Mabel?

[BrightBlueSpells]

Expecting DC3 any day now - have two boys already so, while we are sure this will be another DS (and have a boy's name already), we are still discussing girls' names.

We like 'Mabel' but DH family say it's frumpy and dated. On the other hand, our friends mostly say it's lovely.

I am not from an English speaking country so I have no associations at all - just love the 'feel' of it.

I'd love to know what you all think!

[ABitAsleep]

I automatically think of it as a cow's name. Or a dog.

I agree that it's too frumpy for a little girl.

[pud1]

i wanted to call dd1 Mabel after my great Grandma. i LOVE it and like you my friends did but the family didnt. i ended up having it as a middle name but wish i had stuck to my guns and used it.

i wish i had stuck to the advice i am going to give you which is to use it. who care what others think

[MyBreadIsEggy]

Sorry, I also think of a dog

[HappyHeart87]

I think it's in keeping with the current resurgence of old fashioned names. It's probably the sort of name that will seem totally sweet once it's attached to the child, IYSWIM.

[civilfawlty]

Absolutely gorgeous

[katienana]

My niece is called mabel. I think some people took a whole to get used to it but it's actually a lovely sounding name (may and Bell together). It really suits my niece and never met another in real life.

[BrightBlueSpells]

Thank you to you both! Yes MIL said it is a name for a cow 😄

DH was the one to suggest it, he really likes it (and it goes with the feel of our boys' names) and in a way I trust him as like I said my cultural reference is zero with UK names!

But I suppose I have this fear of raising eyebrows when her name is called out at the doctors or wherever, and her picking up on that later in life (as someone who has a bit of an eyebrow raising name in my home country, I know how it feels!)

pud out of interest, did you end up with a similar old fashioned name or something completely different?

[BrightBlueSpells]

And to the other posters as well

[AYD2MITalkTalk]

I have a name that was considered old fashioned when my generation was born and when we were young (one that's now very popular). Nobody commented (other kids don't know what's old fashioned) and it never did any harm to me at all.

[PartiallyStars]

People think it's frumpy because it is the name of everyone's great aunt. I had a great aunt Mabel. But all those names are coming back - I know plenty of little Mabels, Elsies, Florences, so for the next generation that will just be pretty names. When you take the fact that it was an old fashioned name out of the equation, Mabel is a pretty name, with the sounds May and Belle.

[squoosh]

Some old fashioned names are lovely but I agree with your DH's family that MabeI is just very frumpy and dated. Without wanting to sound like Lady Bracknell Mabel makes me picture a woman in a pinny with a fag hanging out of her mouth.

[BrightBlueSpells]

Overthinking possibly, but is it wrong that - if I go even a few days overdue - MAYbel might be a June baby?

[BrightBlueSpells]

Oh squoosh that's not good!

Another boy will make this a lot easier!

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

I like it, it would have been deemed old fashioned when I was a teenager over 30 years ago, but now I think it's lovely and similar to all the other granny chic names around.

[Dangerouswoman]

Another one here with a great aunt Mabel (and Elsie for that matter.) it's ok,better than some old lady names.

[TheWordOfBagheera]

I love it, but if you're unsure what about Amabel with Mabel as a nickname?

[summerwinterton]

My Granny was a Mabel and I think it is a lovely, pretty name. No fags or pinnies with her. Was the kindest, happiest person I ever knew - so I say if you love the name then use it.

[BrightBlueSpells]

How do you say Amabel - like Annabel or Ah-May-Bell??

[ABitAsleep]

I have watched a film before with a May-Belle, which is similar but somehow prettier in my opinion

[TheWordOfBagheera]

The one I know rhymes with Annabel

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

I like it and I know a small Mabel, but it does make me sing "Maybe it's Maybelline" in my head. Sorry

My own name is associated with a large global brand and I couldn't get away from it growing up. It was sung and chanted at me constantly at school.

[Cel982]

It's fine, it's totally in keeping with the trend for retro names at the moment so it certainly won't raise any eyebrows. And I don't think it has anything to do with the month of May.

[nectarini1983]

Frumpy and dated. Yuck!

[BrightBlueSpells]

Ok- So it's around 8/9 likes and 4 hates! (Also a few neutral responses).

Eek!

My heart says yes but my head says 'hmm'...

[heron98]

Ha ha. No.