Belah Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BEH-lah //ˈbɛlɑː//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: God is my vow (Hebrew); beautiful (English)
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Belah has its roots in Hebrew, derived from the word "בֵּלַע" (Bela), which means "to swallow" or "to consume." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis, where Bela is mentioned as a son of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The name's transition into English occurred through the Latin transliteration of Hebrew texts, particularly during the medieval period when biblical names were adopted into various European languages, including Old French and Middle English, as translations of the Bible became more widespread.
Historically, Belah is associated with significant biblical narratives, particularly in the context of the genealogies of the tribes of Israel. The mention of Bela in Genesis, which dates back to the 6th century BCE, highlights the name's ancient origins and its connection to the foundational stories of Jewish identity.
The name also appears in various forms in other historical texts and translations, reinforcing its presence in religious and cultural contexts throughout the centuries. Culturally, the name Belah carries connotations of strength and resilience, reflective of its biblical roots.
Names derived from Hebrew often hold significant meaning and are imbued with a sense of heritage and tradition. The name's association with the tribe of Benjamin, known for its warriors and leaders, adds to its historical resonance.
While diminutive forms or variations may exist, such as Bella, the name Belah itself remains a distinct representation of its ancient lineage and cultural significance.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Belah, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Belah was first seen in the United States in 2007.
Belah has ranked as high as #1380 nationally, which occurred in 2017, and has been most popular in .
In the past 5 years the name Belah has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Belah 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 Belah was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Belah
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
No state data available for this year.
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 Belah.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2007 | 5 |