Girl name · Latin
Arabella
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: probably a variant of Annabel; linked with Latin yielding to prayerArabella is a girl's name that comes from Latin and means "probably a variant of Annabel; linked with Latin yielding to prayer". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Probably a variant of Annabel; linked with Latin yielding to prayer
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #213 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Arabella
As a girl's name, Arabella comes from Latin and means "probably a variant of Annabel; linked with Latin yielding to prayer". It is used in English.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Arabella on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Arabella on 2 lists.
“Lace, ribbons and a dramatic sigh”
From Funny names that start with A, big, fun-to-say first names that start with A
“A medieval Scottish name; elegant and lilting”
From Female cat names, elegant female cat names
How popular is Arabella?
- US rank in 2025
- #213
- 1,423 babies, 885 per million girls
- Best rank
- #156 in 2017
- Most babies: 1,914 in 2014
- Babies since 1881
- At least 27,957
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 37 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 28 per million |
| 1900s | 29 per million |
| 1910s | 20 per million |
| 1920s | 14 per million |
| 1930s | 9 per million |
| 1940s | 4 per million |
| 1950s | 4 per million |
| 1960s | 4 per million |
| 1970s | 3 per million |
| 1980s | 3 per million |
| 1990s | 17 per million |
| 2000s | 168 per million |
| 2010s | 864 per million |
| 2020s | 874 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #187 | #156 | #172 | #194 | #202 | #195 | #231 | #225 | #206 | #213 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Arabella
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- AnnabellaLovable (Latin, girl)
- AriellaLion of God (Hebrew, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- LilianaLatinate form of Lillian, probably from Elizabeth or Lily (English, girl)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AliyahVariant of Aaliyah, high, lofty, sublime (Arabic, girl)
- CelineVariant of Céline, from Caelinus, from Caelius or caelum, heaven (Latin, girl)
- ElianVariant of names beginning with Eli, such as Elijah (Hebrew, boy)
- SabrinaFrom Sabrina, the Latin name of the River Severn (Welsh, girl)
- AilanyVariant of Ailani, possibly Hawaiian, to rule as chief (Hawaiian, girl)
- AmayaVariant of Amaia, Basque for the end (Basque, girl)
- ArlethVariant of Arlette, from Herleva, possibly army and legacy (Germanic, girl)
- AvaVariant of Eve, life; in Persian, voice (Hebrew, girl)
- AydenVariant of Aidan, little fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- BruceProbably from Brix in Normandy (French, boy)
- CatalinaSpanish form of Katherine, later linked to Greek pure (Greek, girl)
- EithanVariant of Ethan, firm, enduring (Hebrew, boy)
Middle names for Arabella
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Latin
- LauraLaurel tree (Latin, girl)
- OliviaOlive tree (Latin, girl)
- CarinaDear, beloved (Latin, girl)
- EmiliaRival, striving to equal (Latin, girl)
- FloraFlower, blossom (Latin, girl)
- MarinaOf the sea (Latin, girl)
- ReginaQueen (Latin, girl)
- ValentinaStrong, healthy (Latin, girl)
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- ClaraClear, bright (Latin, girl)
- DianaDivine, heavenly (Latin, girl)
- JulianaFeminine form of Julian, from the Roman family name Julius (Latin, girl)
- LuciaLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- LunaThe moon (Latin, girl)
- RosaRose flower (Latin, girl)
- SabinaSabine woman (Latin, girl)
- AlmaSoul, nourishing (Latin, girl)
- AmandaWorthy of love (Latin, girl)
Arabella: common questions
What does the name Arabella mean?
Arabella comes from Latin and means "probably a variant of Annabel; linked with Latin yielding to prayer". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Arabella a boy or girl name?
Arabella is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Arabella come from?
Arabella comes from Latin and means "probably a variant of Annabel; linked with Latin yielding to prayer". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Arabella?
Arabella ranked #213 in the US in 2025, with 1,423 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Arabella?
Names spelled like Arabella include Annabella and Ariella.
What middle names go with Arabella?
Middle names that flow well with Arabella include Iris, Ivy, Jade, Jean and Lucy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.