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Bella

Girl name · 892 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Bella: 892 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 76 births in 2019.

Of Italian and Spanish origin, Bella literally means "beautiful" in both languages, though it also developed as a short form of Isabella and Arabella. The most famous bearer is undoubtedly Bella Swan, the protagonist of Stephenie Meyer's *Twilight* series, which gave the name a massive popularity boost in the late 2000s. In the real world, model and activist Bella Hadid has kept the name in the spotlight, while Victorian-era actress Bella Burge was a celebrated circus performer and boxing promoter. The name shares roots with the Italian city of Bellagio on Lake Como, whose name may come from the Latin *bella aqua* ("beautiful water"). A charmingly simple choice, Bella has consistently ranked among Scotland's top girls' names since the mid-2000s.