'Annabelle' originates as a compound of the names 'Anna' and 'Belle'. 'Anna' ultimately comes from Hebrew 'Hannah' meaning 'grace' or 'favor', via Latin and Old French forms; 'Belle' comes from French 'belle' meaning 'beautiful'.

'Annabelle' developed as a feminine compound name in English and French usage (Early Modern to Modern periods), combining the established name 'Anna' (from Latin 'Anna', from Hebrew 'Hannah') with French 'belle'. The separate elements 'Anna' and 'belle' were used in medieval and early modern Europe before forming the compound 'Annabelle' in later usage.

Initially the elements meant 'grace' (from 'Anna/Hannah') and 'beautiful' (from 'belle'); over time the combined form 'Annabelle' came to be used primarily as a personal name without a literal descriptive sense, and in modern culture it is also associated with a particular fictional/haunted doll.