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Baby names

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

Original poster

Mabli? (not Welsh)

36 replies

Elfyn · 20/01/2018 10:52

Is it OK to use Mabli (for a girl) with no Welsh connection?

And what do you think of the name?

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faban · 11/08/2023 18:47

This is a zombie thread but Mabli is a beautiful name

PurpleChrayne · 08/08/2023 14:13

The thing that should stop you using it is how ugly it is!

peaceinourtime · 08/08/2023 04:16

Its a beautiful name and I had never heard of it before. Go for it and don't worry about what people think.

Wavessea · 05/08/2023 21:40

ouch that’s rude.
Mabli is a lovely Welsh name

Daphnis156 · 05/08/2023 19:22

It sounds like something from The Jungle Book.
A baboon perhaps.
So no!

newfloorplease · 29/07/2023 10:54

I wasn't sure how to pronounce Mabli either as it has Mab in it as does Mabel.
One is pronounced may and the other mab as in cab.
It's a lovely name with a lovely meaning.

MikeUniformMike · 31/01/2018 14:17

No but the Hebrew names tend to have Jewish, Christian and Muslim versions, and many European names are latin or greek in origin and have been around for centuries.
There are only about half a million welsh speakers.

marshallzumarubble · 31/01/2018 13:43

One of my daughter's middle names is Mabli - we do have a Welsh connection but not one that anyone we know would be automatically be aware of (my mother is Welsh but has no accent, we live in Yorkshire!).

When people do hear her full name, Mabli always gets commented on. People want to know its origin, its meaning ('lovable') and generally comment on how pretty it is.

Use it if you love it, as the above poster says nobody thinks it's weird if someone with no Hebrew links uses Sarah, or questions if the parents of Sophie have French heritage.

MikeUniformMike · 30/01/2018 19:03

It's because the names are often mispronounced or dated or misspelt.
Mabli will be pronounced Maybee or Marbley.
Biblical names tend to be popular and classic.

Meemzinha · 30/01/2018 18:55

@Elfyn

If it makes you feel any better, I'm giving my girl a Hawai'in name!

I honestly don't understand why people make such a big deal about using a name with 'no connection'.

For example Sarah and Rebecca are originally Hebrew yet most don't have a Hebrew connection... There are so many names that people use that aren't connected to the place of origin but have been made popular!

Winds me up a bit haha! So if you like it... Go for it! Grin

MikeUniformMike · 30/01/2018 17:34

Hope your surname isn't Pause, 158.

158ff · 30/01/2018 17:32

menna is a lovely name. adding that to my list

MikeUniformMike · 22/01/2018 02:30

I thought you meant Elfyn, the boy's name. There is a welsh poet called Menna Elfyn.

Original poster
Elfyn · 22/01/2018 02:07

Er... why not? Tried Elfin and it was taken is all.

Thanks again for all the input!

OP posts:
MikeUniformMike · 21/01/2018 19:42

It's fine. If you have no welsh connections, why the username Elfyn?
(It's a boy's name pronounced Elvin, if anyone is interested)

pipilangstrumpf · 21/01/2018 11:36

Sorry I meant Mabli Blush

It's a lovely name. And I'd pronounce it Mab-li, like Manli.

RosaBaby2 · 21/01/2018 10:49

I like it and would never think the pronunciation was anything other than Mab-lee!

Buxbaum · 21/01/2018 08:46

Mabel has the split digraph a_e to give an ‘ay’ sound. Mabli has no vowel to alter the ‘a’ sound. It’s totally phonetically illogical to pronounce Mabli with an ‘ay’.

Original poster
Elfyn · 21/01/2018 08:35

Manli! Confused haha

Thanks everyone, it’s on the list for sure!

OP posts:
pipilangstrumpf · 21/01/2018 07:07

I think Manli is a lovely name!

pipilangstrumpf · 21/01/2018 07:05

I'd also say Mab-li.

Mabel is Mabe-l, so very different.

SuperBeagle · 21/01/2018 02:31

Why on earth would you pronounce it ‘may’? ‘Mab’ is pronounced the same in both English and Welsh.

How do you pronounce Mabel?

Buxbaum · 21/01/2018 00:10

Why on earth would you pronounce it ‘may’? ‘Mab’ is pronounced the same in both English and Welsh.

SequinsOnEverything · 21/01/2018 00:05

I said it as Mab-lee to myself when I read the post title, so I don't think everyone would get it wrong.

If you love it then use it. I loved a name for dd1 but didn't use it because it was unusual and I worried about people saying/spelling it wrong. I still loved the name when dd2 was born 4 years later, so she's called it and I have never regretted it.

Mrsknackered · 20/01/2018 23:59

I really love Mabli. I don't think it matters at all that you are not Welsh.