. The name's modern surge is traceable to a single source: Bella Swan of the Twilight novels, published from 2005, whose name Stephenie Meyer chose precisely for the beauty reading. Birth records show the name climbing sharply from that point.
Bella in Use
Birth records show Bella stable, peaking in 2010 — two years after the first Twilight film — at 91 in England and Wales. It first appears in birth records in 1880, so the name long predates the novels; what they supplied was the reason for its modern peak, and birth records date that peak precisely.
How Popular Is Bella?
In 2025, Bella was given to 2,129 babies in the United States, ranking #136 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Bella Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Bella Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Bélla | Bélla is a rare spelling of Bella, written with an acute accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Bella
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Bella Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Bella over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Bella
- English BEL-la /ˈbɛlə/
1 nickname for Bella
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Bella in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Bella
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Bella — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Bella
What does the name Bella mean?
Bella means "beautiful" from the Italian. As a short form of Isabella it means "God is my oath" instead.
Is Bella short for Isabella?
It can be, and for Annabella — but it is now overwhelmingly registered as a name in its own right.
Did Twilight make Bella popular?
Birth records show it peaking in 2010, two years after the first film. The name itself dates back to 1880 on record.
Is Bella a girl's or a boy's name?
Bella is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Bella?
Bella has 2 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Bella?
Bella is usually shortened to Belle.
Is Bella a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Bella currently ranks #82 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.