Bella
Girl name · #136 in 2025 · Uniqueness 58/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bella against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bella in class?
Bella scores 58 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. 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. In 2025 the states with the most Bellas were CA (319), TX (235), FL (218), NY (142), NJ (82). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 58/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.