I love the idea of [name]Belle[/name] as a name, but knowing that it’s more of a french word than a french name bothers me a bit (silly of me I know :p) also do you think that the association with a disney princess helps or not?
I wouldn’t use it on its own. I would use it as a nickname for [name]Isabelle[/name], [name]Amabel[/name], [name]Annabel[/name], or something along those lines. It would make a very pretty nickname! 
[name]Edit[/name]: Some more ideas –
[name]Isabella[/name]
[name]Annabella[/name]
Amabella
[name]Mabel[/name]
Abeline
Cymbelline
[name]Adabelle[/name]
[name]Clarabelle[/name]
Belphoebe
[name]Christabel[/name]
[name]Bellamy[/name]
[name]Sybella[/name]
[name]Bluebell[/name]
[name]Campbell[/name]
[name]Jezebel[/name]
[name]Mehitabel[/name]
I think it’s fine as a full name where I am in [name]America[/name]. I don’t think of it as any different from [name]Bijoux[/name]…a word, a name, nothing strange to me!
I personally prefer [name]Anabelle[/name] but [name]Belle[/name] on it’s own is fine!
[name]Belle[/name] was my #1 name for years. Then the rise of [name]Isabel[/name]/[name]Isabella[/name] ruined it for me. But putting that aside, I would have definitely used [name]Belle[/name] in a heartbeat. I don’t care that it’s a French word. At least it has a “beautiful” meaning. 
Plus, let’s get real. I live in the Mid-[name]West[/name] and am not a world traveler… I don’t really care that it’s a French word - and neither do 90% of the people I’m in contact with every day. (I understand others have a different point of view, however.) [name]Belle[/name] is a beautiful name!
I like [name]Belle[/name] as a nickname for [name]Isabelle[/name]. Oddly enough, though, I prefer just [name]Bella[/name] as opposed to [name]Isabella[/name].
[name]Belle[/name] works great as a full name. I like the simplicity of [name]Belle[/name] as opposed to more elaborate choices like [name]Isabella[/name], [name]Annabel[/name], [name]Mirabel[/name], etc.
I love [name]Belle[/name]!! She is beautiful on her own and as a NN
Personally my frame of reference is that [name]Belle[/name] is just a word and the Disney [name]Princess[/name] association makes it a little too cutesy for me but in the states it’s probably not a problematic choice and people seem to like it so if you love it go ahead and use it or find a name like [name]Isabelle[/name] nn [name]Belle[/name].
I love it! I personally am planning on using it (and [name]Bella[/name]) as a nn for [name]Isabelle[/name] (as long as I don’t change my mind between now and when I actually start a family), but I think [name]Belle[/name] is lovely on its own, as well. Honestly, it doesn’t bother me at all that it means “beautiful” in French. Then again, I refuse to touch [name]Soleil[/name] and [name]Jolie[/name] as they’re French words… go figure. If you’re uncomfortable with it, I would just go for a longer -belle name and use the nn [name]Belle[/name], if you really love it.
Good luck!
I have a great-aunt I very much loved whose name was [name]Bella[/name] - just [name]Bella[/name], not [name]Isabella[/name] or anything else.
I debate using [name]Bella[/name], or [name]Belle[/name] for her. I think [name]Belle[/name] has a crispness to it, the strength of one-syllable names is their impact. I like [name]Elle[/name], but think [name]Belle[/name] sounds more classic. I like it.
I really love [name]Belle[/name] on its own! It’s funny, I don’t care for any of the other -belle, -bell, -bella names. I think I really appreciate the simple beauty and sophistication of [name]Belle[/name]. I actually like that its a French word because I feel that that makes the name more meaningful. For instance, it is cool to me that [name]Adelaide[/name] means “noble,” but I think it is more significant to use a name that is used to mean its meaning (in [name]Belle[/name]'s case, “beautiful”) on a regular basis. That probably sounds confusing, but anyway, that’s what I think of [name]Belle[/name].
I think it helps. What girl wouldn’t want to be named after a disney princess? I love [name]Belle[/name]. I don’t think of the french word, I think more of the princess.
I like [name]Belle[/name]; hate [name]Bella[/name] and [name]Isabella[/name]
[name]Beau[/name] has been used for boys forever here in the South, so I don’t see any problem with [name]Belle[/name]
I love the name [name]Belle[/name], and I name at least one character [name]Belle[/name] (or names related to it such as [name]Isabel[/name] or [name]Isabella[/name]) in all my books. I never knew it was a disney princess, I don’t watch Disney at all. The only ones I remember were [name]Ariel[/name] and [name]Merida[/name]. I’ve heard of [name]Ariel[/name] when I was younger (I was a tomboy, definitely not a princess person) And I heard of [name]Merida[/name] from Brave from a friend who saw the movie.