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Baby names

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

Original poster

annabelle or imogen

66 replies

benandoli · 17/06/2008 19:35

Which is nicer
Annabelle Sarah Cliff
Imogen Sarah Cliff

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swollenlegs · 24/06/2008 19:24

i like imogen beautiful name, but my friend called her baby annabelle and shes so cute and like name now

Ayomi · 24/06/2008 19:16

Imogen
My 8 wk old is Imogen Faye and I'm liking the name more all the time.
Think its a good 'lifetime' name - suits being 50 as much as 5 iyswim...

annasmami · 21/06/2008 16:47

Annabel is a much more 'international' name as its easy to pronounce in most European languages. Imogen is more English name and many Europeans would have difficulty pronouncing it.

Original poster
benandoli · 21/06/2008 12:20

Well I have managed to persuade my husband that if we do go for annabel (which is the current faveourite) we will go with the el spelling! Thanks for the support!

I still like imogem but thgink it is a bit pretentious!

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 20/06/2008 12:17

i like annabelle but don't think it goes as well with sarah as imogen.

LadyThompson · 20/06/2008 12:16

I think we'll have to let this one go! I love Marcus but know I know a complete twat called Marcus and it has really spoiled it for me. However...Julius is my boy's name! If I have a boy next time that's what he'll be. However, I know it's a girl so she is going to be Octavia. Not to everyone's taste I know, and she is not my eighth child but DP and I are both musicians and so we're thinking in terms of music. Yes, I know it's also a Skoda...but I like the way it looks and had a thread about it the other week. Sorry for the hijack OP

greenelizabeth · 20/06/2008 12:09

Belle is French for beautiful. Not Latin for beautiful!

Annabelle is just not to my 'gout' that's all. It's too fussy-looking, Annabel and Imogen are comparable in my mind, but Annabelle and Imogen seem totally different in style. Bit nutty? peut-etre!!!

What other latin names are on your list?!

Not a know it all at all. I like Marcus and Julius for boys. Are they Latin?

LadyThompson · 20/06/2008 12:05

Amabel means loved and beautiful, as you say, and I like it v much - was on my list actually, I love me Latin names and my daughter is going to be getting one.

By way of a very goodnatured response though, GE, I would ask you what you think 'Belle' means!

As for the Ama bit of Amabel - yes, Amor, Amas, Amat - it's love innit.

But can we say for sure that the Anna bit of Annabel is from the Latin verb to love, any more than we can say the Anna bit of Belle isn't?? Personally, I'm not sure. For those still awake, it would take a concerted look into where Ann and Anne come from.

greenelizabeth · 20/06/2008 12:00

It IS nice. Life time of shoe jokes! But hey, so what?! my DD age 6 already can tell Lelli Kellys from Geox at 100 metres. Imelda would suit her well.

jumpingbeans · 20/06/2008 11:58

A friend's dd like both these names, then called her lo Imelda, I think it's lovely

greenelizabeth · 20/06/2008 11:54

I think I know what you mean lady Thompson, but even though French is Latin, the FORM of Annabel used in the UK comes from the latin Amabel, and the form used in France does not come from Latin!

youngbutnotdumb · 20/06/2008 11:44

I have a friend with an Imogen and a friend with an Annabelle! I think Annabelle is alot nicer although it does tend to get shortened to either Anna or Belle!

arfishy · 20/06/2008 11:39

Imogen. I know a lovely Imogen, shortened to Immie.

Although Annabel is a pretty name too (prefer that to Annabelle) and I think a new baby would suit (and be) either tbh.

LadyThompson · 20/06/2008 11:29

Don't want to be a pedant (but why change the habit of a lifetime) - French is Latinate, unlike English.

greenelizabeth · 19/06/2008 18:16

I don't think Annabelle has as much history in French as it does in English.

Annabel comes from Amabel, the latin for beautiful and loved, which is a really nice meaning for a name.

Annabelle is more simply Anna+belle. Nothing wrong with that, but I prefer the latin meaning.

AtheneNoctua · 19/06/2008 18:14

It's just French. A bit like Isabelle vs. Isabel. I generally prefer English spelling. I guess because I live in England.

greenelizabeth · 18/06/2008 18:28

Interesting about the spelling issue with Annabel. I would never have even thought that it might be spelt Annabelle. That looks really fake and weird to me. It kills a modest name and turns it in to something frou-frou.

If you go with Annabel, choose spelling of Annabel, which was good enough for Camilla's sister and Lady Annabel Goldsmith and Annabel Sainsbury.

TheFallenMadonna · 18/06/2008 18:27

Annabel

greenelizabeth · 18/06/2008 18:24

Imogen is in the top 100, Annabel is not, so disagree that Imogen is more unusual. I know of two. That's not loads of course.

However Annabel is like Isabel and Anna.

I prefer Annabel, but Imogen is nice too. Imogen is just a tiny bit more pretentious than Annabel. Not massively pretentious, but just a tiny bit.

Sarah in the mn works well with both.

MammaK · 18/06/2008 18:22

Imogen (in her mother's image) is beautiful, the name of my little DD - Immy or Midge for short!
Elderly people often comment on 'these new modern names' when I introduce her & it gives me the greatest of pleasure to discuss the most tender of Shakespear's women first introduced around 1611!

Elkat · 18/06/2008 18:10

Annabel is my fave. Prefer the el spelling too. HTH

Alishanty · 18/06/2008 14:04

Imogen but then I am biased as it is my 9 yr old sister's name!

TwoFirTreesToday · 18/06/2008 13:54

Imogen Sarah Cliff

Troutpout · 18/06/2008 13:11

Imogen is very nice
Immie, Gen...i like shortenings too

harpsichordcarrier · 18/06/2008 13:10

Annabel(le) is also still pretty unusual

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