Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Annabel? or Anna?

29 replies

gnlight · 03/11/2014 19:48

Have been mulling over this for a while... What associations do you have for each name? Any preference?

Can't decide whether Anna might be too plain and Annabel perhaps too frilly?

Help!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
zoemaguire · 07/11/2014 21:51

Anna is gorgeous. Elegant and simple. Annabel sounds like someone annoying, like somebody said upthread. Associations for me are slightly twee, fussy, like a ye olde tea shoppe with frilly tablecloths and a slightly musty smell Grin

Yorkshirelassreturns · 07/11/2014 21:29

They're both lovely but Annabel gets my vote as it gives more options and can still be Anna at a later point. I am biased though... Congratulations x

loislines · 07/11/2014 20:20

I love Anna. Beautiful, simple, elegant.

clairemarie5 · 07/11/2014 20:07

Anna!! That was my 2nd choice girls when I was pregnant.. until I found out he was a boy.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 04/11/2014 19:27

Both lovely names, But why not have Annabel on her birth certificate then she could use either name, or might like to be Anna. Annie, Bella Bell.

SK28 · 04/11/2014 17:23

Have you considered Annie as a nn for either? Our first choice currently is Andrianna, nn Annie. My sense is that most Annabels/Annabelles probably shorten to Bella these days (like Isabelles) - I definitely hear of more Bella's than Ana/Anna/Annies. I actually like both your options though - possibly Anna is a little plain to my ears for a little girl, but it's a lovely adult name and Annie when little is very sweet; Annabel is similarly very flexible in terms of nn and she can choose which version she wants to use at different ages, which I think is a nice thing.

itsnothingoriginal · 04/11/2014 09:07

Anna is just lovely. It doesn't need the 'belle/bel' bit!!

Ye110w · 03/11/2014 22:55

Annabel makes a nice change from Isabel. It's simpler than Isabel but I prefer it. Anna is lovely but not quite enough on its own. So I say Annabel.

Riverland · 03/11/2014 22:53

Annabel is a bit twee and a bit horsey. Anna is dull.

Soz!

Pandora37 · 03/11/2014 22:53

I like both but think I'd be leaning more towards Anna with all the popularity of belle/bella names at the moment.

HorraceTheOtter · 03/11/2014 22:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sophronia · 03/11/2014 22:47

Definitely Anna, Annabel is a bit posh and horsey as others have said.

Fletcherl · 03/11/2014 21:32

I had a friend at school who was Anna. She had a fantastic unusual middle name and from her teen age years onward she started to use the names together, for example Anna-Mahalia.

Original poster
gnlight · 03/11/2014 21:26

Thanks all. All of your comments resonate with me about each name, which is I guess why I'm on the fence.

Not sure about using 'Annbel with nn Anna' as they feel like two quite different names to me and for my own sanity I think I need to make decision iykwim. : )

Appreciate your thoughts, thanks.

OP posts:
LadyHamiltonsPussy · 03/11/2014 21:00

Anna is dull dull DULL.

AliMonkey · 03/11/2014 20:50

Annabel too posh! Anna is a good solid but still feminine name - and I have never known an Anna I didn't like which helps! Also the advantage of few options to misspell Anna. Definitely prefer Anna.

hollie84 · 03/11/2014 20:45

I think Anna is strong, classic and quite international.

Annabelle is a bit posh/horsey and there seems to me a million Isabelles, Annabelles, Bellas etc around at the moment. I know a little Annabelle, Isabella, Isobel and Bella in fact but no Annas.

burgatroyd · 03/11/2014 20:44

Anna!

ashesandfire · 03/11/2014 20:42

Anna is classic, sweet and simple.
Annabel is ok but a bit fussy and there are just so many Belles/Bellas out there, yawn.

Alisvolatpropiis · 03/11/2014 20:27

Annabel.

I find Anna a bit dull.

Bowlersarm · 03/11/2014 20:22

Annabel with nn Anna.

Best of both worlds.

BikeRunSki · 03/11/2014 20:22

"...too hard..." of course, before anyone points it out for me!

BikeRunSki · 03/11/2014 20:21

Anna is one of my all time favourite names.

Annabel is too twee, fussy and try to hard for my taste.

BeccadeWinter · 03/11/2014 20:15

Personally I like Anna but find Annabel a little twee.

Of course, an Annabel could easily go by Anna if you/she later preferred it or found Annabel a bit too girly.

MrsBungle · 03/11/2014 20:14

I prefer Annabel. I find Anna a bit dull.

Swipe left for the next trending thread