Bellamy Mansion; Image via Wikipedia
With Isabella, Emily, and Madison solidly established in the girls’ Top Ten, little wonder this name is attracting attention.
Thanks to Danielle for suggesting Bellamy as our Baby Name of the Day.
Bellamy shares so much with names in vogue in 2011:
- She shares the three-syllable, ends-in-ee of Emily, as well as Natalie, Avery, and countless girls’ favorites through the ages;
- Her surname style is sure to appeal to parents who have put Madison, Taylor, and Riley on their girls’ birth certificates;
- And then there’s Belle, the beauty. White hot ages before Bella Swan fell for a sparkly vampire, Bellamy satisfies parents who like the idea of Isabella, but want something just a little different.
Despite all of these reasons that Bellamy seems like an inevitable name to find on small girls, she’s yet to make the US Top 1000. In 2010, just 46 girls received the name, compared to over 5,000 Bellas, at least as many Annabelles (if you count up all of the possible spellings), and more than 22,000 Isabellas (not counting all the other spellings). Bell is big.
Design mavens Cortney and Robert Novogratz named their eldest daughter Bellamy Nicole, twin sister of Tallulah Louise. As the family continues to stay in the public eye, their choice may very well prompt some parents to consider Bellamy.
Her meaning is appealing, too. The Novogratz chose the name because of its connection to France. It comes from beau/bel – beautiful and ami – friend, so Bellamy means beautiful friend – one of the better meanings out there.
Bellamy also brings to mind:
- Kate Hudson’s new son with rocker Matthew Bellamy of Muse is called Bing Bellamy, a name that generated quite a lot of chatter;
- The Bellamy Brothers had a successful musical career in the 1970s, scoring country hits, plus the crossover “Let Your Love Flow” in 1976;
- 1970s British drama Upstairs, Downstairs was all about the lives of a wealthy family and their servants. The Bellamy family lived upstairs.
Farther back, Bellamy Storer represented Ohio in the US Congress in the 1830s. His son, also Bellamy Storer, followed in his footsteps in the 1890s before becoming a diplomat.
Mary Bellamy was the first woman elected to the Wyoming legislature, and an active suffragette.
Then there’s minister and writer Francis Bellamy, the author of the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892. It wasn’t officially adopted until 1942; Bellamy wrote it for a youth magazine to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. Still, it gives the French name a sort of Americana vibe. Francis had a cousin named Edward Bellamy who was also a writer. You might’ve stumbled across his utopian novel Looking Backward.
Two pirates answered to the surname, both active in the eighteenth century, mostly off the coast of New England.
Other notable Bellamys abound – athletes, actors, and more. There’s also Bellamy Young, an actress you might recognize from CSI: Miami and Dirty Sexy Money – but Ms. Young was born Amy.
There’s also something vaguely southern about Bellamy. Maybe that’s because of antebellum achievements like the Bellamy Mansion in North Carolina – pictured above, and now operated as a museum.
Bellamy doesn’t have much history as a given name for either gender, but fits right in with current trends in girls’ names. If you’re looking for a modern choice that stands out while still fitting in, Bellamy might be ideal.
Sam says
August 30, 2015 at 12:56 PM“Bellamy doesn’t have much of a history for a given name of either gender”
Actually yes it totally does. It’s originally a male name, french, and means “handsome friend”
appellationmountain says
August 30, 2015 at 5:06 PMI’m not so sure about that. It’s not listed in Meilleurs Prenom’s (exhaustive) database of given names in France, and it doesn’t seem to register in Quebec, either. (Though I’m only look at recent history in Quebec, not as much data as at Meilleurs Prenoms.) In the US, it has only been used for girls, at least in sufficient numbers to register in the US Social Security Administration’s database. Looking at the 1940 US Census – which includes people born elsewhere – there were about two dozen men listed with the name – though that was a quick glance, not an exhaustive search, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few more. So … it’s definitely a surname, with plenty of examples over the centuries. But a first name? I don’t see it.
