Which is the better choice - Isabelle or Isabella?

[caitlinrose]

After posting our list a while ago and taking into account your suggestions I have really started to like the name Isabelle. My husband likes it as well and we added it to our list.

It was suggested as an alternative to Isabella (which was on our list and still is) and many people said that Isabella was too common.

I like them both a lot but I have since heard that people say it's common as well so I don't know which would be the better choice out of these two.

We are adjusting our list right now so it would help us if you could tell us which one we should keep.

Which one is more common where you are?

Popularity isn't everything to us, which one do you like better in general? The sound or any associations the names give you? We would just like to avoid her always having to be Isabella Lastname or "the short Isabelle" etc.

We would use the full names mostly but sometimes Belle for Isabelle and Belle or Bella (which do you prefer?) for Isabella.

Is Isabella still associated with Twilight? Someone in the other thread mentioned it. What about Bella? Maybe better to use Belle for both?

Sorry, this got long.

We are sure about the spellings so we wouldn't consider Isabel or Isobel.

All variations of Isabel/Isabelle/Isabella are overused imo. They've been fashionable for the past 10-15 years.

I would spell them:

Isabella

Isobel.

Arabella?

I like Isabella.

Isabella will become Bella, but Isabelle will not become Belle. It's just one of those odd things. Both are, however, likely to become Issy. I speak from experience! We went for Isabelle for our oldest, as even with our Italian heritage, Isabelle, went better with our surname.

I prefer Isabella. I really like it and I'd choose Bella over Issy. If I wanted Belle I'd just go for that on its own, rather than Isabelle as I have never known one shorten to Belle. It is popular but I think for good reason - it's a lovely name.

It doesn’t really matter as all her friends will call her Izzy.

I have an Isobel. It doesn't matter how you spell it, it WILL get shortened to Izzy unless you call her Belle yourself (with Isabelle on the birth certificate).

Isabella. Isabelle is silly unless you’re French. Isabel or Isobel are the spellings in the UK.

I prefer isabelle over isabella. Isabella and bella just reminds me of twilight if I'm honest. I do prefer the spelling isobel but that's just my preference.

I prefer Isabel! Spanish spelling.

I like Isabella, it’s prettier than Isabelle..just my opinion 😊

www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-1000-names-in-england-and-wales-2020.html

In England and Wales:

Isabella - number 8
Isabelle - number 34
Isabel - number 136
Isobel - number 159

Added together, quite popular. I haven't included less common variations like Ysabelle and Izabel.

They're both nice but I prefer Isabella to Isabelle. I prefer Isabel to Isabella. I wouldn't worry about one version being more popular than another - the name has been popular over the last 15 years or so and wasn't uncommon before that so collectively both names feel very popular - just pick which you prefer. (I know several 30 something Isabels and Isobels and lots of 20 something Isabelles followed by teen and child Isabellas and a few baby Isabella's and Isabels.)

I know way more Isabelles.
I've only come across one Isabella.

Isabella is much more elegant in my opinion.
I do tend to love names ending in a though.

If it’s between those two then Isabella, as it only has one potential spelling. Clarifying the spelling of Isabelle every single time will get old very quickly.

Really not a fan of Bella, not sure why, it’s just quite bland. Also it’s such a popular dog’s name.

Both are popular, but I much prefer Isabel. She will get shortened to Izzy though.

They're both really nice but I prefer Isabella just slightly

I prefer Isabel or Isobel.

Isabella is too long (in terms of number of syllables) for my tastes. The only one I know - a teenager - is pretty much always called Bella.

Really like the Isobel spelling. Looks much nicer than Isabelle imo.

Isobel (best) or Isabel. The French spelling (Isabelle) is just a bit unnecessary. I really dislike the name Isabella, no idea why, the 'bell' sound is much prettier than " Bella" which sounds a bit lumpen to my ears.

Isabella.
It's not always shortened to Issy. The Isabella we know is called Bella.

My dd is Isobel. Sometimes I wish we gone with Isabella as it sounds prettier. She is Izzy or Iz to everyone though,unless she's in trouble then I call her Isobel in a particular tone of voice😀

Isobel
Isabella is a bit too long.

@ZoyaTheDestroyer makes a good point about Isabella only having one potential spelling. I’d probably choose Isabella then based on that as you like both OP.

There are loads of both at the moment with Arabella, Isobel, Annabel, Annabelle, Annabella.

Do you want them known as Isabella initial of surname all the time?

My neice is called Isabelle and has always been Belle.