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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Arabella or Clementine (sister for William)

79 replies

Bellalilysmith123 · 08/05/2016 23:39

My sons name is William George "Will" and if our second child is a daughter we're deciding between Clementine Louise and Arabella Louise.. Which do you prefer and why? We're struggling to decide. If we have another son we've chosen Henry James. Thank you.

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ButtercupMeg · 11/07/2016 21:17

Totally outing myself here. My name is Arabella and I'm in my 30s. I am not posh and have never been to a private school. I don't own a pony and I'm certainly not upper class! I was named after a relative who has passed away recently in her 90s. She was a through and through cockney from the east end, school dinner lady, married to a railway worker and lived in a council house her whole life.
So please don't make assumptions about the name 'Arabella'. Im sitting here feeling quite insulted!
As for dating quite badly I disagree strongly. It's a name that's been around for an incredibly long time and will always be used.

septembersunshine · 11/07/2016 20:42

I would go for Arabella out of the two. I think it has more (lovely) nickname options. Not a fan of Clementine, it just doesn't sound right and I don't think Will and Clem/Clemmie go well together at all. Will and Bella sound very cool. If I'm really honest I would go with Annabella (or Annabel - understated classic imo) - but that's because I have a thing for Annie :)

Will and Annie (LOVE!!!)

Wintersummerwintersummer · 11/07/2016 16:03

Arabella. I hate Clem or Clemmie- I know an obnoxious one plus I can't get past "clammy". Sorry! X

julfin · 11/07/2016 13:34

Wow, that's rude.

iloveberries · 11/07/2016 12:45

A friend has a clementine - nickname clemmy and it just makes us all think of clammy.

For that reason I would go for "bella" but I still think arabella is an awfully pretentious name

iloveberries · 11/07/2016 12:44

Both awful

itfcbabe · 11/07/2016 12:20

Clementine I love it and is the name of my imaginary next daughter.
Xx

Original poster
Bellalilysmith123 · 11/07/2016 01:42

Thank you all! We are still unsure which of these two names to choose if it is a girl! I love both for different reasons... For a boy we have decided on James Edward (rather than Henry James)

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KoalaDownUnder · 10/07/2016 15:54

Clementine! I've loved it ever since I was a child.

Arabella sounds a bit frilly and snotty, and I'm tired of all the -el and -ella names.

omri · 10/07/2016 15:50

Love clementine - super name. Prefer Annabel to arabella.

All lovely names no matter what you go for.

SteviebunsBottrittrundle · 10/07/2016 15:49

Clementine! Smile

julfin · 10/07/2016 15:45

I was just reminded of this thread while I was in M&S today. See photo attached - they've got a range of Clementine baby/children's clothes Smile

Arabella or Clementine (sister for William)
CherishFindensRulerOfDeath · 10/05/2016 19:53

I LOVE Clementine. Somehow it's much cooler than Arabella, which to me is really horsey.

KERALA1 · 10/05/2016 16:34

We never came across another then we were at a very posh event and came across 2 in one morning Grin

Shannith · 10/05/2016 14:15

Clementine - nn Clemmie. I have one. She is a bit posh. In a good way I hope.

Though she will be called Clementyne by pretty much everyone.

We chose the name post EMCS whilst I was high on morphine, so may not be the best person to give advice :)

ABitAsleep · 10/05/2016 13:28

Not really keen on either Hmm

Arabella is probably the better of the two. But is sounds very posh - stuck up private school girl vibes shooting out in every direction. Plus she is more likely to get the nn Bella, rather than Ara, which is the name of every other little girl i meet nowadays.

Clementine is also very posh, and also an orange. the nn Clem is even worse - Just reminds me of Phlegm. Eugh.

I know it's not really the 'style' you've gone for, but i love the combination of Will and Holly

susurration · 10/05/2016 13:11

Clementine for definite. There's lots of bella type names around and Clementine is just a bit more unusual.

KERALA1 · 10/05/2016 13:09

We went for the former and 7 years later love it every day. Interesting. Not loads of them.churchills wife. We rhyme it with wine rather than teen.

TheDowagerCuntess · 10/05/2016 12:22

Arabella will date. Badly.

MiniMover · 10/05/2016 12:19

What about Camilla? It sort of spans both. Cam is a lovely nn.

WhiteMagnolia · 09/05/2016 23:40

I have a clementine and my brother has an arabella! Good choices! Love them both!

Original poster
Bellalilysmith123 · 09/05/2016 23:30

Thank you all for your comments. Clementine was a name before it was a fruit so I'm not worried about that & I love Clem / Clemmie as a nickname however I don't think it's as pretty as Arabella and perhaps a little too quirky. My concerns with Arabella - the nickname Bella (there are far too many) & whether or not as an adult Arabella will wear well.

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Barefootcontessa84 · 09/05/2016 22:02

Arabella - so elegant! I think people don't always know how to pronounce Clementine, and Clem is not the prettiest nickname...

LauraLovesLattes · 09/05/2016 19:36

Arabella, purely because Bella is a lovely shortened version. It also goes nicely with your sons name.

Veterinari · 09/05/2016 18:15

Arabella
Cute nn - Ari or Bella
Clementine is a fruit
nn Clemmy sounds like Clammy

Also reminds me of the name Cletus - American redneck and not nice