Bella Name Meaning

Soft and sweet, Bella has been winning over parents with her fabulous meaning of “beautiful one.” Used as a nickname for longer names like Isabella and Arabella, Bella has stepped out of their shadows and into the spotlight in recent years.

Bella was relatively rare in the States before jetting to the top of the charts in the early 2000s. Her rise to fame can be attributed to Bella Swan, the main character of the best-selling young adult novel Twilight that was roaring in popularity at the time of her climb. While she’s never hit the top ten, she’s more common than one might think, as she’s a preferred nickname of all the -bella names.

Despite her popularity, Bella is a wonderful choice for a little one, a feminine moniker with endless potential. She’s today’s Betty, wearing well on any little girl whether she’s a pampered princess or artistic all-star. As she grows her Italian roots give her a subtle romantic feel, bringing to mind vineyards and moonlit gondola rides. This touch of exotic coloring gives her an invaluable edge above the competition.

Belle is a French variant of the name. Bella can also be a shortened form of Bellatrix or Belinda.

Infographic of Bella name meaning, which is An Italian name, Bella means beautiful one.
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Bella Name Popularity

How popular is the name Bella? Here’s everything we know.

  • In 2018 Bella was the 48th most popular girls name, representing 0.3282% of girl births in the U.S.

  • Since 1910 Bella has been the 470th most popular girls name, representing 0.0391% of girl births in the U.S.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 404 59 0.0168%
1911 404 59 0.0158%
1912 423 82 0.0163%
1913 445 81 0.0143%
1914 405 128 0.0184%
1915 466 129 0.0142%
1916 428 171 0.0177%
1917 423 181 0.0181%
1918 409 212 0.0198%
1919 434 189 0.018%
1920 486 156 0.014%
1921 506 148 0.0129%
1922 503 147 0.0132%
1923 535 132 0.0118%
1924 612 106 0.0091%
1925 614 98 0.0087%
1926 729 61 0.0055%
1927 718 61 0.0055%
1928 834 39 0.0036%
1929 733 55 0.0053%
1930 818 40 0.0038%
1931 969 21 0.0021%
1932 915 25 0.0025%
1933 1,048 16 0.0017%
1934 1,061 15 0.0016%
1935 1,586 5 0.0005%
1936 1,273 8 0.0008%
1937 1,210 10 0.001%
1938 — 0 0%
1939 1,207 11 0.0011%
1940 1,396 6 0.0006%
1941 1,680 5 0.0004%
1942 — 0 0%
1943 — 0 0%
1944 — 0 0%
1945 — 0 0%
1946 1,581 6 0.0004%
1947 1,443 12 0.0007%
1948 1,649 7 0.0004%
1949 1,564 8 0.0005%
1950 1,639 7 0.0004%
1951 1,673 7 0.0004%
1952 1,644 8 0.0005%
1953 1,360 17 0.001%
1954 1,854 6 0.0003%
1955 1,464 16 0.0009%
1956 1,855 7 0.0004%
1957 2,227 5 0.0003%
1958 1,910 7 0.0004%
1959 — 0 0%
1960 1,875 8 0.0004%
1961 — 0 0%
1962 2,049 6 0.0003%
1963 2,166 5 0.0003%
1964 — 0 0%
1965 1,780 11 0.0007%
1966 2,008 7 0.0004%
1967 — 0 0%
1968 1,858 11 0.0007%
1969 2,292 6 0.0004%
1970 2,198 8 0.0005%
1971 — 0 0%
1972 2,556 5 0.0004%
1973 1,862 13 0.001%
1974 2,333 6 0.0005%
1975 1,697 20 0.0016%
1976 2,270 7 0.0005%
1977 2,376 7 0.0005%
1978 2,363 8 0.0006%
1979 2,215 11 0.0008%
1980 2,474 8 0.0005%
1981 2,648 7 0.0005%
1982 2,598 7 0.0005%
1983 2,191 12 0.0008%
1984 2,210 13 0.0009%
1985 2,461 10 0.0007%
1986 — 0 0%
1987 2,818 7 0.0005%
1988 2,270 15 0.001%
1989 2,512 14 0.0009%
1990 2,477 15 0.0009%
1991 1,955 29 0.0018%
1992 2,425 17 0.0011%
1993 1,875 33 0.0021%
1994 1,746 39 0.0025%
1995 1,282 80 0.0053%
1996 1,524 55 0.0037%
1997 1,585 52 0.0035%
1998 1,192 104 0.0069%
1999 1,086 131 0.0087%
2000 776 245 0.016%
2001 633 354 0.0235%
2002 426 653 0.0436%
2003 321 941 0.0619%
2004 257 1,226 0.0804%
2005 208 1,652 0.108%
2006 180 1,938 0.1238%
2007 159 2,235 0.1417%
2008 121 2,780 0.1799%
2009 58 4,532 0.3032%
2010 48 5,118 0.3552%
2011 60 4,264 0.2993%
2012 54 4,345 0.3049%
2013 58 4,172 0.293%
2014 70 4,082 0.2802%
2015 74 3,785 0.2601%
2016 78 3,640 0.2525%
2017 50 4,605 0.33%
2018 48 4,509 0.3282%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Bella

If you like Bella, you’ll love these other names like Bella.

