Back again - Isabella or Isabelle?

[louisnz]

Hi all,

After lots discussion we've narrowed our shortlist down for our DD who is three weeks old already this Saturday.

The popularity of these isn't an issue for us and are relieved to be down to two names!

Really struggling to agree on which to chose however...

Any preferences?

[babyblabber]

Isabella

[squoosh]

Isabelle.

Isabella is a syllable too far in my book.

[burgatroyd]

Isabella.

Do you mind my asking why popularity isn't an issue? Trying not to be cheeky but genuinely curious. Most often people try to avoid a name that there might be duplicated of within a class. Is it a family name?

I chose Isabella as most people will use this spelling. Also if she is one of three in a class she can be known as Bella.

With the former you have Isobel, Isabel, Isobelle, Isabelle, also on the ons lists there was Izabelle and I've heard Ysobel too.

[NKfell]

I think it depends how much you like shortened names... Isabelle won't always be shortened but I bet Isabella will.

I went to school with a girl called Isabel and she was always known as that- not Izzy or Belle...It's like squoosh said, it might be a syllable too far!

Both beautiful names though.

[Angelto5]

Prefer belle ending.

I have an Isobelle.

We picked that spelling so people couldn't do the "is a bell supposed to be on a bike" joke.

[KittyMcVitie]

Isabelle

I agree that Isabella has too many syllables and much more likely to be shortened to Bella. For some reason I have an irrational dislike for the name Bella!

I also don't see the problem with popular names. My dd doesn't like being the only one with her name in the school, or that it can't be shortened. (It's nothing strange, just not been very popular for a while! )

[louisnz]

To be honest we're putting qualms around popularity to one side as Isabella and Isabelle are the only names we can remotely agree on.

Our original choice was Zara however a close friend has named her recent arrival this so that is out now.

My second choice was Ceila (pronounced see-elle-la) however vetoed as a sounding like cleaning product.

I won't say which of two finalists I prefer, but keen to here some feedback either way.

[louisnz]

• hear (not enough sleep!)

[squoosh]

Shame Zara is off the table, I really like that.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Isabelle sounds a bit pretentious to me. I prefer Isabella of the two, though actually I prefer Isabel.

Whatever you call her, by the time she starts school she'll be Izzy though, so probably makes no odds! (confused)

[zippey]

What about Izabelle?

Or Belle

Or Linda/Janet

[BeggarsCantBeChoosers]

Isabella - it looks much nicer written down!

[BeggarsCantBeChoosers]

Isabelle makes me think 'gazelle'

[louisnz]

Have yet to start on the spelling discussion yet :) The sticking point for us now is the last syllable...

[ClariceBeanthatsme]

I have a 4yo isabella, yes it's a long name but she is still isabella at home, school and to friends.
Oh and (north of england) I don't actually know any other isabellas/isabelles. I always thought maybe it's more popular in the south??

[LollyLondon]

Isabella is lovely

[Interrobang]

If you like that Z sound, what about Zazie? Or Zahara? Isadora? (Only suggesting as you said you have put qualms about popularity of Isabelle/a aside, suggesting to me it may still niggle.)
Indiana?
Elizabeth?

[Zsazsabinks]

Isabel (Isabelle). We have an Isabel who we call Zsazsa, hence the name!

Other cultures tend to shorten to Isa (I-Zah) over Izzie, so that's where Zsazsa comes from.

We felt that isabella just got a bit fussy and Isabel(le) is softer and more elegant.

[Zsazsabinks]

There is another Isabel in I's school year, but spelt IsObel and shortened to Izzie.

I know three Isabella's, all shortened to Izzie.

No getting away from the fact that it's a popular name!

[louisnz]

Thanks though TBH not sure we would both like those and yes, would prefer a less popular name (partly why I was thinking Zara then Ciela) but we're working with what we have..

[TheyLearnedFromBrian]

If Isabelle, it's very likely that it will be misspelled quite a lot if you spell it that way.

The two familiar spellings of this are Isabel or Isobel.

But either Isabel or Isabella are fine, they're so popular that I don't think Isabella sounds frilly - it's so familiar it goes past that, iyswim.

[WorkingItOutAsIGo]

Am glad you are doing Isobel which is just wrong in my mind but Isabelle is the French spelling of Isabel...unless you are French it would seem pretentious wrong to use this version. So either Isabel or Isabella. But lovely name as it is, it's very prolific - six in my DDs year at school so only one gets to be called Isabel. What about Isadora? Annabel?

[Sophronia]

Isabella.

How about Isidora, Isabeau, Ishbel, Isaura, Isolde, Isotta, Isra or Ismene?

[Zsazsabinks]

Ishbel and Isolde are beautiful. Wish we'd thought of Ishbel at the time!

[ZenNudist]

Not a fan of either. Overly fussy. Love Isobel - classic.

Round here many Isabelles of about 8yo.

Belle is at least a nice nickname so I'd opt for Isabelle over Isabella / Bella - really fussy name. Sorry.