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Baby Names:

Isabella

Meaning: God is my oath

Origin: Italian

Alternate spellings: Isabelle, Isobelle Izabelle, Izabele, Bella, Bell, Belle

Isabella’s yet another play on Elizabeth, which means “God is my oath.” But this particular Elizabeth – and there are plenty of them – has shot up the charts in the last decade, becoming the most popular girl’s name in 2009. There’s only one reason for this: the release of Twilight as a book and movie series, featuring Isabella “Bella” Swan (Bella’s a great nickname, by the way, but it’s one that’s going to be terribly popular for decades to come…or burn out from its own ubiquity). Although Isabella still sounds old-fashioned, it’s one of the vintage names that’s really making the scene today.