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Baby names

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

Original poster

Arabella

57 replies

kayzr · 03/02/2009 14:16

I watched a program last night and someone on it was called Arabella.

I'm not pg but I do quite like the name and I might store it for future use but is it really posh and pretentious?

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CarryOnUpTheLiffey · 04/02/2009 15:14

Annabel is like a Amelia, if they were 30 they'd be posh, under five, just normal imo.

I'd expect a baby Arabella to be eye-wateringly posh.

Original poster
kayzr · 04/02/2009 12:12

I'm not sure it would go with my DS's names either.

Good thing I'm not expecting then.

OP posts:
MrsMattie · 04/02/2009 11:55

Annabel and Arabella a bit posh for me.

MaplePecanPlait · 04/02/2009 11:22

I fear you will get 'looks' when you have to shout it in a supermarket. We would probably giggle and roll our eyes I'm afraid.

CountessDracula · 04/02/2009 11:07

I don't like it
it's a bit prissy sounding tbh

annasmami · 04/02/2009 11:06

I like Arabella. Sound great in other (e.g. German, French, Spanish) languages too!

traceybath · 04/02/2009 11:02

I think its a lovely name and once worked with one who was always known as 'the beautiful bella'!

gladders · 04/02/2009 11:00

we know a v sweet little Arabella - she's sometimes known as Bella so I guess she could use that when she's older?

we liked annabel and would have used that except surname also ends in 'ell' so it sounded daft...

it has the advantage of being quite unusual (more so that annabel/ isabel/isabella?)

BonsoirAnna · 04/02/2009 09:29

I think Arabella is very pretty and might use it for hypothetical DD3.

KristinaM · 04/02/2009 09:25
Grin
electra · 03/02/2009 22:47

Kristina - not necessarily just a girly name but I have often thought that certain people seem to fit certain names -- unfortunately not always in a good way!

MuchLessTiredNow · 03/02/2009 20:32

we have an arabella and an araminta in my ds2's preschool class - feel v sorry for them when they are trying to learn to write their names - possibly because my ds2 has only 3 letters and still struggles - please shorten to something sensible though - both the girls in question are shortened to 'Moo' which seems bloody cruel in my book

alibaabaa · 03/02/2009 20:25

I love it - this is one of my sisters' names. Some people call her in full, some people call her bella, and some call her ella. One of the nicest girlie names 'on the market' IMO.

Metatron · 03/02/2009 20:08

i love it. wish i had thought of it for dd1

2Helenback · 03/02/2009 19:57

It would be my number 1 choice at the moment, but dh reckons it's too poncetastic and posh. Apparently all my names are poncey and/or posh, and my boy's choice of Gabriel is "wimpy and gay" What can I say, I'm just a classy bird!(Married to Captain Cavemen)

Arabella is beautiful.

LuLuBai · 03/02/2009 15:43

I think it is lovely. I know several adult Arabellas.

KristinaM · 03/02/2009 15:37

electra - do you mean that because a child has a " girly" name it shapes our interests? I dont know, interesting question

i think its more a problem with gilrs names because they vary so much with fashion. Whereas the top boys names have shown remarkable consistency over hundresds of years.

i suppose i have sympathy for teh 40 years old accoutant/ engineer/ professor of physics who has to introduce herself as Tiffany Heaven-Lee Smith. It might be "boring" to be called susan/suzie/sue or Katy/Kate/cat/Catherine/ or Beth/betty/liz/elizabethbut at least you have plenty choice and you wont be embarased to collect your pension

Not that i am implying that Arabella is in the same league as Heaven-lee. Its a lovely name, just not my personal taste

cyteen · 03/02/2009 15:19

i quite like Arabel, possibly from too much Jackanory as a child. Mortimer the raven was my hero.

VictorianSqualor · 03/02/2009 15:05

I love it. Have a friend with this name and she's fantastic.
She is known as Bella mostly though.

mrswoolf · 03/02/2009 15:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

electra · 03/02/2009 14:59

It was on my short list initially but I have changed my mind. Kristina - on that note do you think it's possible that names actually have an effect on the person we become?

IloveBrucie · 03/02/2009 14:57

Little Arabella Miller
Found a hairy caterpillar
First it crawled upon her mother
Then upon her baby brother
All said: Arabella Miller
Take away that caterpillar
Trot, Trot, Trot

cyteen · 03/02/2009 14:56

not my bag at all, i'm afraid. have never liked any bella-type names.

MrsBadger · 03/02/2009 14:56

it is a bit poncey but not irredeemably so - I quite like it

and it's arable farming, Liffey

thumbwitch · 03/02/2009 14:55

how funny, I have just started to re-read Arabella by Georgette Heyer. She is a great heroine! i don't mind the name and it can always be shortened to Bella