Belle
From French belle (“beauty, beautiful”), from Latin bella.
Every Belle since 1880 — 19,227 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Belle
Belle is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,013 in 2025 with 247 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 19,227 American babies have been named Belle. Its peak came in 1915, when 407 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Belle stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Belle year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 247 | #1,013 |
| 2024 | 255 | #1,005 |
| 2023 | 250 | #1,012 |
| 2022 | 274 | #971 |
| 2021 | 241 | #1,046 |
| 2020 | 255 | #1,000 |
| 2019 | 307 | #874 |
| 2018 | 312 | #870 |
| 2017 | 339 | #806 |
| 2016 | 293 | #936 |
| 2015 | 251 | #1,050 |
| 2014 | 251 | #1,033 |
| 2013 | 190 | #1,255 |
| 2012 | 163 | #1,408 |
| 2011 | 144 | #1,527 |
| 2010 | 155 | #1,457 |
| 2009 | 136 | #1,642 |
| 2008 | 170 | #1,396 |
| 2007 | 144 | #1,570 |
| 2006 | 146 | #1,506 |
| 2005 | 152 | #1,406 |
| 2004 | 147 | #1,415 |
| 2003 | 107 | #1,757 |
| 2002 | 113 | #1,633 |
| 2001 | 108 | #1,672 |
| 2000 | 74 | #2,159 |
| 1995 | 35 | #3,227 |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,503 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,018 |
| 1980 | 11 | #5,945 |
| 1975 | 15 | #4,161 |
| 1970 | 22 | #3,037 |
| 1965 | 24 | #2,471 |
| 1960 | 35 | #1,928 |
| 1955 | 30 | #1,941 |
| 1950 | 39 | #1,476 |
| 1945 | 40 | #1,262 |
| 1940 | 32 | #1,315 |
| 1935 | 47 | #1,005 |
| 1930 | 82 | #775 |
| 1925 | 140 | #619 |
| 1920 | 235 | #436 |
| 1915 | 407 | #288 |
| 1910 | 193 | #281 |
| 1905 | 205 | #216 |
| 1900 | 291 | #181 |
| 1895 | 283 | #155 |
| 1890 | 304 | #127 |
| 1885 | 255 | #108 |
| 1880 | 238 | #90 |
Famous people named Belle
- Belle Gunness Extremist · 1859–1908
- Belle Starr Mafioso · 1848–1889
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Belle mean?
From French belle (“beauty, beautiful”), from Latin bella.
How popular is the name Belle in 2025?
Belle ranked #1,013 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 247 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Belle?
19,227 babies have been named Belle in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Belle most popular?
Belle peaked in 1915, when 407 newborns received the name.
Is Belle a boy or girl name?
Belle is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Belle rising or falling?
Belle is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Belle?
Well-known people named Belle include Belle Gunness (extremist), Belle Starr (mafioso).