The Bella Alternatives

Isla

Scottish place-name or Spanish

"island"

Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those…

Layla

Variation of Leila, Arabic

"night"

A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly…

Mila

Slavic, Russian

"gracious; dear"

Mila is a popular name that took a 125 year nap, ranking in the Top 1000 in 1881 and then not ranking again until 2006, after actress Mila Kunis appeared on That 70s Show . Ukrainian-born Kunis was…

Stella

Latin

"star"

Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina. The…

Selah

Hebrew

"praise, pause"

The name is derived from the term commonly used in the Book of Psalms, which has a many Hebrew scholars in confusion over its meaning. Given its context in the Bible, Selah is likely to mean "to…

Laila

Spelling variation of Layla or Sami variation of Helga, Arabic or Finnish

"night; holy"

Beguiling and lovely, Laila is one of the lilting variations of Leila and Layla. It's the name of the former-boxer daughter of Muhammad Ali and of actor Shawn Wayans. In Finland, the Sami people use…

Ila

Scottish, Hindi, Hungarian, Finnish

"from the island; earth, sacred speech; shining light; joy"

A simple name that's rising fast in the US, likely inspired by the popularity of Isla and Ayla. This streamlined form might appeal to those who like Ana, Ivy, and Ada, and it brings a multicultural…

Celia

Latin

"heavenly"

Celia, splendidly sleek and feminine, is a name that was scattered throughout Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature, but still manages to feel totally modern. Derived from the Latin Caelius,…

Aila

Finnish variation of Helga or Scottish Gaelic

"from the strong place"

Now that Isla Fisher has pushed her once-obscure name into the Top 150, some parents are looking for similar-sounding Scottish names for girls that are further off the beaten path. This one is…

Zelda

Diminutive of Griselda

"gray fighting maid"

Classified as an early beauty, Zelda has long and often been used as such for characters in books and films. Since 1986, Zelda has been a prime Nintendo name, as in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight…

Elia

Spanish feminization of Elio, Italian and Spanish

"sun"

Though the most famous Elia, screenwriter Kazan, was male, this name sounds like a spin on many popular girls' names, from Ella to Ellie to Isla and Leah. While the Italian pronunciation has the…

Elsa

German diminutive of Elisabeth

"pledged to God"

Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly…

Adela

German

"noble"

A vibrant variation of Adele, with a bit of extra flair from that "-a" ending. It could join the army of popular A girls' names, especially with its tie to the success of singer Adele. Adela, which…

Calla

Greek

"beautiful"

Calla is a botanical name that is much more distinctive than popular Lily or similar Callie. Rarely heard today, it did appear in the popularity lists in the last decades of the nineteenth century.…

Baila

Yiddish

"white; bashful"

Also written as Bayla, Baila is reminiscent of the Spanish word for "dance". Its meaning is debated: it may come from the Slavic root word for "white", or it may be a form of Bilhah, one of the four…

Perla

Spanish variation of Pearl

Consistently popular Latina gem name; good choice for those who can't shake Pearl's grandmotherly vibe.

Zella

African, Bobangi, Libyan place name, diminutive of Rosella, Marcella, Gizella, or Isabella

"lacking nothing, one who knows the way"

Sunny, sassy, and stylish, Zella is a multicultural and versatile choice which works across multiple languages. Popular back in the early 19th century, Zella is now catching the attention of…

Nila

Indian, Tamil, Hindi

"dark blue; moon"

A sweet, simple Sanskrit name which would work in many languages and has an sparkling, colorful meaning. Fitting in besides Nina, Mila and Nola, Nila was one of the fastest rising names for girls in…

Eila

Hebrew, Norwegian variation of Elina

"oak tree; bright, shining light"

Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel. The name also has roots in Finland and Norway, where it's derived from Elina, a variation of Helen, or from Aila, a form of Helga. Eila could gain attention as…

Ellia

English elaboration of Ella

"all, completely; fairy maiden"

Ellia is one of the newer entries in the extremely popular El group of names for girls, which includes Ella, Ellie, Elle and so on, as well as L-starting names such as Lillia. Nearly 100 baby girls…