Bella
Girl name · #136 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Bella? In official American birth records, Bella has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Bella is currently the #136 girl name in the United States — 2,129 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #74, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 845 girls born in 2025 was named Bella.
The 145-year story
Bella first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 13 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2010, when 5,136 girls were named Bella — good for #48 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Bella per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bella against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bella in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bella is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Bella is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bella is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Bella is most common in NM (3.9 per 1,000), FL (2.5 per 1,000), NJ (2.3 per 1,000), CA (2 per 1,000), CT (1.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Bella is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Bella
Bella belongs to the Isabella family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Isabella family went to about 13,323 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #3, versus #136 for Bella alone.
Names like Bella
Statistically, parents drawn to Bella tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Arabella, Lila, Gabriella, Briella, and Stella.
ArabellaLilaGabriellaBriellaStellaLeilaAriellaCamilla
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bella | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,129 | #136 |
| 2024 | 2,479 | #109 |
| 2023 | 2,566 | #104 |
| 2022 | 2,915 | #85 |
| 2021 | 3,369 | #73 |
| 2020 | 3,649 | #63 |
| 2019 | 4,399 | #50 |
| 2018 | 4,578 | #48 |
| 2017 | 4,667 | #50 |
| 2016 | 3,685 | #78 |
| 2015 | 3,814 | #74 |
| 2014 | 4,107 | #70 |
| 2013 | 4,190 | #58 |
| 2012 | 4,362 | #54 |
| 2011 | 4,280 | #60 |
| 2010 | 5,136 | #48 |
| 2009 | 4,540 | #58 |
| 2008 | 2,788 | #122 |
| 2007 | 2,260 | #157 |
| 2006 | 1,959 | #181 |
| 2005 | 1,664 | #208 |
| 2004 | 1,240 | #260 |
| 2003 | 974 | #317 |
| 2002 | 683 | #426 |
| 2001 | 413 | #609 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Bella?
In official American birth records, the name Bella first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 13 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Bella a popular girl name?
Bella ranked #136 among girls in 2025 with 2,129 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #74.
When was the name Bella most popular?
Bella peaked in 2010, when 5,136 American girls received the name (ranked #48 that year). Since 2010 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Bella?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 845 newborn American girls was named Bella. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.