| Elizabeth | Isabella | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God is my oath | Pledged to God |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ih-LIZ-uh-beth | iz-uh-BEL-uh |
| Syllables | 4 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1990 (20,750) | 2010 (22,936) |
| In 2025 | 6,760 | 10,666 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Elizabeth | Isabella |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 41,893 | 67,643 |
| 2010s | 94,103 | 170,605 |
| 2000s | 133,568 | 149,571 |
| 1990s | 172,693 | 18,762 |
| 1980s | 198,972 | 567 |
| 1970s | 142,845 | 296 |
| 1960s | 168,920 | 429 |
| 1950s | 165,656 | 590 |
| 1940s | 116,551 | 774 |
| 1930s | 96,480 | 1,079 |
| 1920s | 139,672 | 2,095 |
| 1910s | 116,811 | 2,046 |
| 1900s | 41,708 | 1,038 |
| 1890s | 33,879 | 903 |
| 1880s | 25,006 | 603 |
Elizabeth is from the Hebrew Elisheva, “God is my oath.” It has been borne by saints and queens across a thousand years.
Isabella is a Latinate form of Elizabeth, from the Hebrew Elisheva, “God is my oath” — one pledged or devoted to God.
Isabella is more popular than Elizabeth today: about 10,666 US babies were given the name Isabella in 2025, compared with 6,760 named Elizabeth.
Elizabeth means God is my oath (Hebrew origin), while Isabella means Pledged to God (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Elizabeth first appears in 1880 and Isabella in 1880, so Elizabeth has the longer recorded history.