Bellamy says
April 24, 2012 at 7:25 AMI think the “violent vibe” suggested may be because Bellamy rhymes with felony! Hah! I suppose I like the name, after all I have been laden with it for over 22 year now. I should be getting used to it by now!
What’s have been getting used to is the mistake of confusing Bellamy as a last name, and again with Melanie and Belany. At least I’m not Belaire.
Charlotte Vera says
September 22, 2011 at 2:35 AMI keep thinking of bellicose for some reason. And Bedlam. Basically the name somehow reminds me of manic, violent things.
katybug says
September 26, 2011 at 1:38 PMI’m not the only one who gets a violent vibe from the name! I couldn’t put my finger on it til just now. Must be the similarity to Bedlam. I agree that this one should rise dramatically over the coming years–it just needs a little more exposure. Maybe it will bring in a new generation of Amys? I love the name (sorry Abby!).
appellationmountain says
September 27, 2011 at 7:37 AMOh, Amy is a great name! Though I still know rafts of women my age named Amy, so I’m perfectly happy to
have a less common nameshare my name with a bunch of toddlers instead. 🙂
Eponymia says
September 21, 2011 at 4:39 PMI know an Amy who goes (professionally and personally) by Bellamy — it’s not my style but a very nice meaning and sound. Fits right in with other Bell- names, but stands out because it’s so unusual.
K. says
September 21, 2011 at 1:40 PMBellamy definitely feels male to me. I think it’s the surname connection combined with the ‘y’ ending. For some reason, longer names with y endings tend to seem masculine to me. Go figure.
neschria says
September 21, 2011 at 8:14 AMI can’t decide how I feel about Bellamy on a girl, but that might be because it is the last name of an old, close (male) friend… It definitely skews male for me.
AR says
September 20, 2011 at 10:20 PMMy daughter is one of the 46!
waltzingmorethanmatilda says
September 20, 2011 at 8:34 PMMy first thought that British environmentalist David Bellamy, so to me it seems green-geek and male.
Must everything starting with “Bell” be for girls now?
Joy says
September 20, 2011 at 7:01 PMBelle-Ami? That’s the first alternate spelling I thought of that seems more like a French first name. Honestly, it sounds like a boutique, too.
Rosy says
September 20, 2011 at 6:30 PMToo surnamey for me, but I think it makes a great last name– I wish my last name was Bellamy!
Laura Rose says
September 20, 2011 at 6:18 PMBellamy’s pretty, but one of three rivers in my town is named the Bellamy River, so I could never use it. (On a side note about rivers, one of my friends, Katherine’s screen name is KatChecho, a play on Cochecho, one of the other rivers)
Meryl says
September 20, 2011 at 5:44 PMI actually really like Bellamy for a girl. But where I live the politician’s pub across the road from parliament is called Bellamy’s, which pretty much rules it out for me!
Julie says
September 20, 2011 at 5:30 PMI love the meaning, but it isn’t for me… I just can’t shake off the “surnameiness” of Bellamy.
Sarah A says
September 20, 2011 at 4:44 PMHmm, maybe it’s Kate Hudson’s baby boy, but Bellamy really reads male to me. But I guess I’m kind of biased towards surnames in general on males. I do like it for either gender though!
Lou @ Mer de noms says
September 20, 2011 at 2:23 PMBellamy is an intriguing choice – especially when said in my super-cool French accent 😉 She’s tipped for stardom, and I for one won’t be surprised when/ if she achieves it especially given how much love Bella is getting at the moment.
namemuststay says
September 20, 2011 at 5:22 PMlove, love, love the meaning, but as Bellamy is an exes last name and that hits too close to home, I would probably alter the spelling to be a little bit less surname, more a reflection of the meaning. Maybe Belamie, Bellami?
Nook of Names says
September 20, 2011 at 10:52 AMI do wonder why Bellamy and its close relation Bonamy haven’t been embraced as given names yet — they’ve both got so much going for them. I’ll be thrilled to bits if if I ever meet one
appellationmountain says
September 20, 2011 at 6:53 PMBonamy reminds me of the cleanser – I’m not sure if it is sold outside of the US? Not a bad association, but not a name-friendly one.
