Bella?

[Spice17]

Thoughts? Possibly as a nn for Isabella.

Anything offputting about it? E.g. is it the name of a sanitary product or anything?! :)

I have a 12 yr old Bella (Isabella). She likes it because of Twilight! Thank goodness I didn't have any boys-I was going to use Jacob

Its a typical enough name for people to know so I wouldn't worry about some obscure tampon somewhere, not that I know of one.

Its my cousin's name although just as Bella, think its always been popular to have it on its own, not as a nickname. Think Bella Freud, although I guess there is the Twilight reference but again, its a common enough name. Also not as if everyone would assume all the Edwards are for that reason, so unless you are a 13 year old girl its a great name.

Oooh, hadn't thought of Twilight reference (have never read books or seen films) Might put me off if people refer to it.

Do like the name though, DH saying can't have without Isabella in full, kind of agree but worried nn would become Izzy (not that I hate but not what I'd like her to be called)

Twilight, although I've never seen it, isn't a bad thing I'm sure. It's not like it's the Omen or anything.
If you don't want Izzy don't use Isobel or Isabella or any variant. We were considering Victoria and we don't mind Vicky but hate the nn Vic, we have decided against it.

Bella and Belle I'm not a fan of but as others said they are names in their own right.

I don't think people will make the Twilight reference unless you had a DS or spent time with a boy called Edward/Jacob. As its not a name solely linked to that I think its similar to calling a child Harry. You wouldn't assume everyone or really even anyone would make the Harry Potter link.

As I said I like Bella on its own, but I know people who have always used a nickname and its been fine. My friends daughter is Amy-Rose, at nursery, at school, clubs etc she was always registered as Rosie and they told relatives that her full name was Amy-Rose but she is to be called Rosie. I imagine if you do this would depend on why your DH wants Isabella, if he plans on using that rather than Bella, or wants her to grow up with the name Isabella and not as just something to fall back on, it won't work.

If you want a long version, you could alternatively call her Annabel with nickname Bella. I prefer that to Annabella, which seems a bit too frilly.

There are quite a lot of Bella alternatives if you look around online, things like Arabella, Maribelle/a, Bellariese and also rather oddly Rubella although I don't suggest that.

It is a lovely name and the Twilight reference wouldn't put me off too much, however Isabella/Isobella/Isobel/Bella/Belle are all very common these days, but if that doesn't bother you - go for it!

Bella as a given name isn't very elegant, although it is a nice nickname. I would give her the full name and then shorten.

For what it's worth, I have one of the Isabel/Isobel/Isabelle names and got Izzy a fair amount as a child; less so now. If you call her Bella from babyhood then more than likely it will stick.

Agree with you re Izzy - it's horrible! Especially when you consider the actual name and the alternative nicknames are so nice. Why would you land on Izzy?!

I think if you use Bella yourselves and introduce her as Bella, then people are unlikely to use Izzy. If someone does, just say, 'Actually, she's Bella.'

Shimmy, your advice seems unnecessarily negative, on this and other threads?

I don't like Bella for a girl because it seems to be popular as a per name these days! Did you know that it means "good-looking" in Italian?

as a pet* name

It's also Latin for "wars" or "of the war"

I absolutely hate it! to me it's so.. looks oriented?

I hate twilight, but I still used Isabella. DD (nearly 2) calls herself Bella. It's pretty popular though, apparently. I only know one other, and she's a year older. Go for it

Oh, and I also considered Arabella, with the nn Bella, if you like that?

I like Isabella but not Izzy or Bella.

My first thought was twilight