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Baby names

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

Isobel April or Isla

80 replies

CompactMirror · 15/03/2025 13:03

Due a girl soon and we keep going round in circles.. we love all three of these but concerns are:

Isobel - we love this spelling as Scottish on both sides but we live in England, will it forever be spelt differently by people?

April - she is likely to be born this month.. does it matter?

Isla - there are a few around us and know it is probably the more common / popular of the three. Not necessarily a bad thing I guess.

What does everyone prefer? Any girl names along similar lines?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
KayEmAy · 19/03/2025 17:07

Love the spelling of Isobel, I also really like Isla. In fact I actually think Isobel Isla would be pretty together.

EmmaStone · 19/03/2025 16:30

I have a grown up Isobel, yes people have spelt it wrong over the years, but it's never bothered her. She's always been an Isobel, some friends have called her Izzy (we call her Is), but she's pretty chill. Obviously it's my favourite in your list, as is the spelling.

April & Isla are also both very pretty names, but I think I'd want April born in April...

Fioratourer · 19/03/2025 16:21

Isla is my favourite

user1492757084 · 17/03/2025 11:01

If born in April, I like April..
April Kathleen
April Valentina
April Isobel

If born in March ..
Isla Isobel
Isobel Tess

user2848502016 · 17/03/2025 10:44

CompactMirror · 16/03/2025 21:21

In my head I feel like I say Isobel and Isabel differently but in practice not sure it sounds that different when I actually say it out loud.

On the April month thing.. I was thinking about the name June and honestly wouldn't expect one to be born then.. is it because April isn't such an established name and is a month first and foremost 🧐

I would expect June to be born in June too sorry - the only June I know is!
I have a friend called Summer who’s birthday is in March and she is always having to explain that her parents just liked the name, no she wasn’t born in Summer, no she wasn’t premature etc

11Turtle · 17/03/2025 06:06

Isla is fire definitely the most different. The others are expected but at the end it’s up to you. Isla to me has only been used by certain cultures so I’d go with that for sure.

Namesy · 17/03/2025 05:38

MajorCarolDanvers · 15/03/2025 14:05

April born in March is daft.

Isabelle is a nicer spelling

isla is the best of your list

I agree!

FondantFancyFan · 17/03/2025 05:34

All lovely names but I'd swap out Isla for Iona which is beautiful and very much in keeping with your Scottish heritage.

LoudPlumDog · 17/03/2025 05:19

I love Isobel ( it’s my middle name with this spelling)

April is nice, all the ones I know aren’t actually born in the month of April.

Isla - not a fan, sorry.

Some suggestions …

Ella ( absolutely love)

Layla

Leah

Freya

Coral

Katya

Taya

Laura

LilyJosephine · 17/03/2025 01:24

Isobel is lovely. Might be occasionally misspelt (even if you emphasise the O) but I don’t think it’s a huge deal - I could be biased though because it is so pretty and elegant. There’s other popular classic names that can have similar issues though so I wouldn’t discount it if it’s your favourite (Eliz/sabeth, K/Catherine etc has similar and they are still quite popular).

April is fine - don’t love it, don’t hate it. But yes just like June tbh I’d probably assume her to be born in that month (I don’t expect that for May but that’s because it’s also obviously from a flower and a diminutive of Margaret/Mary) - not sure that really matters though.

Not keen on Isla - it’s too trendy, I’ve never met one older than her 20’s so I’m not sure it will age well. It also quite obviously means island so I still kind of hear “Isla Bonita” or whatever Spanish sounding island rather than as a girls name iykwim?

dnddn · 16/03/2025 22:10

I love April! I always felt I couldn’t use that unless my child WAS born in April. I think there would be sarky comments if you were called April and born in a different month? So don’t let that stop you, I think it’s ideal

SemmaLina · 16/03/2025 22:08

How about Avril , rather than April ( though I think Isobel April is lovely ..Isobel Avril is lovely too )

WhereAreWeNow · 16/03/2025 22:06

I've always really liked the name April

RuthW · 16/03/2025 22:05

April

there will be about three of the others in each class at school as both very popular.

CompactMirror · 16/03/2025 21:21

In my head I feel like I say Isobel and Isabel differently but in practice not sure it sounds that different when I actually say it out loud.

On the April month thing.. I was thinking about the name June and honestly wouldn't expect one to be born then.. is it because April isn't such an established name and is a month first and foremost 🧐

OP posts:
FlyingontheGround · 16/03/2025 21:16

Isobel is my favourite girls name. I’d probably pick the spelling Isabel as I love the name shortened to Isa rather than Izzy but Izzy is lovely too 😀

Smoothandsmooth · 16/03/2025 21:12

IsobelIsabel · 16/03/2025 21:05

But how are they different? The middle syllable is unstressed and always sounds the same, unless you are deliberately sounding it out to tell people how to spell it.

I pronounce them differently and I can hear it when others say it. To my ear you can hear the A if it’s an Isabel or the O if it’s Isobel? It’s not stressed but I can still hear it. Maybe that’s just me 🤔

IsobelIsabel · 16/03/2025 21:05

Smoothandsmooth · 16/03/2025 20:56

I have an Ishbel but I’ve known many Isobel’s and Isabel’s (with various spellings). I think in general people take the (basic) spelling from how you pronounce it anyway. IsObel sounds distinct from IsAbel. Oddly none of the Isobel’s I’ve know have had their name shortened. I do prefer the spelling of the shorter options to the ‘belle’ spelling though.

But how are they different? The middle syllable is unstressed and always sounds the same, unless you are deliberately sounding it out to tell people how to spell it.

Smoothandsmooth · 16/03/2025 20:56

I have an Ishbel but I’ve known many Isobel’s and Isabel’s (with various spellings). I think in general people take the (basic) spelling from how you pronounce it anyway. IsObel sounds distinct from IsAbel. Oddly none of the Isobel’s I’ve know have had their name shortened. I do prefer the spelling of the shorter options to the ‘belle’ spelling though.

IsobelIsabel · 16/03/2025 20:50

CompactMirror · 15/03/2025 13:18

I think we would say IsObel.. good point!

But how would you say that? I have an Isobel, and we and everyone else pronounce it exactly the same as Isabel or indeed Isabelle, with a schwa in the middle (same as saying 'is a bell' without stressing the 'a').

Actually, a few older people here in Scotland say it as 'Isabl', but they'd probably not distinguish between Isabel and Isobel either.

user2848502016 · 16/03/2025 20:21

I love Isobel (I prefer this spelling) and April but Isla is a bit too common now, although it is pretty.
Isobel April is nice.
However I think it does matter about whether she’s born in April or not, I think it’s a bit weird to call a child April if they’re born a different month

shoopshoopdedoo · 16/03/2025 19:54

Isobel is my favourite, with your preferred spelling.

April is nice but I’d only use it for a baby born in April. Isla is nice but extremely popular.

Firsttimebabymummy · 16/03/2025 08:25

April is my favourite. Really ike Isobel too.

Isobel April / April Isobel

I'd probably use April only if born in April tho!

Chunkilumptious · 16/03/2025 08:12

Isobel is the nicest spelling and a lovely name, , nicest of your choices although April makes a great middle name. I like the meaning of apricity.

Violashifts · 16/03/2025 08:10

Isla is too popular in schools. There are not many Aprils here where I live so sounds a bit more unusual.
Isobel Isabel is a classic so can't go wrong but is also pretty popular on registers.