Lauren says
September 20, 2011 at 8:37 AMIf I had a Bellamy surname in my family tree, I’d use it. But I can’t get behind using surnames that have no connection to one’s actual family.
appellationmountain says
September 20, 2011 at 6:54 PMI tend to feel the same way, Lauren, but we tend to stick with family names in general.
Lola says
September 20, 2011 at 7:59 AMBellamy’s got a lovely meaning but her sound bores me to tears. Bell- is everywhere and Amy? Lovely, but so dated. (no offense, I swear!)
Francis Bellamy was my first thought (and FWIW, I adore the thought of a girly Frances Bellamy)! Maybe Names4real could break it up a bit: Frances Jane Bellamy, as Francis Bellamy was my first thought (and FWIW, I adore the thought of a girly Frances Bellamy)! Maybe Names4real could break it up a bit: Frances Jane Bellamy, as an example?
I probably wouldn’t make a face upon meeting a tiny Bellamy but it’s not my cup o’ I probably wouldn’t make a face upon meeting a tiny Bellamy but it’s not my cup o’ steak.
Panya says
September 20, 2011 at 3:24 PMIt didn’t even occur to me that this was a Bell- name! I suppose this is the only one I like then.
Names4Real says
September 20, 2011 at 7:40 PMThat’s a good idea to add another middle name. Thanks.
Queen of Shibas says
September 20, 2011 at 7:42 AMOne of my best friend named her daughter Bellamy in 2010! Everyone who hears it seems to fall in love with the name and I just adore the meaning. It has such a soft, lyrical sound to it. The name just rolls off your tounge so beautifully!
Names4Real says
September 20, 2011 at 7:22 AMI love Bellamy. I like the nickname Mimi for her too.
I dreamed once I had a daughter named Fable, but I like names with nicknames/options so I came up with Frances Bellamy “Fable”. I loved it until I googled Frances Bellamy and Francis Bellamy came up. Back to the drawing board.
I loved seeing how the Novogratz came up with their kid names.
appellationmountain says
September 20, 2011 at 4:25 PMFrances Bellamy, nn Fable? I love it. Even with the Francis Bellamy issue!
Names4Real says
September 20, 2011 at 7:32 PMThanks! 🙂
i.heart.nerds says
September 20, 2011 at 7:08 AMOoh I like the meaning of this name a lot. It is kind of a cool way to get to Amy as well if Belle is too popular. It’s not really my style for a first name, but it would make a surprising second middle name.
Catherine says
September 20, 2011 at 4:07 AMI could see myself using it as a second middle name. It does not flow well with the girl’s name my fiance and I have agreed on (the combo sounds like a medical procedure, no matter HOW beautiful Ember Bellamy would mean and look on paper – bright beautiful friend) but I could see it as Ember Josephine Bellamy. Josephine though has that nice sharp J to break up the soft -er and equally soft -bel as well as giving the option of a more gender-determinate middle name if Em/M/Emmy would rather be a Jodie or a Josie or a Jo. And it’s been on my short list of names that I’ve loved since my teens (and 10 years on I’m still happy with the name I picked for my firstborn).
Man, if thinking about baby names caused pregnancy, I’d be Octomom.
appellationmountain says
September 20, 2011 at 4:26 PMHA! I think we’d all be pushing those mega-strollers if that last bit was true, Catherine!
appellationmountain says
September 20, 2011 at 7:06 PMI do like Ember so much – modern and meaningful at the same time. Ember Josephine Bellamy really is lovely!
fictionalnamer says
September 23, 2011 at 8:21 AMI ADORE Ember!
Panya says
September 20, 2011 at 4:02 AMI first heard the name on Bill Bellamy [not exactly a deterrent for use himself, but he was the first person to use the phrase “booty call” on television].
I’ve always liked Bellamy for a boy [of course], though the spelling Bellamie would be nice for a girl.
appellationmountain says
September 20, 2011 at 6:55 PMI hadn’t thought of Bill Bellamy, but you’re right – that’s probably the first thought for many!