The name Bella

[Pluto30]

Does the name Bella work with the surname Lee?

Bella Lee

It would be just Bella, not Isabella or Arabella or any of the other -bella names.

Thanks!

[ScarletSienna]

I think it sounds like one name; Bellalee. Too many Ls. I like the name Bella but wouldn't choose it with Lee as a surname. We have a surname that didn't work with lots of names too and it's so frustrating!

[SprogletsMum]

I don't think it does tbh. I clicked on to say how much I love Bella but it doesn't sound great with Lee unless you add a second first name in maybe.

[Pluto30]

Hmm.

The baby is due in two weeks and we're losing the will. No name seems "right". Bella ticks off all the criteria and we love it, but it does clash a bit with the surname. I just wonder whether the clash is enough to not use it.

[ScarletSienna]

I think one of the best ways to judge a name is think would you like it yourself. Personally, I really wouldn't want to be called Bella Lee (but too much like Belly) so I think the clash is too much to use. What other names have you liked? Don't worry if you don't have a name when she arrives-many don't and you may find something works better once you see her

[Pluto30]

Lily and Chloe are our other favourites.

Lily Lee doesn't work, and we don't love Lillian as much.

Chloe is too popular at the moment (no. 6 where we live - has been in the top 10 for well over a decade now).

[PragmaticWench]

Do you have any names without the letter 'l' in? It just all sounds like a tongue twister otherwise.

I do understand how hard it is, we had similar issues.

[Pluto30]

Nope.

We seem to have gone through every name, and we always come back to these three. There are other names, but we don't love them. I find girl names so hard.

[ScarletSienna]

It comes to a point when you start considering changing your surname (or was that just me?!) .

I agree Lily is as clashy as Bella but Chloe is lovely. Id prefer a name that was popular over a name that didn't work with my surname I think. I only know two child Chloe's and none under 5 so even though a popular name, you may not come across that many.

[ScarletSienna]

I think names that don't end in a vowel sound may work better with Lee too but that's not very helpful I know.

[Pluto30]

Scarlet Yes! Lee seems like such an easy name... until it isn't.

Chloe has been our favourite for the longest time, I suppose I get put off by people saying that popular names are bad, and they'll be one of three in their class etc. I live in a fairly small area, so I don't know that it'd be too bad, but I would hate for her to be "Chloe L" her whole school life.

[chocolatecheesecake]

I can see why this is a challenge! I'm trying to think of names ending in "n" or "ine" or "Ina" so that they would not merge with Lee, and that wouldn't be abbreviated to something ending in a "ee" or "a" sound, or that have sufficient syllables that the speaker takes a breath before Lee, and it's quite hard!

Ellen
Megan
Catherine
Olivia
Annabel
Isobel
Emily
Harriet
Amy

[FourKidsNotCrazyYet]

I don't love it with Lee tbh. Too much like Belly. My friends surname is Lees and they've called their daughter Holly. I just hear Holly Leaves and she wasn't even a Christmas baby! They maybe should have asked Mumsnet

[MinnowAndTheBear]

I was one of seven in my year group with the same name. I can't say it ever bothered me. It was just a novelty. I'm now the only one with this name at my workplace and in my church. So don't be put off by popularity!

[ScarletSienna]

Thinking logically, there'd have to be ten percent of baby girls called Chloe for there to be three in an average class. Doesn't mean it definitely won't happen but unless you go way off grid with names choice, you can't eliminate that possibility. If she was Chloe L at school, it would only be on work really.

[Pluto30]

Thanks for the reassurance about popularity.

Out of interest, I just had a look at names from the year I was born and the names with similar popularity as Chloe currently has... I can't say I know multiples of any name except Jessica!

[Aftertheraincomesthesun]

How about Amber?

[Pluto30]

Oh I do like Amber after!

[FourKidsNotCrazyYet]

I really wouldn't worry about how popular a name is. My eldest son has a very, very unusual name but ended up with THREE in his class and another boy of the same name in his younger sisters class . You can't win haha!

[DubiousCredentials]

Ds has a name that has been top ten for years. He is and always has been the only one in his primary school (150+ children) and he has been there since 2010.

Actually I have just looked at the top ten boys and girls names for 2016 and there are at most two or three of any one name in the school.

So if you like Chloe, go for Chloe! Don't be put off by popularity.

[lovelearning]

How about Amber?

Amberley Castle!

[lovelearning]

just Bella, not Isabella

Pluto30: Why not give Bella the option for later life?

Isabella Lee.

Nickname Bella.

[Oysterbabe]

Chloe works so I'd go with that.
Isabella is more popular than Chloe so there is likely to be a huge amount of Bellas in her age group if popularity puts you off. Bella Lee just sounds wrong.

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

Could you call her Isobel Lee, nick name Bella ?

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

Or Annabel Lee.

[AuntieStella]

Go for Chloë.

It's easily the best fit of your choices with your surname, and although very popular in the late 1990s, I don't think there are that many around now ;there are way more called Lily, I think)