Belle is one of the most classic names that feel royal with a meaning of “beautiful.” It only has positive associations with it being the name of the character from “Beauty and the Beast” and with the leader of any ball being given the nickname. The name can be a shortened form of Isabelle, or it may be a play on the French word that is spelled the same.
Meaning of the name Belle:
French: beauty
Origin of the name Belle:
In French, the word beautiful translates to “belle.” When considering the name Belle, it would make sense for the French to use this word as a name. Some do suggest, however, that the name comes from a nickname for the name Isabelle.
Symbolism of the name Belle:
Belle means “beautiful,” and Belle is a name that just feels beautiful. It is simple, classic, and royal. Even traditions in the United States have used the name in their own ways such as the phrase “southern belle.”
Style of the name Belle:
Traditional
Gender of the name Belle:
Belle is a beautiful name for girls.
Pronunciation of the name Belle:
BEHL
Number of syllables in the name Belle:
One
Emotion evoked from the name Belle:
Belle feels pretty, royal, and sophisticated. It is a humble name that does not feel prideful in the beauty, however.
Alternative spellings for the name Belle:
- Bele
- Bell
Nicknames for the name Belle:
- Bebe
- Beauty
- Bellarina
- Bellabug
- Bella
- Bellzy
Popularity of the name Belle:
Belle was on the 1,000 list from 1900 to 1934. It was not until 2016 that it came back to the top 1,000 names for girls. In 2020, Belle barely made the list at rank 999 for girls.
Related names for the name Belle:
Great middle names for Belle and their meanings:
- Juliet (youthful)
- Sophia (wisdom)
- Emilia (strength)
- Delilah (languishing, lovelorn)
- Ariana (most holy)
- Annette (God has favored me)
- Clarice (clear, famous)
Famous people with the name Belle:
- Belle Bennett (actress, “Their Own Desire”)
- Belle Silverman (birth name of opera singer Beverly Silis)
- Belle Chrystall (actress, “The Edge of the World”)
- Belle Cole (opera singer)
- Belle Mitchell (actress, “The War Lord”)
- Belle Reynolds (Civil War heroine)
Belles in popular culture:
- Belle (main character in “Beauty and the Beast”)
- Belle Watling (character in “Gone with the Wind”)
- Belle Moffat (character in “Little Women”)
- Belle Black (character in “Days of Our Lives”)