Isabella

[fozzy26]

Where do you live and how many Isabellas do you know? Trying to assess how popular it is. Also could you please help me think of some middle names. Thanks.

I think it must depend on where you live. My Isabella is 11, we live in the South Midlands and only know two others in our town (no others at her 500 pupil school). She is Isabella Sophie Elizabeth but I only used the Elizabeth as it's a family name and I didn't want to upset my recently widowed mother my not using it. It is actually the same name in a different language!

We live on the edge of London and I heard three Isabellas in the playground this morning...

Beautifal Name. It was my grandmothers name and i wanted to call my child that. My partner was a bit doubtful though as his serious ex had been an isabella :)

DD is an Isabella and whilst we know loads of Isobels, Isabelles etc she is the only IsabellA.

We chose it because that was the only name me and DH could agree on (he likes the name Izzy)

I know more Isabel /Isobel's to Isabella. I know one Isabella, and live in North Wales.

Very popular. Always grace as a middle name too. Taught loads so thought it wa slightly older children but it's still going strong.

Lots of Isabellas here, we're in Surrey. Personally I find it a little overused

I know a grown up Isabella and find it hard to think of it as a grown up name.

Very popular, but very lovely. I'd call my next baby that if we didn't know quite so many...

I live in the south and I know 20 zillion. Seriously. far too many, it's a lovely name but SO overused round here, I could predict what babies were going to be called a few years ago and it was always Isabella or Isobel. Usually with Rose as the middle name. There are two in ds's class, (7yos) many many more as well.

Very popular here in Scotland

Although you could consider Ishbel

South East London, I've heard a few round my way but not that many (there's LOADS of Ella's round here though, snore)

It's lovely. There's a few about but I wouldn't say it's a particularly popular name.

I love Ishbel - I sometimes call dd it but she says she's glad we didn't use it! Then again, the barbarian child usually insists on Izzy.

My Dd is Isabelle I do wish Id chosen Isabella sometimes, Dh and I call her Bella, most people call her Izzy.

Her middle name is Amy, I felt that a longer first name needed a short middle name IYGWIM!

I obviously love the name, it's popular because it's so lovely!

izzybiz DD's middle name is Jane for the same reason (that and it's my sister's name)

It used to be on my 'girl list' from the age of about 10 upwards, right until I had ds1 in 2003 when I realised everyone was calling their daughters it, and suddenly I got a bit bored with the hype.

So it shows how overpopularity can kind of take the magic out of a name - even a really pretty name. It's like having ice cream every day iyswim.

and when I was 10 it was so uncommon, that I never dared tell anyone and when I did they laughed at me! It was the 80s and seemed like everyone was using plain, tough names like Sharon and Tracey, Beverley and Klair (yes really) - the more unfeminine the better it seemed. Isabella was just too flowery.

It's funny how things change and you can now get away with almost anything. Try calling a baby Serafina in 1983, or Violet

I agree that Isabella, as lovely at it is, has become a little overused - I know about 5 under the age of eight. Yes, "it's popular because it's lovely" but unfortunately the resulting popularity takes some of the 'loveliness' out of the name (to me anyway).

Isabella is a lovely name, international and feminine but its so popular at the minute, if that isn't a real concern for you then its a lovely choice :)