Isabel
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Isabel
Isabel derived from Elizabeth in southwest Europe during the Middle Ages. It was originally written as Elisabel, but the first syllable was dropped as it spread across the continent. In Spain and Portugal, Isabel and Elizabeth are considered to be variations of the same name, but they are treated as separate names in other European countries and the US.
The charming Isabel is hugely fashionable again, a century after its first wave of success. And it's easy to see why: it's ladylike (a la Isabel Archer in Henry James's Portrait of a Lady) and melodic, traditional yet slightly offbeat. Isabel sounds smart as well as pretty.
Two noted cultural namesakes are Chilean author Isabel Allende and painter Isabel Bishop, as well as Cuban-American fashion designer Isabel Toledo.
The only downside: with Isabella's recent popularity, there are so many other little Isabels, Isabelles, Isabellas, Belles, and Bellas, yours would be far from unique.
The Office's Angela Kinsley named her baby girl Isabel, and Annette Bening and Warren Beatty have a teen-aged Isabel.
Isabelle is the French version, Isabella the Italian one, and Isobel the Scottish spelling, which has a definite character of her own, the 'o' giving her an extra infusion of strength.
Nifty nicknames include Izzy, Ibby, Isa and Belle.
Isabel is also given to boys.
Pronounced iz-uh-BEL.
As of October 2026, Isabel ranked #177 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #83 in 2003, Nameberry popularity #175.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · girls | Births · girls | US rank · boys | Births · boys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #144 | 2,331 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #149 | 2,176 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #145 | 2,119 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #145 | 2,036 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #139 | 2,068 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #134 | 2,059 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #157 | 1,771 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #146 | 1,916 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #156 | 1,857 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #164 | 1,751 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #167 | 1,820 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #177 | 1,746 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Isabel.
Isabel on lists
Famous Isabels
- Isabel the CatholicGirl
Queen of Castile, Leon, and Aragon, mother of Catherine of Aragon and Joanna I of Castile
- Maria Isabel Francisca of PortugalGirl
Queen consort of Ferdinand VII of Spain
- Isabel of CoimbraGirl
Queen consort of Afonso V of Portugal
- Isabel InêsGirl
Princess Royal of Portugal, Duchess of Braganza, wife of Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza, pretender to the defunct Portuguese throne
- Isabel Cristina Leopoldina Augusta Micaela Gabriela Rafaela GonzagaGirl
Princess Imperial of Brazil
- Isabel Allende (Llona)Girl
Chilean,American novelist
- Maria Estela "Isabel" Martinez Cartas de PeronGirl
41st President of Argentina
- Isabel BayrakdarianGirl
Armenian,American operatic soprano
- Isabel Godin des OdonaisGirl
Peruvian Amazon explorer
- Eloise Gwendolyn "Isabel" SanfordGirl
American actress
- Isabel LucasGirl
Australian actress
- Isabel ToledoGirl
Cuban,American designer
- Isabel BishopGirl
American artist and painter
- Isabel BigleyGirl
American actress
- Isabel NevilleGirl
Duchess of Clarence, daughter of Kingmaker Earl of Warwick
- Isabel Luisa JosefaGirl
Princess of Beira; daughter of Peter II of Portugal
- Isabel Maria Alberta Josefa Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Francisca de Paula e de Assis Teresa Adelaide Eulália Sofia Carolina of BraganzaGirl
Infante of Portugal; daughter of Duke Miguel
- Isabel Alfonsa María Teresa Antonia Cristina Mercedes Carolina Adelaida Rafaela of BourbonGirl
Two Sicilies, Infanta of Spain; daughter of Prince Carlos
- Isabel Maria da Conceição Joana Gualberta Ana Francisca de Assis Xavier de Paula de Alcântara Antónia Rafaela Micaela Gabriela Joaquina GonzagaGirl
Infanta and Regent of Portugal
- Maria Isabel "Chabeli" IglesiasGirl
Spanish socialite; daughter of singer Julio Iglesias and (Maria) Isabel Preysler
- Rosario Isabel DawsonGirl
American actress
- (Maria) Isabel Pantoja (Martin)Girl
singer
- Isabel Briggs MyersGirl
American author and personality inventory creator
- Isabel Gomez (b. 2000)Girl
daughter of actress Natasha Klauss and Victor Gomez
- Isabel Crick (b. 2006)Girl
daughter of TV journalist Michael Crick
- Isabel Ruby Lieberstein (b. 2008)Girl
daughter of actress Angela Kinsey and Warren Lieberstein
- Isabel Veronica Mulroney (b. 2013)Girl
daughter of TV presenter Ben Mulroney and designer Jessica Brownstein
- Isabel Totti (b. 2016)Girl
daughter of footballer Francesco Totti and TV host Ilary Blasi
- María Isabel "Isabel" Allende Bussi Girl
Daughter of Chilean President Salvador Allende, Chilean politician, distant cousin of writer Isabel Allende
Isabel in pop culture
- Isabel O'SullivanGirl
a main character in the "St Clare" book series by Enid Blyton
- Isabel ArcherGirl
main character in Henry James' "The Portrait of a Lady"
- Isabel CantelliGirl
main character in 'Goddess of Legend' by PC Cast
- Isabel EvansGirl
character on TV's "Roswell"
- Isabel BradleyGirl
character in W. Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge"
- Isabel GardnerGirl
main character in "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Isabel "Belly" ConklinGirl
main character in Jenny Han's "The Summer I Turned Pretty"
- Isabel GutierrezGirl
character on TV's "The Simpsons"
- IsabelGirl
character on TV's "Hannah Montana"
- Isabel MaloneGirl
character in novel "Mosquitoland"
- Isabel CulpeperGirl
character in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater
- Isabel "Isa" Castillo FloresGirl
character on TV's "Elena of Avalor"
- Isabel MagnoliaGirl
character from "Attack on Titan"
- "IsabelGirl
" song by Frank Turner
- Lady Isabel and the ElfGirl
Knight, medieval ballad
- IsabelGirl
Julia Roberts's character in the film "Stepmom"
- IsabelGirl
character in Pam Munoz Ryan's "Esperanza Rising".
- Isabel Parker-GreenGirl
Character in Ashley Herring-Blake's "Bright Falls" series
- "Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight"Girl
A ballad in the 19th century collection "The Child Ballads"