Bella
/ˈbɛl.ə/
Bella is a feminine name from Italian and Latin, meaning “notable.” It functions both as an independent given name and as a short form of names such as Isabella, Arabella, and Annabella.
Its use as a standalone name is documented in Italy since at least the 19th century.
In the United States, Bella experienced an extraordinary surge after the publication of Stephenie Meyer’s novel Twilight in 2005, whose protagonist is Bella Swan.
What the name Bella means
The subsequent film series beginning in 2008 brought the character to a global audience of tens of millions, directly driving an increase in birth registrations for the name across multiple English-speaking countries.
Bella entered the United States top 100 around 2009 and reached the top 10 by 2012.
It has remained a consistently highly ranked name through the 2020s, reflecting both the cultural impact of the Twilight franchise and a broader preference for soft, vowel-rich, classical names.
The name is widely used across Western Europe, particularly in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France. In Australia and the United Kingdom, Bella has also ranked in the top 20 girls’ names for much of the 2010s and 2020s.
Its single-word meaning, cross-language intelligibility, and euphonic simplicity make Bella one of the most internationally transferable feminine names.
The name’s association with beauty is explicit and consistent across all the languages in which it appears, giving parents a transparent and emotionally resonant choice.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Bella
Bella - similar names
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