Bela
Béla is a common Hungarian male given name. Its most likely etymology is from old Hungarian bél. Another possible source is a Turkic word boila/boyla – "noble, distinguished", or a variant of Ábel.
Meaning & Origin of Bela
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Béla is a common Hungarian male given name. Its most likely etymology is from old Hungarian bél. Another possible source is a Turkic word boila/boyla – "noble, distinguished", or a variant of Ábel.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Bela
As a girl name
Bela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1913, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2010, when 44 Belas were born — ranking #3,571 that year. As of 2026, Bela ranks #4,006 for girls with 36 births, rising sharply (+46% over the past five years). In total, more than 858 Belas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Bela first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1912, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 14 Belas were born — ranking #2,165 that year. As of 2026, Bela ranks #8,981 for boys with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 485 Belas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Bela
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Béla of Hungary Béla I of Hungary (1020–1063), King of Hungary
- Béla II of Hungary (1109–1141), King of Hungary and Croatia
- Béla III of Hungary (1148–1196), King of Hungary and Croatia
- Béla IV of Hungary (1206–1270), King of Hungary and Croatia
- Béla V of Hungary ( Otto III of Bavaria ; 1261–1312), Duke of Lower Bavaria and King of Hungary and Croatia
- Béla of Macsó (1243–1272), Duke of Macsó and Bosnia
- Bela of Saint Omer (died 1258), French knight, Lord of one half of Thebes
- Béla Nagy Abodi (1918–2012), Hungarian painter
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Bela
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bela is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bela
What does the name Bela mean?
How popular is Bela in 2026?
When was Bela most popular?
In which U.S. states is Bela most popular?
Is Bela a unisex name?
What names go well with Bela?
About the name Bela
Bela is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1913 and has accumulated 858 births in the dataset. Bela's peak popularity came in 2010 when it ranked #3,187. Use the chart and map above to compare Bela's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2010 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.