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Baby names

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

Original poster

Meriel or Madeleine

30 replies

geomog · 08/07/2010 12:21

Hi all

Our little girl is now a week old and still has no name. We've managed to get down to a choice between Madeleine and Meriel. We're not sure which to chose.

We love Meriel because is sounds so musical and we also like the idea that it can be shortened to Meri when she's older. It also fits with our Irish/Welsh roots.

We love Madeleine becasue is sounds so pretty but we're worred that because Madison and Maddison are quite popular there will be lots of Maddies around (no idea if this is true though). Also we have a 10 letter surname so that's a lot of letters!

Would love to hear your thoughts

Thanks

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Daisybuttercup12345 · 27/10/2023 20:38

geomog · 23/10/2023 20:55

My now 13 year old just found this thread when searching for her name and showed me, so just to tie it all up... we went for Meriel. She's very happy with it but usually uses Meri. Not had any of the Muriel issues yet just Mary-el occasionally. Thanks for all the input, and I've enjoyed looking through again 13 years later!

How lovely 😍

Cressie2 · 25/10/2023 22:40

Madeleine

user1492757084 · 24/10/2023 06:01

Meriel is lovely. It's a new name for me and I love it.
I have always like Mariella and Mary Ellen.

Meriel sounds perfect for your daughter.

Original poster
geomog · 23/10/2023 20:59

We went for Meriel, she's 13 now 😀

OP posts:
Original poster
geomog · 23/10/2023 20:55

My now 13 year old just found this thread when searching for her name and showed me, so just to tie it all up... we went for Meriel. She's very happy with it but usually uses Meri. Not had any of the Muriel issues yet just Mary-el occasionally. Thanks for all the input, and I've enjoyed looking through again 13 years later!

OP posts:
Lemondrop99 · 19/07/2017 00:12

Love Madeleine but dislike Maddy.

Not heard of Meriel before but think it's pretty. I'd pick Meriel.

Merope?!

KatherinaMinola · 19/07/2017 00:12

ZOMBIE THREAD. I think the child is named by now. (Wonder what they went for?)

Enidblyton1 · 19/07/2017 00:10

I like Meriel.
Was also going to suggest Merryn

buttercup54321 · 19/07/2017 00:07

Merryn
Melody
Melanie
Miriam
Mary
Maria
Malory
Myra
Moira
Maibelle

SurreyBunty · 19/07/2017 00:02

Ooh, wonder if that's me - I was called Myrtle at school! I usually have to emphasize the phonetics in Meriel and usually say - 'Sounds like Merry Hell'. Sometimes I just introduce myself as 'Bunty'.

addie81 · 10/07/2010 21:24

I love madeleine (am expecting a girl), but was a bit put off if when Madeleine McCann was in the news every day. I wondered if that was the first thing people would think of when they heard the name. Perhaps am being silly though?

SandyBits · 09/07/2010 22:23

I know a Merryn, which I think is nice

GladioliBuckets · 09/07/2010 22:22

Doh! That was supposed to say Merrily.

GladioliBuckets · 09/07/2010 22:21

Meriel

I always wanted a DD called Marrily but DH wouldn't let me.

NadiaWadia · 09/07/2010 18:18

Madeleine is beautiful. Probably the only reason it has lost popularity recently is because of the very sad McCann case.

I prefer Mariel to Meriel.

GoldenTomato · 09/07/2010 10:45

I love Madeleine (correct spelling IMO).

I also like Meriel and do actually know one although had never heard it before meeting her(she's mid 40's). Unfortunately she is always, always called Muriel and even if I correct at the beginning of a conversation she's still being called Muriel by the end.

PickleSarnie · 09/07/2010 10:28

I really LOVE Madeleine and according to the top 100 it's not that common at the moment. However, I hadn't thought of all the Madisons (a name I really dont like) that are currently Maddies. So that's why it probably seems much more common than it is.

coffeefestival · 08/07/2010 20:42

I also like Miriam and Marianne.

Original poster
geomog · 08/07/2010 20:04

Thank you all for your help

I think we're moving towards Meriel. People get my name wrong quite often and I don't mind because I like having an unusual name.

sedgiebaby, I really like Merrin, you should definitely keep it on the list. On the subject of hobbits, there was a hobbit called Meriadoc or Merry for short - but so what, Meri as a shortened name is lovely

OP posts:
deeply · 08/07/2010 18:59

Madeleine is a beautiful name and has actually fallen out of the top 100 baby names.

Meriel is nice too, but Madeleine is gorgeous.

sedgiebaby · 08/07/2010 15:50

I like Meriel but don't know any, the Muriel thing I can see though.

The name Merrin is on my short list but work (horrid young men) say it is a hobbits name!

coffeefestival · 08/07/2010 15:28

Meriel

Kathleen123 · 08/07/2010 14:36

Prefer Meriel

pagwatch · 08/07/2010 14:29

Love both. DD is Madeleine.
She is 7 and never gets shortened except by me - and that isn't to Maddy.

I still love it and whilst it is more popular than when she was born, she is still the only one I know and only one other in her girls school.

But both are nice.

SqueezyB · 08/07/2010 14:26

you could always try Meredith - it's the name of our 2 week old DD2 and we call her Meri!

I love Meriel too though, agree that Madeline/Maddy are quite popular now.