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Baby names

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Original poster

What does Annabelle remind you of?

83 replies

dogfishing · 17/08/2021 21:54

DH really likes the name Annabelle. I'm open to it, but I'm trying to figure out if it has some kind of negative connotation in the UK.

We both grew up abroad, which is why I'm afraid of missing some kind of negative connotation (like, I don't know, maybe there used to be catfood called Annabelle or something).

There seems to be a doll in the UK called baby Annabell, but that doesn't put me off. Should it?

Any other reason not to give that name to a child growing up here?

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lobsteroll · 17/08/2021 22:23

It's lovely. Classic, steady name. Well known but not too popular.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 17/08/2021 22:21

Creepy evil doll

PoshWatchShitShoes · 17/08/2021 22:20

Horror movie

frenchfancy81 · 17/08/2021 22:20

A very freaky horror film doll

Knittingupastorm · 17/08/2021 22:19

The most popular spelling of the name in my home country is Annabell. Would that work in the UK?

That would definitely be the least common of the ways to spell it.
I prefer the spelling Annabelle, however that’s because that’s how my best friend since I was 4 spells it so anything else just looks wrong to me!

VioletBlanche · 17/08/2021 22:18

A lovely girl I went to school with

Original poster
dogfishing · 17/08/2021 22:17

Thank you for the advice on spelling. The spelling Annabel would be seriously strange in my native language.

The most popular spelling of the name in my home country is Annabell. Would that work in the UK?

OP posts:
fortifiedwithtea · 17/08/2021 22:15

Don’t like it at all. Reminds me of a complete psycho of a girl I was at school with.. she and her friends (hangers on) were very intimidating.

She accidentally swallowed a needle , sent to A&E big drama. Next week she tried to deliberately do the same for the attention. What an absolute freak.

Normandy144 · 17/08/2021 22:14

I prefer the Annabel spelling as I think it's more classic, chic. Annabelle is a but frilly for me. There is a horror film but I don't think it's going to become iconic so wouldn't let that put you off. Nor would the doll put me off either. I know a few Annabelle's and it doesn't seem to have been an issue.

AmericanBookworm · 17/08/2021 22:12

The name Annabel(le) reminds me of Annabel (Nan) St. George, the heroine of Edith Wharton's The Buccaneers; I love that book and character so would be delighted if I met someone with the name! I steer far, far away from anything in the horror genre so the doll other posters have mentioned would never even cross my mind.

Cheermonger · 17/08/2021 22:09

My daughter, Annabel 🤣🥰

Mpsister · 17/08/2021 22:09

I really like it.

Lemonsyellow · 17/08/2021 22:08

It’s very frilly. The standard spelling in the U.K. is Annabel. Annabelle isn’t very classy - unless you’re French.

Original poster
dogfishing · 17/08/2021 22:03

Oh yes, the horror film came up when I googled it. I'm trying to figure out if that should really put me off. I've never seen it.

OP posts:
CoddledAsAMommet · 17/08/2021 22:02

To me it's a cow's name. Like Clarabelle.
Maybe it's the spelling? Annabel is much, much better. Much classier and elegant.

GuckGuckDoose · 17/08/2021 22:01

I absolutely adore it, and have also known some seriously cool Annabels. Horror doll isn’t on my radar at all, no idea what film it’s even from. Prefer the simpler spelling without the ‘le’ at the end though, much less fussy.

DramaAlpaca · 17/08/2021 22:01

The doll

Spell it Annabel, which I think is so much nicer, and I wouldn't have that association. Annabelle is too frilly.

Brimorion · 17/08/2021 22:01

I had a very big, elaborate doll in a big puffy Victorian dress given to me by relatives as a small child, and she was already named Annabelle (by them? Who knows?) So to me it suggests a doll in a fussy period dress that was actually too big and hard to play with.

Kittii · 17/08/2021 22:01

I don't watch horror movies so have no idea what possessed dolls are called Smile

WisestIsShe · 17/08/2021 22:00

First thought is the horror film. Sorry.

LemonJuiceFromConcentrate · 17/08/2021 22:00

Oh I didn’t know there was a horror film. I wouldn’t be too bothered about that either tbh, but then I don’t really have the horror genre on my radar.

I knew someone called Damien growing up in the 80s and he used to have to put up with a lot of jokes about The Omen, but that’s probably more because Damien was a pretty unusual name in any other context.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 17/08/2021 21:59

The possessed doll horror film. Or the creepy actual doll d's 4 carried around with him for about 3 years

PumpkinKlNG · 17/08/2021 21:59

Yes the name annabelle makes me think of a doll but that’s because I have a 4 year old girl, not a bad connection though

WhenZoomWasJustAnIceLolly · 17/08/2021 21:59

The horror film doll!

ineedsun · 17/08/2021 21:58

Possessed doll from a horror film