Meaning and background
The story behind Bellah
Bellah has an Irish surname account that differs from the familiar Bella spelling. The Dictionary of American Family Names explicitly identifies Bellah as a variant of Ballagh. Its linked Ballagh entry derives that surname from Gaelic ballach, referring to something speckled or marked. For a spotted dog, that can provide an apt personal connection, while the historical evidence remains a surname relationship rather than an Italian beauty-name derivation.
- Origin
- Irish surname variant of Ballagh, whose linked entry derives it from Gaelic ballach, speckled or marked. Source · Source 2
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About Bellah
Recorded as a dog’s name
Bellah appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2018 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/bɛlə/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/bɛlə/ · primary stress on syllable 1B EH1 L AH0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.