Arabella

[Optimism]

First impressions - poncy or pretty? And too much like Annabel which seems to be quite popular at the moment?

[Greenwing]

Both pretty and posh but not poncy imho. Name of one of Georgette Heyer's regency heroines!

[Lunastarfish]

Lovely name

[MarwoodsTrenchcoat]

It's a bit limiting, and has strong stereotypes and impressions associated with it. Could make barriers via inverse snobbery. What if at uni she wants to make friends with kids from less well-off backgrounds? Or she wants to become a social worker or something?
There are a lot of classic names that are more class-neutral.

[reuset]

Super trendy here. I think soaring popularity has made it less 'posh' though maybe 20+ years ago that tag would have fit more. Frilly, so if you like frilly is good.

I think it's a good name Arabel I like more (Am I thinking of Arabel's Raven, hmm)

[reuset]

How could I forget Georgette Heyer's Arabella! Many years since I read that.

[DramaAlpaca]

Love it, but I do think it's a bit 'posh'.

The only one I know is both posh & horsey, but absolutely lovely.

[MitzyLeFrouf]

On the one hand it sounds very frilly, on the other hand it reminds me of arable farming.

[chrome100]

A bit horsey for my liking

[CakeRattleandRoll]

Frilly and posh. But it makes a change from all the Isabellas. nn Ari is nice.

[Sophronia]

Agree that it's a bit posh and horsey.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Pretty.

[MamaLazarou]

It's a beautiful name. Also has the added bonus of an Arctic Monkeys song!

[Dumdedumdedum]

Shortened to Bella, in the case of my DD's un-posh, though middle class (like all the rest of them at this particular uni), uni friend. Naice.

[Dumdedumdedum]

Sorry, was reading a thread about inverted snobbery earlier on and had to out us as middle class and neither ashamed nor proud.

[RiverTam]

Very Sloane ranger.

[ProncessP]

4 syllable name. It will definitely be shortened, Ari is a lovely Nn though.

[HuftysTrain]

I like Annabel. Really dislike Arabella (actually do know 2). I think it's one of those very self-consciously posh names. Bit like calling your son Tarquin - you may as well tattoo the child with "My mummy and daddy really want me to be posh!"

Sorry if that offends. It's a daft frilly name.

[TheBeekeepersDaughter]

Arabella is a family name on my husband's side of the family (6 generations) so it 'should' have been my daughter's name. I love the sound of the name but am not mad keen on the posh connotations (his family is proper, anciently posh, I am proudly of Jewish and Anglo Saxon peasant stock). It sounds to me a certain type of posh, more Sloane Ranger than Bertrand Russell I think. Disclaimer: I know that there are Arabella's about who neither look nor sound like horses, it's my own prejudice.

We toyed with Annabel instead and settled for Arabel. It's rare and I suppose sounds like a farming practice. But it suits my (tomboy) daughter much better, even more so since we've read Arabel and Mortimer.

[JasperDamerel]

I like it.

[Wishful80sMontage]

I really like it- its on my list for dc2. My oh likes it but has concerns it will get really popular especially because of the song. I don't know any.

[Optimism]

Thanks for all the answers. We still have a very long list...

[ArsenalsPlayingAtHome]

I think it's one of those very self-consciously posh names. Bit like calling your son Tarquin - you may as well tattoo the child with "My mummy and daddy really want me to be posh!"

I couldn't have put it better myself.

Arabella Miller had a furry caterpillar...etc. It's awful, sorry!