Behind the Name - Isabella

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet"

- Romeo and Juliet

Everyone's been asking about the name Isabella. Where did it come from? What does it mean? So I thought I would give you a little background.

Amy and I were brainstorming names prior to Adelyn's birth and narrowed it down to three names - Adelyn, Madelyn, and Isabella. Going to the hospital we still had not decided. When Amy started pushing, she looked up at me paranoid "Oh no, what are we going to name the baby if its a girl?" (We had a name picked out if Adie ended up a boy.) So it was up to Daddy to name our first daughter I knew that the right name would be apparent when I saw my her for the first time. She popped out and I know immediately that she was an Adie.

Well, since we don't live in Kentucky, Madelyn was out. I can picture it it now. Madelyn and Adelyn - I don't think so. Anyway, Isabella moved to the top of the list.

A little bit about Isabella...

Isabella was used widely throughout Europe during the late middle ages, especially in England, Spain, Germany, and Sweden, popularized by Isabella of Castille, Queen of Spain. Yes, the same Queen Isabella that sponsored that intrepid explorer Christopher Columbus, and built the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

Isabella is the latinate form of "Isabel." "Isabel" was a medieval Provincal (French) form of the Biblical name "Elizabeth"."

No, not that one...

This one...

"Elizabeth" is from the Greek form of the Hebrew work "elisheva" which means 'God in abundance." Fitting form little Bella, as she has already required God's grace just to be born healthy. She is definately living proof that God is, in fact, in abundance.

Isabella was the second most popular girl name in America in 2008.

Girls
Rank	Name	%	+/-
1.	Emma	0.904	(+2)
2.	Isabella	0.894	(0)
3.	Emily	0.838	(-2)
4.	Madison	0.820	(+1)
5.	Ava	0.820	(-1)
6.	Olivia	0.820	(+1)
7.	Sophia	0.773	(-1)
8.	Abigail	0.725	(0)
9.	Elizabeth	0.575	(+1)
10.	Chloe	0.569	(+6)

I guess Amy and I get an F for creativity. Girl names are a weird phenomenon where mom's all over the country spontaneously start liking the same exact same names at the exact same time. Last years names are out and a new batch of names appear as if from by magic. It is similar to how women who work or live together mysteriously sync their monthly cycles. Young mothers mysteriously sync which girl names they like. Blame it on the Ya Ya Sisterhood.

Also odd, Isebella had completely fallen out of favor since the mid-30's. It virtually disappeared from the American naming lexicon until it stormed back on the scene in the early 90's, reaching the top in the last couple years. So some of you might have a grandma to great aunt with the name Isabella, but probably not a mother with that name.

Isabella (Rank by Year)

"Isabelle" makes an appearance in the popularity rankings at number 93 with "Isabel" following shortly thereafter at 96. Our daughter's designated nickname "Bella" is also ranked at number 122.

Now you know everything you never wanted to know about name Isabella. Except, that is, for the main point of this post, why did Amy and I choose Isabella? The answer is simple and uninteresting. We saw a little independent movie called Bella. Cute little girl named Bella and we were hooked.

That's the story.