Arabella Girl

Popularity: #204 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: air-uh-BEL-uh //ˌær.əˈbɛl.ə//

Origin: Latin; Italian

Meaning: Latin: 'yielding to prayer'; Italian: 'beautiful altar'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Arabella has its roots in the Latin language, deriving from the elements "ara" meaning "altar" and "bella" meaning "beautiful." This etymological combination suggests a meaning akin to "beautiful altar" or "yielding to prayer." The name entered the English lexicon through the influence of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, as Latin and Old French names began to permeate the English language, particularly among the aristocracy and the educated classes. The name was likely popularized in England during the medieval period, where it was used in various forms across different regions.

Historically, Arabella appears in literature and notable figures from the 17th century onward. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name in England can be traced back to the 17th century, notably in the works of authors such as Sir William D'Avenant and John Milton.

The name gained further prominence through its association with the character Arabella in the 18th-century novel "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" by Laurence Sterne. Additionally, Arabella was borne by several notable figures, including Arabella Churchill, a mistress of King James II of England, who lived during the late 17th century.

Culturally, the name Arabella has been associated with notions of beauty and grace, often embodying the ideals of nobility and refinement. Its melodic sound and elegant connotation have allowed it to endure in various literary and artistic contexts.

The name has also inspired diminutive forms such as Bella, which carries its own connotations of beauty and has been widely used in various cultures. Overall, Arabella's historical and cultural significance reflects a blend of linguistic heritage and aristocratic lineage, contributing to its lasting appeal in the English-speaking world.

Famous people named Arabella

In this section, you will find notable people named Arabella. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Arabella who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Arabella who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Arabella Weir is a comedian and actress best known for The Fast Show, Two Doors Down, and her work on BBC Radio.

Fictional characters named Arabella

The following list of fictional characters named Arabella is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Arabella Figg is a fictional character from the book series Harry Potter. She is a Squib who provides crucial information to Harry Potter about the wizarding world and serves as a guardian figure during his childhood.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Arabella, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

IsabellaAnnabelleGabriellaMirabellaSamanthaJuliet

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Arabella. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

AmabellaMirabellaArabesqueAnabellaBellaAriellaSelahEliana

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Arabella was first seen in the United States in 1881.

Arabella has ranked as high as #388 nationally, which occurred in 2014, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Arabella has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Arabella is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Arabella was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Arabella.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 1,423 1,423
2024 1,482 1,482
2023 1,322 1,322
2022 1,314 1,314
2021 1,521 1,521
2020 1,439 1,439
2019 1,545 1,545
2018 1,706 1,706
2017 1,890 1,890
2016 1,748 1,748
2015 1,689 1,689
2014 1,914 1,914
2013 1,533 1,533
2012 1,315 1,315
2011 946 946
2010 834 834
2009 705 705
2008 467 467
2007 457 457
2006 447 447
2005 326 326
2004 215 215
2003 166 166
2002 138 138
2001 96 96
2000 91 91
1999 58 58
1998 68 68
1997 42 42
1996 25 25
1995 33 33
1994 20 20
1993 21 21
1992 16 16
1991 10 10
1990 12 12
1988 6 6
1986 6 6
1985 10 10
1983 7 7
1982 6 6
1981 10 10
1979 9 9
1978 6 6
1977 7 7
1976 6 6
1972 10 10
1971 9 9
1970 5 5
1969 6 6
1968 7 7
1967 11 11
1966 8 8
1965 7 7
1964 6 6
1963 7 7
1962 5 5
1961 6 6
1960 6 6
1958 7 7
1957 8 8
1956 7 7
1955 8 8
1954 8 8
1953 11 11
1952 11 11
1951 6 6
1950 6 6
1949 7 7
1948 9 9
1947 8 8
1946 6 6
1944 5 5
1943 7 7
1942 8 8
1941 6 6
1940 6 6
1939 9 9
1938 11 11
1937 8 8
1936 12 12
1935 10 10
1934 7 7
1933 9 9
1932 8 8
1931 13 13
1930 8 8
1929 14 14
1928 20 20
1927 10 10
1926 16 16
1925 16 16
1924 17 17
1923 16 16
1922 20 20
1921 15 15
1920 22 22
1919 22 22
1918 18 18
1917 19 19
1916 14 14
1915 21 21
1914 23 23
1913 16 16
1912 9 9
1911 14 14
1910 11 11
1909 8 8
1908 14 14
1907 7 7
1906 5 5
1905 9 9
1904 11 11
1903 8 8
1902 7 7
1901 9 9
1900 7 7
1899 8 8
1898 7 7
1897 6 6
1895 10 10
1894 9 9
1893 10 10
1892 6 6
1891 6 6
1888 12 12
1887 7 7
1886 6 6
1885 11 11
1884 5 5
1881 7 7

Top States for Arabella (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 208
14%
TX 208
14%
FL 98
7%
NY 59
4%
PA 57
4%
OH 53
4%
NC 46
3%
GA 45
3%
AZ 40
3%
VA 37
3%
IL 37
3%
MI 36
2%
WA 33
2%
IN 33
2%
MO 32
2%
TN 31
2%
CO 30
2%
NJ 28
2%
AL 25
2%
NV 24
2%
KY 23
2%
OK 23
2%
MA 20
1%
SC 20
1%
LA 19
1%
KS 18
1%
OR 16
1%
MD 15
1%
WI 14
1%
AR 14
1%
NM 14
1%
MS 11
1%
MN 11
1%
CT 11
1%
UT 11
1%
IA 10
1%
WV 9
1%
MT 8
1%
HI 8
1%
ME 8
1%
NE 7
0%
ID 7
0%