Isabella Name Meaning, Origin, History, And Popularity

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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Isabella

Isabella is the Italian and Spanish derivation of the English name Elizabeth, which in turn was inspired by the Hebrew name Elisheba or Elisheva. Elisheba means “consecrated or devoted to God.” It could also mean “God is my oath” or “pledged to God.” Elisheba appears in ancient Jewish texts and is the wife of the high priest, Aaron (1). She is the mother of four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. She appears in Exodus.

Isabella is a variation of the name Isabel which is also a variation of Elizabeth. The Scottish name Isobel and the Italian and French Isabelle are other popular variations. The shorter name, Isa, is derived from Isabella and means “salvation of God.” It is a gender-neutral name and is often used in Islam too.

There are newer and trendier alternatives for Isabella, including Sabella, Zabel, Izabella, and Isabetta. The French often use ‘Y’ in place of ‘I’ to form Ysabella. Isabella has several nicknames, the most common being Izzy and Bella.

Isabella was quite popular in the Middle Ages. Many European royal families adopted this name, and several well-known princesses and queens go by Isabella. WIlliam Shakespeare also used the name Isabella in his play Measure for Measure.

In the later years, the name dropped from popularity. In 2009, there was a surge in the name’s popularity due to the Twilight series in which the main character’s name was Isabella “Bella” Swan. After that, it has become one of the most popular names across Europe and America. One of the reasons for the name Isabella’s popularity is that it sounds both like a royal name and a name that can look good on screen. It has a global appeal and allows more fluidity in international travel.

Isabella is one of the names that has seen dramatic growth in popularity in the past few years. It is a name that sounds modern, classy, and trendy.

Isabella

Meaning God is perfection, or God is my oath

Gender Girl

Religion Judaism

Origin Hebrew

Names starting with I.. Iz.. Iza.. Isa..

How To Pronounce Isabella?

Pronounced as ih-zuh-beh-luh

Sabella

Famous People With The Name Isabella

Isabella RosselliniItalian-American actress, philanthropist, model, and author
Isabella BirdBritish explorer, writer, naturalist, and photographer
Bella Hadid (Isabella Khairiah Hadid)American model who has made 27 appearances on Vogue covers
Isabella AcresAmerican stage and TV actress who appeared in the series Better Off Ted as Rose Crisp
Isabella CampbellCountess Cawdor, former editor of the British Vogue, stylist, and interior decorator

Isabella On The Popularity Chart

Isabella is a classic name but has had quite dramatic peaks and valleys over the years. Find out how Isabella performs on the popularity charts.

Popularity Over Time

Not many names have seen the dramatic rise and fall in popularity as Isabella has. While it was quite a crowd favorite in the Middle Ages, it gradually became less and less popular as the years advanced. In 1980, only 38 babies per million were named Isabella. However, in 2010, thanks to the Twilight series, the popularity of this name skyrocketed all over the world. In America, Isabella was the top choice for girl names with nearly 20,000 babies per million named Isabella.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

In 1980, the name Isabella was ranked at 2,501. It dropped even further subsequently achieving the rank of 2,805 in 2003. However, in 2010, the name Isabella had an unprecedented comeback and ranked 1st in the United States of America.

Source: Social Security Administration