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Baby names

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

Original poster

Isabelle argh....

38 replies

Holdthepenproperlypleeeease · 19/06/2016 19:40

I read on a couple of threads here that the name Isabelle sounds to some people like a question e.g. "is a bell.."Now i can't get this out of my mind and it's one of a few favoured names on our short list but it has spiked it a bit for me.

So how would you rate Isabelle? What other names might I also like?

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1horatio · 22/06/2016 13:35

Looney8, Isadora is briliant :) It keeps the Izzie nn but isn't as popular as Isabelle...

1horatio · 22/06/2016 13:33

Izzie is much nicer. It's cute and plucky! Lizzie is either short for Elizabeth or lizard...

Isabelle is really popular. But it's simply lovely (which does explain the popularity, obviously).

JazzAnnNonMouse · 21/06/2016 23:04

I think isabelle is a lovely name but my dh ruined it by adding -end.

Astrid26072 · 21/06/2016 22:12

Eliza?

livinglooney8 · 21/06/2016 19:41

Gorgeous name but please no more Isabelles - knee deep in them and their variations.

Isadora?
Arabella?

PotteringAlong · 21/06/2016 19:13

It's pronounced exactly the same but somehow I see Isobel as elegant and Isabelle as a bit Disney princess tastic.

Original poster
Holdthepenproperlypleeeease · 21/06/2016 18:34

Is Isobel pronounced exactly the same as Isabelle or Isabel?

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 21/06/2016 16:51

Entirely disagree re the 'Isobel' spelling. I think it's beautifully symmetrical looking, without the fussiness of Isabelle.

CourtJester · 21/06/2016 16:43

I prefer the spelling Isabelle, as opposed to any alternatives :)

Original poster
Holdthepenproperlypleeeease · 21/06/2016 16:34

Thank you.
warming up to the name again but now can't decide whether it should be Isabel or Isabelle.

OP posts:
AuntieStella · 20/06/2016 11:17

"that it is quite popular at the moment, so going though school might get frustration"

It peaked 2005-10, so lots in primary school now. But now it's the Eve/Ava and Sophie/Sofia named new babies who are likely to get that.

babyblabber · 20/06/2016 11:12

I'm one of the ones who said don't spell it Isobel OP but only because it looks very plain and boring to me, especially compared to Isabelle which looks way prettier.

CourtJester · 20/06/2016 11:02

Its a classic, well known name so i would never this 'is a bell?'

The only reason i don't like is that there are so many variations of the spelling (Isa/Iso/Iza/Bel/Bell/Belle/Bella/etc) and that it is quite popular at the moment, so going though school might get frustrations ("are you Isabelle with an O? Are you talking about Isabelle T or Isabelle A? Isabelle, sorry Isabella!" Etc)

As pp have said, lots of nice nicknames - Issy/Izzy/Isa/Belle/Bella/etc (i wouldn't ever get Lizzie from it, that only works with Elizabeth or Eliza in my mind)

Original poster
Holdthepenproperlypleeeease · 19/06/2016 23:04

Thank you for indulging me in my indecisiveness and bearing with my inane musings [grin[. Off to sleep. x

OP posts:
Coconut0il · 19/06/2016 22:57

I know one Isabel and one Isabella and have never heard either of them called anything other than their full name.

Personally I like Izzie or Lizzie.

nooka · 19/06/2016 22:57

I don't think that Isabel (or any of it's variants) leads itself to Lizzie, which I think is really is only one of the many diminutives for Elizabeth.

Original poster
Holdthepenproperlypleeeease · 19/06/2016 22:40

"Sophie, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Catherine, Florence?"

Classic and beautiful sounding names with lots of possible nicknames.

For Isabelle, I suppose Izzie will be the inevitable nn or would Lizzie pass?

Purely in terms of nicknames, what's nicer, Izzie for Isabelle or Lizzie for either Isabelle or Elizabeth?

OP posts:
timelytess · 19/06/2016 22:35
IoraRua · 19/06/2016 22:32

I personally just think the Isobel version doesn't look nice. Isabel/Isabelle are beautiful though.

DaisyFranceLynch · 19/06/2016 22:16

It's a pretty name however you spell it.

To me, it doesn't really sound like "is a bell" because you don't stress it in the same way (I'd say Isabelle/Isobel with emphasis on the first syllable, but in the phrase "is a bell necessary", I'd put the stress on "bell" and not "is").

Original poster
Holdthepenproperlypleeeease · 19/06/2016 22:15

I love it too, just wish I could erase the "is a bell.." thing from my mind.

OP posts:
SuckingEggs · 19/06/2016 22:01

Isabel is lovely.

Sadik · 19/06/2016 21:59

Love it - DD's middle name is Isabel (were in Spain at the time, hence that spelling) - was almost her first name up until we got there to register her.

Can I throw in the common Spanish shortening Isa which which we'd have used, short & sweet for a little girl :)

And Aaargh would be the perfect middle name for a teenager . . .

Original poster
Holdthepenproperlypleeeease · 19/06/2016 21:50

Thanks everyone Smile

To those saying not to spell it Isobel, why not would you say?

OP posts:
IoraRua · 19/06/2016 20:39

Another one saying please don't spell it Isobel Grin
It's not madly exciting, but nothing really wrong with the name.

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