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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To name my daughter Isobel?

228 replies

rosepetalsoup · 20/02/2015 10:13

Ok, I have done some soul searching and realised that I have got out of touch with what names I actually like through trying to find one that's 'different'. If I am honest one of my favourite names has always been Isobel.

I understand that it is very popular, but just wanted to ask those of you with children in the 0-7 category how many you actually meet through school and so on.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Dowser · 20/02/2015 10:54

I think I managed to choose one name for my daughter where in the three schools she attended there wasn't another one.

It wasn't Grizelda either !

Dowser · 20/02/2015 10:59

Apologies to the masses of Grizeldas on MN!

ChickenMe · 20/02/2015 11:01

My mum was going to call me Isabel and third choice was Florence. How trendy was she?!? Anyway, I think it has peaked. If you love it, use it. I love Lily. It's uber popular but if it were not for a family member already with the name I would've thought sod it

dietcokeandwine · 20/02/2015 11:01

I'm in the south east, lots of Isabellas and Ellas but only the occasional Isobel.

It's a lovely name.

Use it OP if it's what you love. Chances are that in a few years things will change anyway on the name front. Thing is you could choose an unusual name now only for it to then rocket in popularity. Friends of ours were considered really quite way out for naming their son Oscar nearly 14 years ago. There are Oscars everywhere now!

Original poster
rosepetalsoup · 20/02/2015 11:01

I'm not too bothered about her being the ONLY one. There were a couple of other girls at school with my name and I liked that. It wasn't quite in the Rebecca/Louise/Laura quantities though.

OP posts:
RachelWatts · 20/02/2015 11:02

I don't know any little girls called Isobel, Isabel, Isabella or Isobella. I know of a Bella, who might be an Isabella but she always goes by the diminutive.

I know three Imogens and two Islas though.

Choosing a popular name has never bothered me. DS1 is one of three with the same first name in his class, and DS2s name is also very high in the top 10 for when he was born - there's at least 2 others who are likely to be at the same school in his year.

LittleBairn · 20/02/2015 11:03

I've known a few Isobel's aged 0-7 but I'm in Scotland so more likely to be popular here.

isseywithcats · 20/02/2015 11:04

i have been an isabel all my life but everyone calls me issey and be prepared for lots of isabel neccesary jokes

WyrdByrd · 20/02/2015 11:05

I would say if you like it, use it.

The name we chose for our daughter 10.5 years ago was #4 in the top 10 at the time.

I can only assume it was at the end of it's popularity as whilst it's far from unusual we have only met a couple of girls the same age or younger with the same name, and a couple with a variation of it.

I love your spelling of it too.

Coconutty · 20/02/2015 11:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bicky · 20/02/2015 11:06

My daughter is called isabel and I've only met one other in the school I work at, my other choices were Erica or willow

Original poster
rosepetalsoup · 20/02/2015 11:09

Hm interesting, I am gaining confidence in it!

OP posts:
MargotLovedTom · 20/02/2015 11:10

To the poster who said said spell it the "proper" way - ??!! Isobel is a perfectly legitimate spelling.

It has always been my understanding that the origins are:
Isobel = Scottish
Isabel = Spanish
Isabelle = French
Isabella = Italian

MargotLovedTom · 20/02/2015 11:12

This sounds awful but Ishbel makes me think of a drunk Scotsman trying to say Isobel.

I rather like Elspeth.

Manic3mum · 20/02/2015 11:15

My eldest is Isabelle. We shorten it to Izzy quite often. There is an Isobel in her class - they are Year 2 so 6/7.
I still like the name but it is very popular now so not a choice if you want your child's name to be unique!!

HoldingtheFortress · 20/02/2015 11:15

I think that avoiding a name you love just because it happens to be popular at the moment is almost as bad as choosing a name because it's fashionable.

Go with what you love. You're the one who's going to be saying it 1000 times a day for the rest of your life.

Fashions come and go. Yes, she might be in a class with lots of others of the same name, or she might not. Never did anyone any of the Tracey, Karens or Sharons of my schooldays any harm.

MajesticWhine · 20/02/2015 11:15

I have a teenage Isabel. (That spelling just made more sense to me for no particular reason). It's quite popular, but not rampant. I think it might have peaked. In the 0-7 age range DD3 had one in her nursery class and we also have one non school friend called Isabelle.

SaucyJack · 20/02/2015 11:16

I like Isobel (with that spelling). I know a few, but they're all in the 10+ age range.

mygrandchildrenrock · 20/02/2015 11:16

You are all so young, when I was at school the popular names were Barbara, Karen and Susan. I think there were 5 Karen's in my year at school.
I work in a school and we only have one or two Isabel/Isabelle/Isobels a year. It is a very pretty name and all the children I've taught with that name have been lovely little girls.

Original poster
rosepetalsoup · 20/02/2015 11:17

I think of it like Anna or Amy - lots of both out there while I was growing up, and now it is the name of lots of professional women. Or indeed as Jennifer is for women in their early 40s.

OP posts:
squoosh · 20/02/2015 11:17

If it's the name you love then you should use it. There are a heck of a lot of them about though. My goddaughter was nearly an Isabelle. Luckily she wasn't as her three best friends in primary school are all called Isabelle.

Original poster
rosepetalsoup · 20/02/2015 11:19

Is this in the south East squoosh?

OP posts:
MidniteScribbler · 20/02/2015 11:24

It's probably one of the most common names (with various spellings) coming through our younger classes (and all nicknamed Bella). Makes a change from classrooms full of Ella's. I've heard of at least six new babies among parents at school called Imogene, so I think that will be the next one.

That said, use the name you like. I'd rather a classroom full of whatever the popular names than a room full of youneeq spellings. Would you consider Issy as a nickname instead of Belle/Bella to be a bit different?

gincamelbak · 20/02/2015 11:27

Am Scottish and would pronounce Isobel and Isabelle differently - Isobel rhymes with visible while Isabelle is more iz-a-bell or iss-a-bell.

squoosh · 20/02/2015 11:27

No she's not in the South East rose.

The ONS naming stats for 2013 show the top 10 names by region.

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-318125