Isabella Name Meaning – What Does The Name Isabella Mean?

What does the name Isabella Mean? In this quick guide, we will explore the origin, history, popularity, and meaning of the name Isabella.

Let’s get started.

Overview

The name Isabella is of Latin origin and means “God is My Oath.” It is a popular given name for girls and is often used in the English language. There are a few variations of the spelling, including Isable, Isabell, Isobelle, and Isabele.

The name is associated with a few popular fictional characters, including Isabella Swan from the Twilight series and Isabella Linton from Wuthering Heights. It is also the name of many famous real-life women, such as Queen Isabella of Spain. Read on to find out more about the name Isabella and its meaning.

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Origin of The Name Isabella

The name Isabella has roots going back to Hebrew and Latin origins. In Hebrew, the name Isabella is derived from the biblical name Elisheba, meaning “God is my oath” or “God’s satisfaction”. The Latin variant of the name, Isabel, is derived from Isabela or Elizabeth which means “pledged to God.”

In Italian and Spanish cultures, variants of the name Isabella are often used as pet forms of their longer names – such as Elisabetta and Elizabeth in Italian; Isabel and Izabel in Spanish. In other cases, the names might have been chosen for convenience or for aesthetic reasons with no particular significance.

Isabella has been a popular choice for centuries due to its strong religious connotations and its unique aesthetic qualities. The name Isabella also has a strong lyrical aspect which makes it appealing both to parents who wish to celebrate their faith as well as those in search of an attractive sounding name for their child.
In recent times, a number of prominent figures have borne the name Isabella including actresses Isabella Rossellini and Isabella Hoffman; U.S presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s daughter Chelsea; actresses Bella Thorne and Bella Hadid; singers Isabel Davis, Bella Poarch and Isabelle McManus; model Bella Hadid; poets Elaine Feeney and Ella Wheeler Wilcox not to mention royalty including Queen Isabell II of Spain (1902-2004).

Meaning of The Name Isabella

The origin of the name Isabella can mean various things; however, it is commonly associated with the Italian meaning ‘God is My Oath’. The name became widely popular in many different parts of Europe in the 13th century and is believed to have originated from a Spanish royal family.

Isabella or ‘Bella’ for short has gone by multiple variations of spelling, such as Isobel or Ysabelle. Throughout history, this name has been taken on to portray strong female figures including Queen Isabella of France (1295-1358) and her daughter, Saint Isabella of France (1246-1270).

The name has become increasingly popular within pop culture in recent decades; such as characters from movies including Twilight and promotions devoting an admiration towards the Bella character – especially within today’s generation.

It carries a powerful feminine aura that captivates any who reads it – which explains why parents still continue to choose this beautiful name as one for their children even to this day. It will be recognised almost immediately when used, thanks to its centuries-long notoriety!

Popularity of The Name Isabella

The name Isabella has become increasingly popular in the past few decades, ranking in the top 10 most popular baby girl names in the United States since 1998.

It’s a beautiful and classic name, steeped in tradition and regalness that make it an ideal choice for parents looking to give their baby girl a strong and meaningful name. Let’s dive deeper into the name’s popularity.

Isabella in The US

The name Isabella has been very popular in the United States since the social security administration began tracking naming trends in 1880, ranking it consistently within the top 100 girls’ names throughout most of the last century.

More recently, between 1980 and 2019 it has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 names for baby girls, reaching as high as third place on the list between 2003 and 2004.

The popularity of this name can be attributed to a variety of factors, such as its religious roots (Isabella is a form of Elizabeth, which is a form of the Hebrew name Elisheba), its familiarity with the novel Don Quixote by Cervantes (published in 1605), and its association with actresses Isabella Rossellini and Isabella Adshead. The popularity of other forms of Isabelle – like Bella and Izzy – may also explain its wide appeal.

Regardless of its background, Isabella continues to remain a popular choice for baby girls in America. It conveys grace, youthfulness, beauty and strength — qualities that are reflected through those who wear the beautiful name.

Isabella in Other Countries

Isabella is an extremely popular name not only in the United States but internationally as well. According to Nameberry, it is the 12th most popular name in Australia and 13th in England. It was even chosen as the 239th most popular baby girl name of 2020 by Babycenter.

In France Isabella is called Isabelle, and it is popularly used as an independent given name for French girls. It’s ranked as the 35th most given girl name in France for 2019, just beating out the longer version of Isabella – Isabelle.

In Spain, Isabella was the 15th most common name given to girl babies born this year, while over in Italy it’s currently sitting at number 10 — its highest ranking so far since 2009 according to BabyCenter’s research. That puts Isabella right up there with other classic Italian names like Sofia and Aurora.

