Girl · Hebrew · New Testament · Biblically inspired

Isabella

iz-uh-BEL-uh · means “God is my oath”

Isabella is a Latin, Spanish, and Italian form that traces back through Elizabeth to the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning "God is my oath." It is not itself a name in Scripture, but its root belongs to Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, and to Elisheba, wife of Aaron in Exodus.

“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.”

The story behind the name

Isabella traveled from Spain and Italy into wide use across the English-speaking world, and it has been one of the most popular American girls' names since the early 2000s, loved for its romance and history.

The name's deepest root goes back to Elisheba, wife of Aaron the priest (Exodus 6:23), and from there down through the centuries to Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zechariah. Elizabeth was "righteous in the sight of God" yet childless and past the age of hoping, until an angel told Zechariah she would bear a son (Luke 1:5-13).

When Mary visited her, Elizabeth's own unborn son leaped for joy, and Elizabeth cried out in blessing over her young cousin (Luke 1:41-42). A daughter named Isabella carries the legacy of that same joyful faith, an oath kept by God even after a long, quiet wait.

Middle names that sing with Isabella

Chosen for rhythm and meanings that speak to each other.

You might also love