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Baby names

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

Alternatives to Mabel?

113 replies

notamabelbuta · 04/08/2025 21:13

We are due DD2 who will be a sister to Dora. I absolutely love the name Mabel but DH doesn't (he thinks it is too old fashioned despite all my protestations that it is now a top 50 name). He's said we can have Mabel if it means a lot to me but I'd obviously rather have a name he likes too! Our surname ends in the 'ie' sound which rules out quite a lot of names. I really can't think of anything else I like much and he has no suggestions either. Can anyone help?!

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Calliopespa · 21/08/2025 09:39

Vera

OneTwoThreeSneeze · 14/08/2025 21:56

yonem · 04/08/2025 22:45

Annabel
Maisie
Ruth
Sylvia
June
Clementine
Tessa
Maria

Love Dora and June, very cool

Celynfour · 13/08/2025 18:30

notamabelbuta · 04/08/2025 21:25

@Drfosters I agree. I think because he didn't know anyone else called Dora he didn't have any associations with it. Honestly, I can't even remember how we came up with Dora but we settled very early and have no other back ups.

Maeve, Margot and Violet I like but we have close friends with daughters with these names which puts me off a bit.

I really like Clara but worry it sounds a little too like Dora?

I really like Martha and Matilda. I ideally didn't want another name ending with 'a'. I don't subscribe to matching sibsets by any means but am just thinking about how much I'll be using their names together at least for the first few years! Maybe I'm overthinking though.

I have a Martha (who also has Dora in her name )
she is often called Marty and loves both names.
We’ve only come across 2 other Marthas in her 22 years.

Linzi2377 · 13/08/2025 15:37

Maybelle..more emphasis on the belle? X

Spokes11 · 13/08/2025 15:19

Imogen

deeahgwitch · 13/08/2025 15:09

Isobel is lovely.

Moreteaandchocolate · 13/08/2025 11:19

notamabelbuta · 13/08/2025 10:53

Thank you for all the suggestions! I’ve been reading them and slowly feeding them to DH. Unfortunately Martha and Marnie have also been rejected by him…

Our shortlist is now:

Ada
Annabel
Beth
Catherine
Harriet
Imogen
Isobel
Madeleine
Phoebe

Lovely shortlist!

Ada, Harriet, Imogen and Phoebe are my favourites but I like them all!

notamabelbuta · 13/08/2025 10:53

Thank you for all the suggestions! I’ve been reading them and slowly feeding them to DH. Unfortunately Martha and Marnie have also been rejected by him…

Our shortlist is now:

Ada
Annabel
Beth
Catherine
Harriet
Imogen
Isobel
Madeleine
Phoebe

OP posts:
notamabelbuta · 13/08/2025 10:51

@deeahgwitch don’t get me started!

OP posts:
deeahgwitch · 08/08/2025 21:48

You have a Dora and he thinks Mabel is old fashioned 🙄

Radiowaawaa · 08/08/2025 21:44

Sylvie
Edith
Enid
Eve
Pearl

Maxorias · 08/08/2025 21:42

My first thought was Michelle.

DuchessOfNarcissex · 08/08/2025 21:14

Mabli (sounds like Madly) is the Welsh version not the Welsh spelling.

Tatiepot · 08/08/2025 21:05

Mabli - the Welsh spelling of Mabel is lovely.

mathanxiety · 08/08/2025 20:47

Harriet
Tamsin
Vita
Anna
Saskia
Ruth
Rosemary
Keziah
Zelda

Spokes11 · 08/08/2025 20:40

Opal
Pearl
Etta

cramptramp · 08/08/2025 11:38

Maybelle. Slightly softer pronunciation.

PistachioTiramisuLimoncello · 08/08/2025 11:38

Flora
Tula
Florence
Eloise

PistachioTiramisuLimoncello · 08/08/2025 11:37

Xanthe
Paloma
Elsie
Matilda - nn Tilda
Charlotte - nn Lottie / Lotta / Charlie
Elizabeth - nn Eliza
Lilly
Camille
Lara
Leah
Alice

YYURYYUCICYYUR4ME · 07/08/2025 19:18

Lucie
Cydney
Winter
Ngaio
Olivia
Sylvie
Lydia
Christobel
Edith
Gabrielle

Calliopespa · 07/08/2025 19:11

Martha or Edith.

Personally, I think Martha is prettier than Mabel.

Charlotte120221 · 06/08/2025 16:18

love Mabel but wasn't allowed it so went with Harriet...

Also loved-

Maisie
Amelie
Edith
ELsie
Eliza
Annabel
Alice
Evie
Iris
Margot

liveforsummer · 06/08/2025 11:10

I think you can absolutely get away with longer names like Matilda or Martha ending in A. They sound absolutely fine together and not samey at all. Not Dora and Cora as suggested up thread though 😅.

user1492757084 · 06/08/2025 10:41

I think Mabel is not the best with Dora. It renders them both quite dotagey. Possibly a name with more vitality.

Mirabel
Miranda
Allegra
Felicity
Liberty

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 05/08/2025 19:24

Mavis
Edna