Exotic -elle's

Brielle

Short form of Gabrielle, French, Cajun, Hebrew, Celtic

"god is my strength; hunting grounds"

Though it sounds modern, Brielle is, among other things, a traditional Cajun contraction of Gabrielle, and the name of a historic seaport in the Western Netherlands, also known as Brill. Today, it is…

Isabelle

French variation of Isabel

"pledged to God"

Isabelle is the French variation of Isabel, which emerged in the Middle ages as an Occitan form of Elizabeth. Medieval queens Isabella of Angoulême and Isabella of France helped popularize the name…

Noelle

French

"Christmas"

Noelle is the feminine variation of Noël, a masculine given name derived from the French word for "Christmas." As a word, Noël originated as a variant of nael , which evolved from the Latin natalis ,…

Annabelle

Combination of Anna and Belle or French form of Amabel

"loving"

This is a charming name that rose steeply along with other-belle names, such as Isabelle, until the horror film Annabelle and its sequels knocked it out of favor. Made famous by the Edgar Allen Poe…

Giselle

German

"pledge, hostage"

Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen undoubtedly gave this name a boost. The French pronunciation (jiz-ELLE) gives it a more graceful, balletic, gazellelike feel. In the 2007 film Enchanted , Giselle…

Elle

French

"she"

Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name. Elle Driver…

Michelle

French variation of Michael

"who is like God"

Michelle is the feminine form of Michel, the French variation of Michael. Michael was derived from the Hebrew name Mihka’el, meaning "who is like God." The alternate spelling Michele, with one "L,"…

Arielle

French variation of Ariel

"lion of God"

While not as popular as the Ariel spelling of Little Mermaid fame, this rendition has achieved popularity in its own right. Arielle has been on a steady rise, perhaps helped by the -elle ending…

Danielle

French feminine variation of Daniel, Hebrew

"God is my judge"

Along with Daniela, Michelle, Nicole, and Denise, Danielle was a big hit from the 1960s to the nineties, sitting comfortably in the Top 20 for several years. Parents then responded to its chic,…

Estelle

French

"star"

Maybe it's because she shares that winning -elle sound with Isabel and Bella, but Estelle is no longer seen as a muumuu-wearing canasta player of a certain age (think George Costanza's mother on…

Gabrielle

French, feminine variation of Gabriel, Hebrew

"God is my Strength"

The quintessentially elegant and worldly Gabrielle -- designer Coco Chanel's real name -- is on its descent after years on the rise. Gabrielle was a hit in the 90s and early 2000s, peaking at number…

Janelle

American, modern elaboration of Jane

It's far cooler to drop the first syllable and go for Elle.

Joelle

Feminine variation of Joel, Hebrew

"Jehovah is his God"

Joel is one of those boys’ names that's never been super-popular yet has never been UNpopular either -- it's been in the Top 400 in the US since we started keeping statistics in 1880. So it's…

Belle

Short form of Isabelle or French

"beautiful"

Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…

Marielle

Dutch and French diminutive of Mary

"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Popular in France in the 60s, Marielle is one of many international variations and diminutives of Mary. While actress and author Mariel Hemingway made us aware of the more abbreviated spelling —…

Arabelle

Variation of Arabella, Latin, Scottish

"yielding to prayer; lovable"

This more succinct form of the elegant Arabella might appeal to those who are looking for a less popular spin on Annabel or those who like the sounds of Arabella but want something with fewer frills.…

Abrielle

Short form of Gabrielle

Sometimes, a new name is created by lopping off the first letter or letters. Such is the case with Abrielle, which feels like Gabrielle without its shirt.

Mirabelle

French

"marvelous"

If you're looking for a fresher belle name than Isabelle, Mirabelle is lovely, and we also like the extra flourish of Mirabella. And if you want a nature tie, Mirabelle is also the name of a delicate…

Izabelle

Izabelle is a feminine name representing a modern spelling variation of Isabella, which derives from the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning 'devoted to God' or 'God is my oath'. This contemporary spelling…

Anabelle

French variation of Annabelle

This version of the name with only one n does not have nearly the popularity of its sister. Unless you have a particular aversion to the fourteenth letter of the alphabet, it may be best to stick…