I can’t remember where I first spotted Belsante, but she sometimes appears among rare medieval variants for Isobel. I’d venture to guess she started out as a diminutive, though I’ve also stumbled across Belsante as a surname.
She’s certainly elegant, even dramatic, isn’t she? And yet, Belle and Bella are accessible – and overwhelmingly popular – nicknames.
With parents seeking an alternative to mega-hit Isabella, choices like Annabel and Arabella are on the rise. So are rarities like Maribel – a family name JLo used her daughter Emme’s middle – and Mirabel, as well as surname spins like Bellamy.
Worrisome suggestions abound on discussion boards: Harry Potter villain Bellatrix, Biblical bad girl Jezebel and Disney Tinkerbell. (For the record, JM Barrie’s character is actually Tinker Bell. And I’m fairly certain that suggestion came from someone not really naming a baby. I hope.)
So what say you to Belsante – yea or nay?
How do you pronounce it? Bell – san – tay?
I was wondering the same thing about pronunciation. My first thought is also “Bell – san – tay”. But I guess maybe “Bell – sont” could work.
I like Arabella a lot. Seemed a bit too princessy for a first name – hubby didn’t like it. I sometimes wish I’d used it as a middle name though – it’s much more exciting than Abigail, which we used.
Mirabel is very pretty too.
I love Mirabel but my sister has an Isabella so that pretty much rules out any belle/bel names.
I’m saying bell SONT, or maybe bell SAHNT. But it is such an unusual name that I think you’d have the luxury of choosing your own pronunciation.
Harry Belefante?
LOL!
exactly what I was thinking.
I pronounce is “bel-SANT” in my head, and actually prefer it to Isabella. I’m on a liking spree.
I like the unusual-ness of this name, but for some reason it reminds of of elephant. ??
My favorite “Belle”-related name is Bélène, my niece’s name. I think it’s just beautiful.
I know I saw this in Kate Monk’s Onomastikon along with other strange Isabel variations.
I don’t know what to make of it. I’ve tried formulating a response three times now. Words fail me. Had they not, I’m sure it would be something rude-ish.
I find this name to be uber cool! I really like it. Nice find, thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Bewildertrix – there she is: http://gaminggeeks.org/Resources/KateMonk/England-Medieval/Biblical.htm, along with Sabelina and Ysabelot!
Ysabelot! I tried working that into a realistic combination once and failed miserably. I think it’s fab.
Ysabelot is lovely – but quite a bit to wear!
Ysabel Marianne – both medieval French but still sounding modern (the -ot is a diminutive used widely in medieval French names so you could still call her Ysabelot in the family as a petname).
Not that I spend way too many hours reading s-gabriel.org or anything (a medieval name junkies best friend)
OOoh, Sabelina and Ysabelot are both very pretty as well.
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in my head I am pronouncing this Bell-sahn-tay. I like it!!!
It is really growing on me – though I’m saying it more like bell SAHNT.
I like that about relatively unknown names… Pronounce them how you like because no one is alive who knows for sure
I started doing medieval and Renaissance reenactment in my mid teens and am still fairly active so a lot of the names mentioned so far I know at least one of
(Elizabeth is also my middle name) I would pronounce it Belsante BEL-sant-ay (it almost looks like medieval French for “good health” sante is health)