Isabel is the Spanish and Portuguese form of Elizabeth and means "God is my oath" or "pledged to God"; it arose in medieval Spain and Provence and was carried across Europe by royal marriages. Queen Isabella of Castile, who financed Columbus, is the name's most famous bearer. Isabel ranked 94th in the United States in 2000, peaked at number 83 in 2003 and has drifted down to number 177 in 2025.