Holding steady, #10,917 for girls today.
Popularity of Bell since 1880
Babies named Bell per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1900, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Bell's real moment was 1884.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 416 |
| 1890s | 511 |
| 1900s | 418 |
| 1910s | 450 |
| 1920s | 290 |
| 1930s | 125 |
| 1940s | 84 |
| 1950s | 46 |
| 1960s | 18 |
| 1970s | 11 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 20 |
| 2010s | 64 |
| 2020s | 43 |
Meaning & origin
Bell is a name with a dual heritage: as an English surname-turned-given name meaning 'bell ringer' or 'bell maker', and as a centuries-old diminutive of Isabel and Annabel. It was first recorded in the United States in 1880, and its peak year came early in 1884, reflecting the period when short, sweet names were fashionable. By 2025, Bell had declined in use to rank 10,917, with a frequency of roughly 1 in 200,908 births. Despite its low modern rank, the name carries a clear, bright sound that aligns with the modern appreciation for vintage nickname names.
Bell originated as an English occupational surname for a bellringer or bellmaker, from Old English 'belle'. It also developed as a short form of Isabel (via its variant 'Bell') and other names ending in '-bel', such as Annabel. As a given name, it was occasionally used in the 19th century, especially in families with the surname.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Belle, Bella
Variants: Belle
Sibling names for Bell
Names that share Bell's style, for a brother or sister.
