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    The first name Bella

    A girl’s name from Italian meaning “beautiful”.

    Pronounced /ˈbɛlə/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Italian origin

    Bella means “beautiful” in Italian.

    From Italian: a diminutive of Isabella and Arabella, by folk etymology interpreted as bella (“beautiful”).

    More names that mean beauty.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 515 girls were named Bella, making it the 91st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2014, with 1,141 births (#52).

    01,0002,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    14,623
    babies named Bella, 1996–2025
    #91
    rank in 2025
    2014
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Bella with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Bella at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 2,129 girls born in the United States were named Bella, the 136th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2010, when 5,136 were.

    03,0006,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    83,766
    babies named Bella since 1880
    #136
    rank in 2025
    2010
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Bella in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    בֶּלָה
    béla
    Hebrew
    Bela
    Portuguese

    Famous people named Bella

    20 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Bella Abzug
      American politician (1920-1998)
    • Bella Darvi
      Actress (1928-1971)
    • Bella Rosenfeld
      American writer and artist model (1889-1944)
    • Bella Moretti
      American pornographic actress, born 1989
    • Bella Davidovich
      American musician, born 1928
    • Bella Agossou
      Beninese actress, born 1981
    • Bella Sims
      American swimmer, born 2005
    • Bella Guerin
      Australian activist (1858-1923)
    • Bella Forsgrén
      Finnish politician, born 1992
    • Bella Fromm
      German journalist (1890–1972)
    • Bella Dodd
      American communist and anti-communist (1904-1969)
    • Bella Paige
      Australian singer, born 2001

    More Italian girls’ names

    All 80 names of Italian origin

    Questions

    What does the name Bella mean?
    Bella means “beautiful” in Italian.
    What is the origin of the name Bella?
    From Italian: a diminutive of Isabella and Arabella, by folk etymology interpreted as bella (“beautiful”).
    How popular is the name Bella?
    In 2025, 515 girls born in England and Wales were named Bella, ranking 91st. Its peak was 2014, with 1,141 births.
    Is Bella a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 83,766 US babies named Bella since 1880 were girls.
    When was Bella most popular?
    2010 in the United States, when 5,136 babies were named Bella, its highest rank at 48th.
    How do you pronounce Bella?
    Bella is /ˈbɛlə/, 2 syllables.
    Is Bella also a surname?
    Yes. Bella is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.