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I prefer just Belle. And I like it as a stand alone. Possibly because Bella feels more dated, as you say. To be honest, though, almost every Bella I've ever known has been a cat or a dog.

Its ok, Isabella nn Bella is nice

I wrote a comment on a Bella post a few months ago, and my opinion hasn’t changed for the most part.

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"Bland, overused, annoyingly girly and overall annoying. I prefer Belle.

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The ‘Twilight’ comparison has probably worn off by now, considering how almost everyone is naming their kid, dog, and dog’s mother Bella."

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So, as you might have been able to tell, I’ve never really liked it or Isabella. I’m glad it’s going out of fashion, though Ella is already taking its place

I like it but I know a lot of people don’t. I was almost an Isabella and I would have rather been Bella than Izzy. I like it as a nn for Isabella or Arabella.

A distant uncle took leave in the middle of the First World War, went back to England (though he was fighting in the Canadian army, having emigrated before the war) and married an Isabella who was always known as Bella. So that makes it very vintage indeed in my life.

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I find it charming, but only on a dog. Or a great-great aunt. I like Isabel more, and Isobel much more.

Never liked it, it sounds so obnoxious. Far as I can tell it's still quite fashionable, plus most of the little Isabellas seem to go by Bella.
It's even more fashionable for cats and especially dogs. It's like the Bailey of today.

Tacky & oafish

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I hate Bella. Belle is better.

I mean, Isabella has been on the rise since the mid 90's and is still in the top 10 so I don't think it's had an usually short run. That's 25 years including 16 in the top 10.

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I don't know very many Bella's who are just called Bella, but many many Isabella's, Annabella's, etc. so it still feels very popular to me.

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It is cutesy and cheesy to me. I don't like it and I am sick of hearing it.

It’s okay, but I prefer Stella and Della.

Twilight ruined Isabella nn Bella for me.

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I like Isabel much better.

I do like Bella actually, I find it very sweet. That said, I wouldn’t use it. It reminds me of a character from a book that I loved when I was growing up, so that’s why it’s always been sweet to me. I prefer just Bella to Isabella. Bella would be a nice mn.

My cousin have a daughter named Bella, and just Bella. I dislike it as a nickname, but it's even worse as a given name. I quite like Belle though.

I don’t like it. It makes me think of the word “belly”

Isabella is still reasonably popular here and I’ve taught sooooo many Isabellas. I’ve never met a Bella (full name), though.

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They seem kinda dated by now to me and I still do associate Bella with Twilight (which I’m too old for but it was difficult to avoid).

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All that said, I do like Bella and Isabella is okay too. I used to find it awful but it has grown on me. But I still prefer Isabelle (isaBEL) and Belle.