Gabriella

Some names are a single outfit. Gabriella is a whole wardrobe. Four syllables of full-length glamour for formal occasions, and a rail of shorter versions for everything else.

At its heart is a meaning of real conviction. Gabriella is a Hebrew name meaning God is my strength. Whether that speaks to your faith or simply appeals as a statement of resilience, it's a name with a steady backbone beneath all that sparkle.

A nickname for every mood

This is where Gabriella really earns its place on a shortlist. Few names give you this much choice:

• Gaby or Gabby, bubbly and chatty
• Ella, soft and classic
• Brielle, polished and a little unexpected

It means a child can try on different versions of her name as she grows, then settle on whichever feels most like her. It also means the grandparents can each have a favourite without anyone having to arbitrate. Diplomacy, built in.

The people who share the name add to its glamour. Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès, is the daughter of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Charlene, Princess of Monaco, so it comes with a touch of palace polish. Gabriella Cilmi, the Australian singer, and Gabriella Wilde, the British actress, bring some showbusiness sparkle, while Gabriella Papadakis, the French ice dancer, adds grace on the rink.

Popular, but pleasantly uncrowded

Gabriella hasn't cracked any top tens, and for plenty of parents that's a selling point. It was #77 in the United States in 2020 and sits at #95 in Canada (2024), just about in the top hundred. It's #101 in Australia (2025), #170 in England & Wales and #182 in New Zealand, then drifts further out: #212 in France, #229 in Brazil and #525 in Catalonia.

That makes it recognisable almost everywhere, but rarely crowded. Your Gabriella is far more likely to be the only one in her class than the fourth.

If you like the feel of it, you'll probably also be drawn to Isabella, Julian, Nicholas, Sophia and Adrian: longer, romantic names with a classic, slightly European elegance. Gabriella fits into that family effortlessly, and pairs particularly well with a short, crisp middle name to balance out all those syllables.

The only real downside is the one every long name faces: you'll be writing it on a great many school forms. But with a nickname for every occasion, she can decide for herself how much of it to use.

Choosing a name is supposed to be one of the happiest bits of expecting a baby, and it is, mostly, between the rows about spelling and the relatives who "just don't see it". If you want something strong, graceful and generously flexible, Gabriella gives you plenty to work with. Now all you need to decide is which of its many versions you'll actually use.