Girl · #167 in 2026

Isabel

Name: Popularity of the name Isabel in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Isabel, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of Elisabeth. Arising in the 12th century, it became popular in England in the 13th century following the marriage of Isabella of Angoulême to the king of England. Variant forms and spellings include Isabella, Ysabelle, Isobel, and Isobelle.

Spanish
Portuguese
English
French

Current Rank

#167

Peak Rank

#83 (2006)

Total Babies

134K

5-Yr Trend

-8%

1880

First Year

2026

Last Year

2006

Peak Year

#83

Peak Rank

134K

Total Count

147

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Isabel

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

Spanish
Portuguese
English
French
German
Dutch
Occitan

Etymology

This set of names is a Spanish variant of the Hebrew name Elisheba through Latin and Greek represented in English and other European languages as Elisabeth . These names are derived from the Latin and Greek renderings of the Hebrew name based on both etymological and contextual evidence (the use of Isabel as a translation of Elizabeth ). The variant form originated through the loss of the first syllable through rebracketing and the replacement of final /t/ with /l/ (as /t/ does not appear word-finally in standard Spanish). Elisabeth was understood in Spain as a name with the masculine definite

The Story of Isabel

The earliest SSA record of Isabel as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 81 babies received it. 2006 was its biggest year on record, with 4,009 newborns named Isabel — #87 in the national rankings. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Isabels. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #167 among baby girl names with 1,806 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 134K Isabels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Variants & Related Forms of Isabel

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Isabel. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Notable people named Isabel

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

Isabel I (1451–1504), Queen of Castile and Léon (1474–1504), Queen consort of Aragon (1479–1504)
Isabel , Princess Imperial of Brazil (1846–1921)
Isabel , Waikeri leader (~1500-1558)
Isabel Aboy , Spanish actress
Isabel Allende , Chilean author and niece of Salvador Allende
Isabel Barrows , American stenographer
Isabel Baumann , Swiss bobsledder
Isabel Bayrakdarian , Canadian-Armenian lyric soprano

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Isabel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Isabel 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 Isabel

What does the name Isabel mean?

What is the origin of the name Isabel?

Isabel has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, German, Dutch, Occitan.

How popular is Isabel in 2026?

In 2026, Isabel ranks #167 among girls' names in the U.S., with 1,806 babies given the name that year.

When was Isabel most popular?

Isabel reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #83 that year with 4,009 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Isabel most popular?

Isabel has historically been most popular in Arizona, New Mexico, District of Columbia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Isabel.

Is Isabel a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Isabel is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Isabel?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Isabel include Constance, Jeanne, Terry. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

What are nicknames or variants of Isabel?

Common variants and related forms of Isabel include Belinha, Bell, Bella, Belle, Ibbie, Isa. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

About the name Isabel

Isabel is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 134K births in the dataset. Isabel's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #83. Use the chart and map above to compare Isabel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.