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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Clara or Mabel?

79 replies

Flowerface · 10/04/2014 11:33

Siblings are Elsa and Arthur.

Quite like that Mabel doesn't end in 'a' as the others do (or sound as if they do), but it's a bit Marmitey, isn't it? Or too trendy .... We are not trendy...

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soontobeslendergirl · 10/04/2014 12:58

?? shortened to Ria
Elspeth (Ella)
Philomena
Helen (Nell)
Irene (Rene)
June
Christina (Tina)

soontobeslendergirl · 10/04/2014 12:54

I would say Mabel is very much of my Mums generation, Other names around of her friends anf family are:

Henrietta
Norma
Margaret (Rita)
Elizabeth (Bunty)
Lillian
Lily
Alison
Beth
Mary
?? shortened to Ena

Original poster
Flowerface · 10/04/2014 12:46

My Mum LOVES Hilda but DH thought - and then wished - that she was joking, so it's safe to say that he would exercise his veto rights there!

I did think about Greta before and have slightly gone off it, though not sure why. Gretel? Too Hansel and...?

OP posts:
JanePurdy · 10/04/2014 12:44

Merran? Merle?

Hilda. I love Hilda.

Greta.

Original poster
Flowerface · 10/04/2014 12:44
Smile

Are there any less Mavisy candidates that might go with Elsa and Arthur but not sound quite so samey?

OP posts:
squoosh · 10/04/2014 12:39

So bewildered that I can't even spell 'bewildered' correctly.

squoosh · 10/04/2014 12:38

Fear-God, Krystle, Bertha, Lexie-Mae.

All terrible names.

Mavis is worse than all of these.

soontobeslendergirl · 10/04/2014 12:36

Phyllis? :o

Original poster
Flowerface · 10/04/2014 12:33

I have suggested Mavis myself in the past and got a similar reaction, Driveway!!

OP posts:
Driveway · 10/04/2014 12:28

What? It's Mabelish!

squoosh · 10/04/2014 12:16

Mavis??? Shock

What fresh hell is this!

Driveway · 10/04/2014 12:15

I prefer Clara but I think Mabel goes better with the others. If that matters to you! They'll only be siblings in a home together for a portion of their lives I guess.
Clara is much more popular though surely. I haven't met any Mabels. I do like Mabel too.
Hmm. Mavis?

squoosh · 10/04/2014 12:13

Mabel is Clara's lady's maid.

I prefer Clara. By a very long way.

Original poster
Flowerface · 10/04/2014 11:59

Ha ha! I couldn't really do Muriel - it makes me think of Muriel's Wedding.

OP posts:
gertiegusset · 10/04/2014 11:58

Muriel is almost worse than Mabel, I imagine a woman in one of those old fashioned cross over pinnies and curlers with bright red lippy.

Clara is lovely.

Original poster
Flowerface · 10/04/2014 11:57

Not keen on Melody, it doesn't feel like a real name. Though I know it is one...

OP posts:
Original poster
Flowerface · 10/04/2014 11:57

Do actually like Maud but everyone I have ever asked loathes it. Other than my Mum.

OP posts:
Allalonenow · 10/04/2014 11:56

Clara by a very long way.

ThefutureMrsTatum · 10/04/2014 11:55

What about melody?

ThefutureMrsTatum · 10/04/2014 11:55

Mabel sounds like a digs name, sorry. I do like Clara though.

soontobeslendergirl · 10/04/2014 11:53

Meryll is not the same type of name as Beryl Confused

Muriel is awful.

Blueberrybaby · 10/04/2014 11:52

Clara by a million miles. Mabel is dreadful.

Original poster
Flowerface · 10/04/2014 11:51

Is Meryll not a bit reminiscent of Beryl?!

How about Muriel? I think that is borderline extinct according to that times article...

I too am not so sure what is so bad about Mabel but it does seem to polarise opinion...

OP posts:
gertiegusset · 10/04/2014 11:43

Mabel is awful, it was my Granny's middle name and she hated it.

DramaAlpaca · 10/04/2014 11:42

I actually prefer Clara by a long way, but Mabel does go much better with your other names.

Not sure if that helps really Smile

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