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Baby names

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

Original poster

Mabel or Imogen?

72 replies

ByOliveDreamer · 07/05/2025 13:24

Our baby girl is due at the end of the month and we are still undecided! Our daughter is Phoebe Elizabeth.
We are thinking Imogen Charlotte or Mabel Alice. What do you think? Or offer any other suggestions!

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RuthW · 07/05/2025 17:37

Mabel is miles better than Imogen.

Oneearringlost · 07/05/2025 17:36

I think Imogen comes from Shakespeare's 'Cymbeline'.

WtafIsThat · 07/05/2025 17:36

Mabel, Imogen was hugely popular about ten years ago and became boring.

ZiggyZowie · 07/05/2025 17:34

Imogen

Goes well with Phoebe

mathanxiety · 07/05/2025 17:34

Mabel Alice 100%

I find Imogen really clunky.

JMSA · 07/05/2025 17:34

Mabel is horrid. Sorry.

Oneearringlost · 07/05/2025 17:33

Well my 28 year old DD is Imogen, so Imogen all the way.
There was a brief spell during primary where her friends tried 'Immie'.
It didn't stick, thank goodness. For me. Imogen is a plump, luxurious name, Immie, for me, is the opposite, a bit thin and mean-sounding, a bit 'squeaky'.

Cyclingforcake · 07/05/2025 17:03

My DD(aughter) is Imogen. My DD(og) is Mabel. Make of that what you will!!

Toastystar · 07/05/2025 17:01

I have a Phoebe Elizabeth too 😊 and my other daughter is an Imogen. Which I love today as much as when we named her over a decade ago. We thought about using Charlotte too but a close friend used that just before we could - Imogen Charlotte sounds lovely!
Our Imogen has become Imy over the years, we initially thought she would be a midge but it didn’t stick and she likes Imy. She’s been a Jimjam on the way too! She also uses just Imogen.
Although I thought both Phoebe and Imogen would be popular names, we’ve met very few (South East but not London).

Localised · 07/05/2025 16:59

Mabel

roshi42 · 07/05/2025 16:53

Imogen goes so well with Phoebe they are practically the same name in my head! (In a good way). And Charlotte and Elizabeth have the same current royal reference. So Imogen Charlotte is a perfect match.

Norastroud · 07/05/2025 16:49

Both absolutely gorgeous names but I do love Mabel Alice!

Thegirlhasnamechanged · 07/05/2025 16:47

personally i’d go for Imogen… only because Mabel was always a dogs name for me growing up until DD’s best friend in primary was called Mabel and she isn’t the most
pleasant of 6 year old girls.

BootballJoy · 07/05/2025 16:45

I do like Mabel a lot, it's having a popular moment I think - but I've always liked Imogen.

Zeitumschaltung · 07/05/2025 16:30

Imogen with Mabel as a second name as you like it too.

IsThePopeCatholic · 07/05/2025 16:29

Imogen is fab. Hate Mabel.

Poonu · 07/05/2025 16:28

No to Immi
Mabel sounds granny

IggyAce · 07/05/2025 16:26

Imogen gets my vote, it’s my dd name, her nn is Midge which has developed over the years.

LadyQuackBeth · 07/05/2025 16:26

Imogen - particularly if you can swing Ginny as a NN over immi.

Mabel is the name of choice for dogs round here though, I know 8, which is probably skewing my choice.

Emanwenym · 07/05/2025 15:37

I don't like Mabel and Mabel Alice has too many Ls.
Imogen and Alice are nice.

HorribleNecktie · 07/05/2025 14:53

I like Mabel!

TheOtherRaven · 07/05/2025 14:49

Both beautiful!

NerdyNancy · 07/05/2025 14:43

I love them both. We have Mabel Jean in our family (she's 3). It is old lady vibes as someone said up above, but it's cool old lady I think.

@GuineapigOlympics My friend has Ada 3 and a half, my cousin's little girl is Mabel, another friend has 10 year old Elsie (admittedly named after the mum's grandma), and a woman at the book club has 6 year old Edith nicknamed Edie. I draw the line at Vera though!

GuineapigOlympics · 07/05/2025 14:39

I don't really understand how people are still thinking Mabel is an old lady name - there's a Mabel in my son's year and he's 17. There's Mabel on Only Murders In the Building played by Selena Gomez. Yes, our great aunts were called Mabel (or Vera or Elsie or Ivy or Edie or Ada) but to this generation its just a name and quite a cool one.

Moreteaandchocolate · 07/05/2025 14:22

I love both! I’m really torn! Which goes best with your surname? Do you like Immy or May / Bel best as nn options?

I think I’d go for Mabel as I love a name that doesn’t tend to be shortened day to day :)