What names are diminutives of Bella?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Bella sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Bella, but shorter.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Bel

Prayerful; beautiful; God's promise

Latin

Bell

“The beautiful,” from the French belle, beautiful.

Hebrew

Belle

Beautiful

French

#863 (0.0171%)  

What names are variants of Bella?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Bella.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Annabella

He (God) has favored me

Hebrew

#553 (0.0349%)  
Arabella

Answered prayer

Latin

#169 (0.1213%)  
Bellissa

Beautiful

Latin

Claribel

Bright; beautiful

English

Elizabeth

God is my oath

Hebrew

#13 (0.6196%)  
Isabella

Devoted to God

Italian

#4 (1.0528%)  
Labella

Beautiful

Latin

Mirabella

Wonderful

Latin

#2,908 (0.0005%)  

What names sound like Bella?

If you like how Bella sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Bella.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Belia

God's promise

Hebrew

Beula

Bride

Hebrew

Billa

Will helmet, protection

German

Ella

Other goddess

Hebrew

#15 (0.5863%)  
Nell

Horn; sun ray, shining light

Latin

#2,397 (0.0012%)  
Nellie

Horn; sun ray, shining light

Latin

#972 (0.0136%)  
Pella

Rock

Greek

Stella

Celestial star

Latin

#38 (0.3727%)  

What names are similar to Bella?

Find a name that’s like Bella, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Emma

Whole or universal

German

#1 (1.3602%)  
Gracie

Graceful

English

#187 (0.1127%)  
Holly

The holly tree

English

#482 (0.0419%)  
Layla

Night

Arabic

#27 (0.4701%)  
Lilah

Night

Arabic

#280 (0.0815%)  
Mia

Dear

Scandinavian

#7 (0.9202%)  
Molly

Of the sea

English

#152 (0.1296%)  
Olivia

Olive tree

Latin

#2 (1.3044%)  
Sadie

Princess

Hebrew

#87 (0.2363%)  
Sophia

Wisdom

Greek

#5 (1.0138%)  

Lists With Bella

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Bella.

Siblings of Bella

Mamas with kids named Bella also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Jace

To heal

American

#90 (0.3105%)  
Emylee

Rival; laborious; eager

Latin

Reagan

Descendent of Riagan

Irish

#106 (0.2034%)  

11 Comments

  1. We chose the name Bella for a few different reasons. The main reason is my name is Rebecca and starts with an “R” but I go by the name “Becca” for short and my other daughters name started with an “R”, so decided first I wanted a “B” name second (Bella) means: [ Beautiful ] in Spanish and its also very similar to my name if you change the C’s into L’s. Also I was in my late 20s when the ” Twilight” series came out in movies and I fell in love with them immediately and really liked the main girls name “Bella” and kind of wished thought then if I had the chance to have another daughter that would be it!

    Reply

  2. I just loved the name

    Reply

  3. Because it means beautiful.

    Reply

  4. Our 6 year old named her

    Reply

  5. Our baby girl’s name is Bella Reece. When we found out we were expecting, we already had an idea on names. I knew if the baby was going to be a girl I wanted her middle name to be Reece. Her daddy literaly woke up one day and said “I like the name Bella”. And we knew then that’s was her name.

    Reply

  6. My first borns name was supposed to be renesme but my grandma said if I named her that she’d never speak to me again. And she said that as my girl was crowning about to come out. So quick thinking her name came to be Bella Lynn. Bella came from my little cousins Nick name off of beauty and the beast Belle and Lynn came from my mom’s middle name.

    Reply

  7. My husband chose her first name as Bella because we live in Georgia and he is as southern as it gets and when I asked why Bella he said because we live in the south so instead of southern belle she can be our southern Bella. I love her name her first and middle is special to us Bella because she is mine and my husbands first child and her middle name is Rae after my uncle passed away.

    Reply

  8. My Dad names me Bella

    Reply

  9. We hope she displays the beauty and joy of God.

    Reply

  10. We pray she appreciates and reflects the beauty of God! (Bella means ‘beautiful.’)

    Reply

  11. I was going for the letter B n Bella just came to me n I stuck with it not to many name start with a b is pretty so when I thought about Bella a said o yea a pretty name for a pretty girl Bella is my second born she got her looks from her dad in sister but of course ended up with my attitude n if she anything like her big sister Brielle witch is 3 she gonna be a sassy lil thing but I adore my lil ones in very much great full for them

    Reply

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