Arabella \a-ra-bella, arab(el)-la\ as a girl's name is pronounced AIR-a-bell-ah. It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of Arabella is "prayerful". From "orabilis". Also possibly a variant of Anabella (see Annabel). Popular in England, where it has an upper-class aura. A ship named the Arbella brought a group of Puritan English aristocrats to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630; many socially prominent Boston families are descended from this group.

Arabella has 17 variant forms: Ara, Arabel, Arabela, Arabelle, Arbela, Arbell, Arbella, Arbelle, Bel, Bella, Belle, Orabel, Orabella, Orabelle, Orbel, Orbella and Orbelle.

For more information, see also the related name Araminta.