The name Belladonna is of Italian origin and means "beautiful woman". It is derived from the Italian words 'bella' meaning beautiful and 'donna' meaning woman. The name has been popularized in English literature, particularly by John Webster's play "The Duchess of Malfi" where one of the characters is named Belladonna.
Belladonna is also the scientific name for the deadly nightshade plant, which is known for its poisonous properties. However, it is important to note that there is no historical evidence suggesting that the name was inspired by this plant.
Despite being a unique and exotic name, Belladonna has not been widely used as a given name. It is most commonly found in literature and popular culture, where it is often associated with mystical or magical characters due to its rare and enigmatic nature.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Belladonna has seen a varied level of popularity among parents choosing names for their newborn daughters over the past two decades in the United States.
The year with the highest number of babies named Belladonna was 2021, with 31 births. This marked a significant increase from the previous year, which had 21 births. However, it is important to note that these numbers are relatively low compared to more popular names, indicating that Belladonna remains a unique choice.
The lowest number of babies named Belladonna occurred in 2001 and 2003, with only 8 and 6 births respectively. The years 2002, 2005, and 2009 saw a slight increase, with 7, 11, and 31 births respectively.
Over the course of these two decades (2001-2023), there were a total of 410 babies named Belladonna in the United States. This demonstrates that while it may not be one of the most popular names, Belladonna is still chosen by parents for their daughters with some frequency.
In conclusion, while the popularity of the name Belladonna has fluctuated over the past two decades, it remains a distinctive choice among American parents.