It’s also very popular among Latin American countries with Mexico naming 19,388 Isabellas last year and Brazil bestowing the same amount of little ladies with the same beautiful name that means ‘pledged to God’. Additionally, Colombia recorded 3, 9977 new Isabellas while Venezuela gave birth to 3235 mini Isabellas last year — a total of 28 420 newborns equipped with this special moniker across South America!

Variations of The Name Isabella

The name Isabella is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba and is a form of the name Elizabeth. Other variations of the name Isabella include Izabel, Isabelle, Isobella, and Isbel. All of these variations have a slight variation in the sound and spelling but still retain the same meaning.

Isabella Variations Around The World

The name Isabella has become popular in a wide variety of countries and languages. Some variations are used to honor feminine saints, while others stem from Spanish and Italian roots. Regardless of the variation’s origin, all forms of this name remain popular among parents around the world.

Common variations of the name Isabella include Isabell, Isabelle, Isobel, Bella, Isabela, Izabela, Ysabel and Izabella. All variants have retained a similar meaning to the original interpretation; strong-willed or devoted to God.

In German speaking countries, the name Isabella is written as Lizabelle and lies between Elisabeth and Elisbeth in popularity for girls names in that region. In Hispanic countries Isabell is favored more often over Isabelle.

In France Isabell is spelled without an ‘e’ at the end making it: Isabelle plus another common spelling found in South America is Sobella. The etymology of Sobella comes from a combination of two Spanish words — “soberano” which means sovereign or ruler and “bella” which translates to beautiful or lovely— thus giving rise to the beautiful sovereign meaning associated with Isabella today.

Nicknames of The Name Isabella

Isabella is a popular name for girls, with many different nicknames available to choose from. Some of the more popular nicknames include Bella, Izzy, Izzie, Isa, and Belle. Each of these nicknames has its own unique meaning, which is often reflective of the individual wearing it. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common nicknames to get an idea of what they might mean.

Common Nicknames for Isabella

Isabella is a popular name with Spanish, Italian and Hebrew roots. It translates to mean “my God is perfection” in Hebrew. Isabella is often shortened to its more commonly used nicknames, Bella and Izzy, both of which have become nearly as popular as the full name Isabella itself.

Below are some of the common nickname variations you may find used in place of Isabella:
Bella
Izza
Bels
Belles
Izzie
Belissa
Issy
Bellella
Bellina
Lizabell

Famous People Named Isabella

Famous people named Isabella have made their mark in a variety of fields, ranging from entertainment to politics. From actresses to royalty, Isabella is a name that has been associated with many powerful and inspiring people. This section will explore some of the most famous Isabellas that have shaped the world in different ways.

Notable People Named Isabella

Isabella is an Italian name and is commonly a variation of Elizabeth and means “God is my oath”. Famous people named Isabella include:

Isabella I, Queen of Castile (1451 – 1504), who became the first Queen of Spain.
Isabella Beeton (1836 – 1865), English writer and business woman known for her cookery book, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management.
Isabella Rossellini (b. 1952), Italian film actress, director and model.
Isabella Blow (1958 – 2007), British fashion journalist, who was openly gay in her lifestyle.
Isabella Soprano (b. 1992), Canadian figure skater with numerous accomplishments such as achieving the gold medal at 2008 Skate Canada International.
Isabella d’Este (1474 – 1539), Marchioness of Mantua and one of the great women patrons of Renaissance b art who actively patronized artistic works in literature, sculpture, gardens and painting during her lifetime.

Famous Characters Named Isabella

The name Isabella is an Italian derivation of the name Elizabeth, and has become a popular name over the years, not just in Italy but in other countries as well.

Many famous characters are named Isabella, from literature, literature-inspired characters, and even television and film characters! Let’s take a look at some of the most famous characters named Isabella.

Popular Fictional Characters Named Isabella

The name Isabella is an exceedingly popular girl’s name, and many well-known fictional characters have been given this moniker. From literature to movies, these daughters of destiny all have one thing in common: their fearless character and loveable ways. Let’s meet some of these impressive ladies:

In Disney’s Enchanted (2007), Isabella is the daughter of Giselle who gives a memorable performance as she sings “Happy Working Song”.

Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird features Isabella Fletcher, the daughter of Atticus Finch’s pastor friend Reverend Sykes. She is a kind and gentle child who is a good friend to Scout and Jem.

The Twilight series features Isabella Swan, a brave heroine who faces her struggles with courage and grace. Throughout the books, Bella goes through a major transformation from timid teenager to strong woman in her own right.

The Harry Potter series introduces us to Isabella Weasley, the only daughter of Molly and Arthur Weasley. Courageous and determined beyond her years, she fights fiercely for what she believes in until the very end.

In Spiderman: Homecoming (2017), Zendaya portrays Michelle Jones as “MJ”, who is nicknamed “Isabella” by Peter Parker as his personal attempt at flattery. Despite her abrasive exterior at first glance, MJ quickly reveals layer after layer underneath that make her highly relatable to audiences everywhere.