Re: Belle or Bella?
in reply to a message by greenbeans
Belle doesn't look like a dictionary word, but it does sound like 'bell'; it is also uncomfortably close in appearance to 'belly'. So by default I'll go for Bella - I had two 19th century aunts named Isabella and known as Bella, for what that's worth - though I really don't like either, and I don't like Isabelle and Isabella. My preferred form would be Isobel, or even Isabel; I like Isobel enough to use.