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Isabella Baby girl name meaning, origin, and popularity

Isabella name meaning and origin

Isabella is an Italian and Spanish variation of Elizabeth, which comes from the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning "devoted to God" or "God is my oath."

With its regal and elaborate feel, Isabella is a popular choice among parents searching for a classic, elegant name. In fact, many countries around the world, including England, France, Portugal, and Hungary have all had royals named Isabella. Isabella has also been a popular name in literature, movies, and plays, and makes an appearance in the Shakespeare play Measure by Measure.

Isabella is pronounced "is-ah-bell-ah" and has plenty of adorable nicknames to choose from, including Bella, Izzy, Izzie, Iz, Isa, and Belle. In fact, some parents choose the name Isabella intending to call their child primarily by a nickname.

Spellings don't stray too far from the classic Isabella, though you may see the name spelled with a z on occasion as Izabella. Similar versions of this beloved name include Isabelle, Isabel, Isobel, and Ysabell. It's most commonly used as a girl's name, though variations of Isabella like Ishmael or Isa can be boy or unisex names.

The name Isabella has been popular in the United States and around the world for many years, though its ranking dipped in the U.S. in the 1940s. For the next 50 years, the name was fairly rare, but began to climb the charts again in the 1990s and became one of the top 100 girl names on the Social Security Administration's list in 1998.

Isabella has become even more popular since, soaring to the top 10 names for girls in the United States in 2004 and claiming the number-one spot in 2009. Isabella's re-emergence coincided with the release of the wildly popular Twilight series books and movies, featuring a main character named Bella Swan.

Isabella remains a favorite among BabyCenter parents, staying in the top 50 girl names since 2000 and claiming the number-one spot in both 2009 and 2010. It has stayed in the top 10 since.

Isabella is a name that feels both modern and traditional and spans cultures and languages. Its elegant nature and spunky nickname choices are sure to keep Isabella among the top baby names for years to come.

Isabella name popularity

Popularity over time

babies per million
Source: Social Security Administration & BabyCenter user data

Isabella in pop culture

Isabella Knightley
Character in the book Emma by Jane Austen
Isabella "Bella" Swan
Protagonist in the Twilight book series
Isabella Linton
Character in the book Wuthering Heights
Isabella
Character in Shakespeare's play Measure for Measure
Isabella Turk
Character in the TV show Scrubs
Isabella Parigi
Character in the film The Lizzie McGuire Movie
Isabella
Character in the TV show The Fosters
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Famous people named Isabella

Isabella Rossellini
Italian-American actress
Isabella I
Queen of Castile from 1474 to 1504, financed Christopher Columbus' 1492 voyage to the Americas
Isabella II
Queen of Spain from 1833 to 1868
Isabella of France
Queen of England as the wife of King Edward II from 1327 to 1330
Isabella, Countess of Bedford
Daughter of King Edward III of England
Isabella Acres
American actress known for her role as Rose in the TV show Better off Ted
Isabella Boylston
Principal ballet dancer with the American Ballet Theatre
Isabella Tobias
American-born Israeli ice dancer
Isabella "Bella" Khair Hadid
American model
Isabella Stewart Gardner
American art collector
Isabella Mary Beeton
British journalist, editor, and writer

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