Isabella

Isabella is a female given name of Hebrew origin. It derives from Elisheba, the wife of Aaron in the Hebrew Bible, and is commonly interpreted as meaning “pledged to God” or “God is my oath.” The name entered Romance languages as Isabel and Isabelle and later spread to English as Isabella, giving rise to many variants and spellings across cultures, including Isabelle, Isabel, Isobel, Izabela, and Isabela.

The name is widely used in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese contexts, and has become common in English-speaking countries as well. In recent decades, Isabella has ranked highly in baby-name lists in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Latin America, and remains popular in multiple European and the Americas' regions. Variants such as Isabelle (French), Isabel (Spanish/Portuguese), Isobel (Scottish), Izabela (Polish), and Isabela (Portuguese/Romanian) reflect regional customs.

Isabella has appeared in history, religion, and culture. Notable real-world bearers include Isabella I of Castile (1451–1504), queen who sponsored Christopher Columbus; Isabella II of Spain (1830–1904), queen regnant; and Isabella of France (1295–1358), queen consort of England. In literature and media, the name is associated with the heroine Isabella in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, and with contemporary figures such as Isabella Rossellini (born 1952), the Italian-American actress and model, as well as Isabella Bird (1831–1904), the English travel writer. The name’s enduring use across times and cultures reflects its classic sound and adaptable variants.