UK girl's name
Arbella
Derived from Latin for "little bear", a variant of the name Arabella.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Arbella is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Arbella popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5691, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2014 to 2014. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Arbella is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Arbella. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Arbella ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales in 2014, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 3 girls were registered as Arbella.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arbella as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5691
2014
Births in 2014
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Arbella mean?
The name Arbella is an English feminine given name that originated during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "arbella," which means "little tree" or "sapling." This name likely came into use as a diminutive form of the Latin name "Arbor," meaning "tree."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arbella can be found in the historical records of the 16th century. Arbella Stuart, born in 1575, was an English aristocrat and a claimant to the English and Scottish thrones. She was the great-granddaughter of Margaret Tudor, the eldest daughter of King Henry VII of England.
Another notable figure who bore the name Arbella was Arbella Dumaresq, born in 1677. She was an English writer and translator who published several works, including a French translation of John Locke's "Essay Concerning Human Understanding."
In the 18th century, Arbella Pye, born in 1742, was an English poet and writer. She published several volumes of poetry and was considered a talented literary figure of her time.
The name Arbella also appeared in the world of literature. In the novel "The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders" by Daniel Defoe, published in 1722, one of the characters is named Arbella.
Another notable bearer of the name was Arbella Petrie, born in 1854. She was a Scottish archaeologist and Egyptologist who made significant contributions to the field of Egyptology and the excavation of ancient sites in Egypt.
While the name Arbella has been used throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon. It has been more popular in certain regions, such as England and the United States, but has never been among the most widely used given names.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Arbella by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arbella was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5691 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Arbella
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Arbella: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arbella in the UK right now?
In 2014, Arbella was ranked #5691 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Arbella most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 3 babies registered as Arbella in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arbella?
Derived from Latin for "little bear", a variant of the name Arabella.
How many people are called Arbella in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Arbella across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.