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Baby names

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

Original poster

Mab for a girl

57 replies

Jooni · 03/03/2017 13:28

I know it probably won't go down well but I love short, sweet, strong names for girls and Mab is a recent discovery which is really growing on me. It's of Irish origin, pronounced just as it looks, apparently meaning "happiness". Thoughts please?

I also really love Meg but DH has vetoed because of Family Guy Angry

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badabeedabom · 06/03/2017 20:37

What about Magda? Similar vowel sound?

Original poster
Jooni · 06/03/2017 16:52

I'm not too keen on Amabel anyway reuset. It's very pretty, but a bit too fussy for me. And I don't like Mabel at all, weirdly, though I do love Mabli.

I still really like Mab on its own, but I get that it's very abrupt and won't be to many people's taste! Glad that a few others can see the appeal though. Thank you all for your input, good and bad.

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 06/03/2017 15:50

I really don't think you should give somebody who isn't able to consent a name they'll have to explain more than 50% of the time. Call her Mabel if you like and shorten it to Mab. Margaret -shortened to Meg. Helen shortened to Nell. Or, if you must, Antigone shortened to to Tig. Although she might have something to say to you when she reads the play........

reuset · 06/03/2017 15:44

Briefest of mentions in Romeo and Juliet. I'd have thought Merlin's Queen Mab would be a big association also, but that's Google for you Wink Agree with pp, and Irish connection, that OP is mixed up with Medb.

It's really more of a nick name, OP. I don't think of it as a proper name. This makes it a weak name for me, but that's only my opinion.

Amabel - you'd find yourself saying "NO, not Annabel..." repeat ad infinitum Grin

I know of no less than three children/babies named Mabli and I'm nowhere near Wales.

JedBartlet · 06/03/2017 12:40

I love it. I know a Maeve who has the nickname Mab because of the Irish spelling.

Great name - go for it OP

Kweeeeeeenin84 · 06/03/2017 12:28

This just made me think of Melba... I'm sure its Swedish...

YippieKayakOtherBuckets · 05/03/2017 21:36

The Queen Mab speech is fairly filthy. Depends whether that might bother her when she encounters it in school.

Mabel? Maud? Maura? May?

lucysnowe · 04/03/2017 08:59

I really like it but going back to Arthurian legends, Morgan is similar. Or Fay!

W8woman · 04/03/2017 08:50

Amabel is very pretty. Mab and Pixie are lovely nicknames but a terrible birth certificate choice.

MargaretCabbage · 03/03/2017 23:29

I like it, there is an artist I love called Mab Graves.

pieceofpurplesky · 03/03/2017 23:27

Mab obviously

pieceofpurplesky · 03/03/2017 23:27

Queen Man is a trouble maker - she brings dreams and nightmares

Joinourclub · 03/03/2017 23:27

I like short non girlie names / nicknames :

Mags/ Maggie
Sas / Saskia
Ez / Esme

Wandastartup · 03/03/2017 23:21

It's Monoclonal antibody (Mab) in medicine...
Quite like Mabli though

Dixiestamp · 03/03/2017 23:19

Mabli is getting quite popular around here (South Wales but predominantly non-Welsh speaking). It did remind me of Queen Mab and also the Mabinogion. I think I'd use it as a nickname.

picklemepopcorn · 03/03/2017 20:54

Oops, I missed the Meg reference in your OP. It's a great name though, sigh.
Peg?
Maggie?
Bess?

SuperBeagle · 03/03/2017 20:15

Do you like Abby? It's similar-ish.

SuperBeagle · 03/03/2017 20:14

I don't like it. It doesn't sound like a name. I also think it's quite harsh sounding, and not feminine at all.

Original poster
Jooni · 03/03/2017 20:12

A few sites I found via Google gave that meaning and origin Blush Also that it could come from Latin Amabel "lovable".

I don't really like Maeve but the meaning is pretty cool.

OP posts:
sycamore54321 · 03/03/2017 20:05

Not to my taste as it seems far too insubstantial for a first name and I dislike the sound.

Where did you get the origin and meaning from? I'm pretty certain it's incorrect - I have never heard Mab in Ireland and there is none of the Irish language words for happiness would appear to come close to it.

As others have said, it may be a misprint of Maeve (rhymes with save or Dave) which can be spelt in a variety of ways including Madb. It means intoxicating.

Original poster
Jooni · 03/03/2017 19:55

Thank you all.

Didn't know it was Welsh for "son". That is a bit odd I suppose but not a deal breaker for us as we're not Welsh. I do really like Mabli with Mab as a nickname but again, not Welsh and I'm not sure if that matters?

pickle I do love Meg but (see OP) DH won't have it.

OP posts:
Purplebluebird · 03/03/2017 18:57

I thought it was short for Maybelline Grin Sorry, but I don't like it at all.

OvariesForgotHerPassword · 03/03/2017 18:55

Seems weird to me because it's Welsh for "son".

Chottie · 03/03/2017 18:53

My great aunt Mabel was always known as May.

SookiesSocks · 03/03/2017 18:50

Sorry.

It sounds like you could not be arsed and gave up on a name before you reached the end Grin

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