Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
ShadowSpiral · 21/02/2015 08:04

I don't like it spelt with a 'z', but I still think that's better than the spelling it with 2 's' version the little girl at our nursery has.

I honestly thought that nursery had spelt it wrong on the coat peg and on the Christmas card list until DS got a card signed "Issabella". With adult handwriting, so presumably written by one of the parents.

SlinkyB · 21/02/2015 08:04

I know a 6yr old Isabel, 5yr old Isabella and two 4yr olds called Isobel and Isabelle.

I'm in the South West. Writing Christmas cards is a good test of the memory when it comes to spelling each one right!

bubalou · 21/02/2015 08:31

It shouldn't matter if it's common I agree.

DS is 6 1/2.

He has an Isobel, Isabel and Isabella in his class alone.

He also has another 7 in his year group.

HappyIdiot · 21/02/2015 08:32

Dd's middle name is Isobel. I love it, but with our surname it works better as a middle name.

My name was a very very common one growing up, even to the point where I went to school with several other girls with the same first name-middle name combination. It never caused a problem or bothered me.

I think it's much more important to choose a name you love rather than one that you think is a bit more unusual.

Jbop · 21/02/2015 08:37

I know loads of Isabellas but no Isobel's (which I much prefer).

nippiesweetie · 21/02/2015 08:44

Monica is a good moniker.

bumbleymummy · 21/02/2015 08:55

I like Isobel (with that spelling) :) I only know one and there are none in either DC's classes. Go for it if you like it

Murphy29 · 21/02/2015 08:59

I know 3 Isabelle/a born in past year (Scotland).

Isabel is part of my name and I've always hated it and used to ask my parents why they used it and if I could change it. They're a bit smug now it's popular but I'm not a fan.

Cutiecat · 21/02/2015 09:00

My daughter is in Year 3 and there are 3 out of the 15 girls in her class. We know 2 more in Yr 6 and one in Yr 1, there may be others. My daughter have common traditional names mentioned in this thread and I don't regret it. My littlest has her own nickname now anyway. Call her Isobel if you like it but maybe give her a more unusual middle name. We know two girls who will be in the same school year with the same first and middle names. And the mums knew each other before they were born.

WrongendoftheSTIX · 21/02/2015 09:06

I'm a teacher in primary and we have 1 in our school! That's it. Just 1.

As a mum of a 2 yr old, I have met 1 at a BF clinic but that's it.

I'm outside of London but commutable.

silverperiwinkle · 21/02/2015 09:11

If you love the name then go for it, my beautiful DD is called Isabelle and I had loads of people comment on what a beautiful name it is.

silverperiwinkle · 21/02/2015 09:12

also she is the only one with that name in Nursery

Lovemycatsandkids · 21/02/2015 11:09

It's a lovely name.

I wanted verity or scarlet for my dds but my dh and older lads didn't like either so we choose different names. Hmm

I am a cm and have a fairly unusual name and funny enough one of my mindees has the same name.

We are now big ... And little... Grin

BellsaRinging · 21/02/2015 11:52

I love it. I know one isabella, but no Isobels, which I actually prefer. I have 2 children of 10 and 4 so meet quite a lot of children iyswim.

salthill · 21/02/2015 13:11

Knock knock....who's there? Isobel. Isobel who? Isobel necessary on a bike.... Lol, what what we used to say as kids.
Sorry Op, it's a lovely name, go for it.

TheCatAteMyTaxReturn · 21/02/2015 14:46

our families variation on it...

Knock, Knock. Who's there? Isobel Isobel who? Isobel not working, then? Smile

salthill · 21/02/2015 17:42

Cat.... Lol Grin

NoBloodyMore · 21/02/2015 17:51

I known 7 Isabel/Isobel/Isabelle's but they are all 5-7 years old

Unidentifieditem · 21/02/2015 18:01

I know 1 Isobel and she is 34! I have a 4yo DD. And live in luvvy n.london so would expect more. I have come across the of Isabella but still not that many. Mostly Olivias, Amelia's and Sophies around here

Unidentifieditem · 21/02/2015 18:02

Btw I went to school with an Elisabel and always thought it was a fab name

YorkshireTeaGold · 21/02/2015 18:14

Go for it! Its a beautiful name. I have a 3yr old Isobel.... It's a family name (dm is Scottish) and my first born daughter was always going to have this name. As others have said, it's peaked in popularity a bit, I know of 1 Isabel but that's it. I'm in Yorkshire and every girl is called isla or Emily round here.

If you like it, use it. I loathe people who call their children pretentious names as a way of trying to make them more interesting.

CastielsClevererBetterSister · 21/02/2015 18:19

DD1 is called Isobelle. She is Belle. There were 4 others on the postnatal ward when I had her (in Essex). Met a few up here (north east) but not a huge amount.

Toadinthehole · 21/02/2015 18:45

"Isabel" is the spelling that tends to turn up in historic English literature. Also French literature too, if you go back far enough, although mediaeval spellings vary enormously. In France, it was replaced with "Isabelle", which then overtook "Isabel" in north America in the late nineteenth century, and in recent years other parts of the English-speaking world too.

As others have noted, "Isobel" is the traditional Scottish spelling. Along with "Isabel" it has the advantage of being phonetic.

TheFnozwhowasmirage · 21/02/2015 18:56

I've got an 11 year old Isabella and have only ever met one other,and she is a friend's daughter who asked if I minded her using the same name. I've also got a Jessica and have not met another under 20. It must be the area we live in because there are loads of Ruby's Sophie's, Emily's, Eve/ Evies,Maddies and loads of Ellie's.

tilder · 22/02/2015 08:29

Another one who doesn't get the obsession with choosing a name based on how popular it is. The number of times I have seen a thread where the op gives a choice of names, all apparently chosen because they are out of the top 100. Never names such as Janet or John either...

Personally I think you should choose a name you love. There is a reason names are popular. Isobel is a beautiful name. There are lots of nick names for it too, so ifit does worry you then maybe look there for an unusual nick name of a beautiful name?