Bella Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BEL-uh //ˈbɛlə//
Origin: Italian; Latin
Meaning: Italian: beautiful; Latin: God is my oath
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Bella has its roots in the Latin word "bellus," which means "beautiful." This term evolved through various languages, including Italian and Spanish, where it is commonly used as an adjective to describe beauty. The name Bella entered the English language primarily through Italian influence, particularly during the Renaissance period when interest in classical art and literature flourished.
It is often used as a diminutive form of names such as Isabella or Arabella, which also carry connotations of beauty and grace. Historically, the name Bella has been associated with several notable figures and cultural milestones.
One significant reference is the biblical figure of Elizabeth, whose name has variants like Isabella. The name Isabella gained prominence in medieval Europe, particularly with the reign of Queen Isabella of Castile in the late 15th century, who played a crucial role in the unification of Spain and the sponsorship of Christopher Columbus's voyages.
This connection to royal lineage and historical events has contributed to the name's enduring appeal. Culturally, Bella has been embraced in various artistic and literary contexts, symbolizing not only physical beauty but also inner virtue and strength.
The name has appeared in numerous works of literature and art, reinforcing its association with positive qualities. In addition to its use as a standalone name, Bella has inspired a range of diminutive forms and variations across different cultures, reflecting its adaptability and resonance in various linguistic traditions.
Overall, the name Bella encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution, historical significance, and cultural symbolism.
Famous people named Bella
In this section, you will find notable people named Bella. 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 Bella who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Bella 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.
Bella Thorne is an actress and singer best known for Shake It Up, The DUFF, and Famous in Love.
Bella Hadid is a model best known for her work with Victoria's Secret, Dior, and her appearances in high-fashion campaigns.
Fictional characters named Bella
The following list of fictional characters named Bella 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.
Bella Swan is a fictional character from the book and film series Twilight. She is the protagonist who navigates her complex relationships with vampires and werewolves while discovering her own identity.
Bella Cullen is a fictional character from the book and film series Twilight. She is the vampire version of Bella Swan, who embraces her new life and powers after being transformed into a vampire.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Bella, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Bella. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Bella was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Bella has ranked as high as #126 nationally, which occurred in 2010, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Bella has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Bella 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 Bella was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Bella (2024)
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.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 393 | |
| TX | 243 | |
| FL | 229 | |
| NY | 175 | |
| NJ | 92 | |
| NC | 79 | |
| PA | 79 | |
| IL | 76 | |
| GA | 75 | |
| VA | 68 | |
| MA | 68 | |
| OH | 57 | |
| AZ | 55 | |
| TN | 52 | |
| IN | 43 |
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 Bella.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,469 |
| 2023 | 2,559 |
| 2022 | 2,912 |
| 2021 | 3,366 |
| 2020 | 3,645 |
| 2019 | 4,396 |
| 2018 | 4,573 |
| 2017 | 4,664 |
| 2016 | 3,681 |
| 2015 | 3,812 |
| 2014 | 4,102 |
| 2013 | 4,189 |
| 2012 | 4,361 |
| 2011 | 4,278 |
| 2010 | 5,135 |
| 2009 | 4,539 |
| 2008 | 2,789 |
| 2007 | 2,260 |
| 2006 | 1,959 |
| 2005 | 1,664 |
| 2004 | 1,240 |
| 2003 | 974 |
| 2002 | 683 |
| 2001 | 413 |
| 2000 | 307 |
| 1999 | 185 |
| 1998 | 156 |
| 1997 | 95 |
| 1996 | 72 |
| 1995 | 107 |
| 1994 | 76 |
| 1993 | 49 |
| 1992 | 39 |
| 1991 | 47 |
| 1990 | 28 |
| 1989 | 17 |
| 1988 | 20 |
| 1987 | 19 |
| 1986 | 16 |
| 1985 | 23 |
| 1984 | 19 |
| 1983 | 22 |
| 1982 | 22 |
| 1981 | 19 |
| 1980 | 17 |
| 1979 | 25 |
| 1978 | 19 |
| 1977 | 26 |
| 1976 | 18 |
| 1975 | 29 |
| 1974 | 19 |
| 1973 | 28 |
| 1972 | 19 |
| 1971 | 21 |
| 1970 | 32 |
| 1969 | 18 |
| 1968 | 24 |
| 1967 | 16 |
| 1966 | 16 |
| 1965 | 34 |
| 1964 | 21 |
| 1963 | 22 |
| 1962 | 24 |
| 1961 | 22 |
| 1960 | 30 |
| 1959 | 24 |
| 1958 | 34 |
| 1957 | 24 |
| 1956 | 25 |
| 1955 | 41 |
| 1954 | 28 |
| 1953 | 43 |
| 1952 | 36 |
| 1951 | 29 |
| 1950 | 21 |
| 1949 | 30 |
| 1948 | 26 |
| 1947 | 43 |
| 1946 | 23 |
| 1945 | 13 |
| 1944 | 16 |
| 1943 | 16 |
| 1942 | 22 |
| 1941 | 27 |
| 1940 | 19 |
| 1939 | 25 |
| 1938 | 19 |
| 1937 | 19 |
| 1936 | 29 |
| 1935 | 28 |
| 1934 | 45 |
| 1933 | 37 |
| 1932 | 47 |
| 1931 | 50 |
| 1930 | 64 |
| 1929 | 83 |
| 1928 | 73 |
| 1927 | 90 |
| 1926 | 106 |
| 1925 | 133 |
| 1924 | 134 |
| 1923 | 172 |
| 1922 | 178 |
| 1921 | 192 |
| 1920 | 188 |
| 1919 | 211 |
| 1918 | 238 |
| 1917 | 215 |
| 1916 | 207 |
| 1915 | 160 |
| 1914 | 152 |
| 1913 | 125 |
| 1912 | 113 |
| 1911 | 82 |
| 1910 | 73 |
| 1909 | 75 |
| 1908 | 65 |
| 1907 | 60 |
| 1906 | 54 |
| 1905 | 52 |
| 1904 | 43 |
| 1903 | 44 |
| 1902 | 53 |
| 1901 | 36 |
| 1900 | 73 |
| 1899 | 53 |
| 1898 | 39 |
| 1897 | 44 |
| 1896 | 43 |
| 1895 | 39 |
| 1894 | 35 |
| 1893 | 46 |
| 1892 | 53 |
| 1891 | 37 |
| 1890 | 42 |
| 1889 | 37 |
| 1888 | 31 |
| 1887 | 26 |
| 1886 | 22 |
| 1885 | 25 |
| 1884 | 31 |
| 1883 | 17 |
| 1882 | 16 |
| 1881 | 24 |
| 1880 | 13 |