User-created list
The Bella Alternatives
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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…
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…
Elva
Feminine form of Alf or anglicized form of Ailbhe, Danish, Icelandic, Irish
"elf; bright, light, white"
Elva is a multicultural choice, being both an anglicization of the Irish Ailbhe and an feminine form of the name Alf, meaning "elf". Popular in the US at the beginning of the 20th century, it…
Elza
Hebrew
"God is my joy"
Intriguing twist on several familiar names, though many people will mistake this for Elsa, Eliza, and so on.
Embla
Norse
"elm"
In Norse mythology, Embla is the equivalent of the Bible's Eve, who, along with her husband Ask, were the first humans to be created by the gods, in this case from trees. With its lovely nature…
Gaila
Gaila is a feminine name with several possible origins. It may derive from the Hebrew name Gail or Gael, meaning "joy" or "rejoicing," or it could be connected to the Gaelic cultural heritage. The…
Helga
Scandinavian
"holy, blessed"
A traditional Nordic name, Helga was extremely popular throughout Scandinavia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Germany, it was a Top 10 pick from 1924 to 1943. And it still ranks in the…
Hella
Hella is a feminine name with multiple origins. In Germanic languages, it functions as a diminutive of names containing the element 'heil' meaning 'healthy' or 'whole.' It's also associated with Hel,…
Hila
Hebrew or Pashto
"halo; hope"
Hila is a name that has grown in popularity in recent years, placing it firmly within Israel's Top 20 for girls. It is sometimes written as Hilla or Hilah. In Pashto, it means "hope" and is also…
Milla
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian
"young ceremonial attendant, gracious people"
Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born…
Miela
Nella
Nella is a feminine name with Italian and Germanic origins. It can be a standalone name or a diminutive of names like Petronella, Antonella, or Cornelia. In Italian, it literally means 'at the' or…
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…
Perla
Spanish variation of Pearl
Consistently popular Latina gem name; good choice for those who can't shake Pearl's grandmotherly vibe.
Pihla
Finnish
"rowan tree"
The pronunciation may not be intuitive to English speakers, but this Finnish nature name is a top choice in its country of origin. Pihla derives from pihlaja , the Finnish word for the rowan tree.
Pola
Short form of Amapola, Arabic
"poppy"
Pola is an international name that still bears the femme fatalish air of Polish-born silent screen vamp Pola Negri, whole birth name was Apolonia. Rarely used, she could join sisters Lola and Nola.
Pála
Sela
Hebrew
"rock"
Sela is a Biblical place name, the original term for the city of Petra, which is finding new life through actress Sela Ward, star of several TV series. The young daughter of singer Lauryn Hill is…
Sila
Sila is a feminine name with rich multicultural origins. In Inuit tradition, Sila refers to the spirit of the air and weather, representing a profound connection to nature. In Scandinavian countries,…
Tola
Tola is a feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Polish, it serves as a diminutive for names like Antonina or Victoria. The name also appears in Hebrew (meaning 'worm,' though contextually…