When it comes to naming our dogs, we often get ideas from stories that inspire our lives. The names come from books, movies, legends, and even bedtime stories. These stories inspire us with their characters that reflect the attitude and experience the adventures that we tend to idealize. So when it comes to finding the right name for our new four-legged furry friend, too often we look to the tales that inspire our hearts, especially since that’s where our pup’s love touches us the most.
Enter Bella
Amongst the top name choices for the girls is Bella. It’s a name that’s been around for a long time, originating in Eastern Europe before making its way around the world. But every name has its original source, even for the multiple variations of Bella; from the simple Bell, meaning beautiful, to Belladonna, a name given to a very beautiful but deadly flower. While the top name choice of the past year is Bella, variations of the name have popped up here and there, adding a personal touch to each relationship shared between a pup and her owner.
In the Latin translation, Bella refers to “one who is intelligent.” However, the basis of the name, Bell, refers to “one who is beautiful,” and has become the definition of choice in today’s modern culture. Of course, you can always put the definitions together, and come out with a “beautifully intelligent” companion, who might just be a little mischievous on the side.
It is also important to note that there is no male version of this name. There are quite a few names out there, such as Maxine or Samantha, which have a masculine variation, but Bella is a name completely entrusted to the female gender (also since boys prefer to be called handsome). In which case, you could always name your male pup El Guapo (Spanish for “The Handsome One”), especially if you’re a Three Amigos fan.
Recent Pop Culture Influence
After the release of the recent book and movie series, Twilight, the name Bella skyrocketed as one of the top female dog name choices, ranking first in past year. But this name has been used in other fantasy stories in the past, such as the musical Beauty (Bell) and the Beast, though it never propelled the name to the popularity it has today. It wasn’t until the past few years that the name Bella jumped straight to the top ten name choices, and seems to have the confidence to stay in the top ten for a while.
Bella is indeed a wonderful name for any pup, and definitely reflects the beauty and brilliance that a dog naturally possesses (though it never hurts to remind them that every day). However, regardless of which name you give a dog, as long as you treat it well, you can expect a faithful companion that will be there to brighten your day with a sprinkle of mischief and adoration.
