Benjamin and Arabella

[LouisaMay]

Am expecting a girl and had a thread a while back about Sophia, Claudia and Rosa but am now thinking about Arabella as well and think it may be edging into first place for various reasons! I think we would use the full name maybe shortening to Ella if at all. My one concern is that our son is called Benjamin but we call him Ben and if our daughter became known as Bella (eg. at school or something - I know you can't always control nicknames!) would it be ridiculous to have a Ben and Bella sibling set? Or would it not matter as we wouldn't call her Bella, only Arabella or Ella. Really love the name Arabella and it's been really hard to find something that goes with our surname and isn't off limits for some other reason, so I don't really want this to put us off but I don't want people to think it's ridiculous!

What do you reckon? (please no negative comments about the name Arabella per se as we love it!) What other nns could you get from Arabella?

Arabella, Ella, and Bella are all nice names. I don't think that Bella would be a problem regarding Ben. They sound quite good together.

I think Ben and Bella are quite sweet together (and they are only really going be a "sibset" for the first few years of their lives anyway).

You could also shorten Arabella to Ari or Ara?

I like it don't think Bella would be a problem with Ben either.

Thanks for your responses. Glad you don't think it's a problem. Am loving Arabella more all the time - really think it's the best name we've found for our slightly prosaic surname!

How about Annabella, nickname Annie?

Ooo Arabella, love it! Also always loved Claudia but there is no way DH would have gome for that.

Ben and Bella (if that does become the nn) is fine - don't let sibling names dictate things too much. As thewarmestowl says, they're only paired up as siblings for such a relatively short amount of time, and out on their own as independent adults for far longer. :)

I know a lovely little 18MO blonde Arabella (nn Belle/Bella) - it is a very pretty name.

Thanks everyone that commented on the Ben and Bella issue, very helpful, having had your input I don't think I will let that put us off . Parma-if you read my op I didn't ask for comments on the name itself! But thanks anyway, I know some people think it's a posh name (whatever that means) and am not bothered!

To offset that, for what it's worth, I don't think sounds clunky in the least; the opposite in fact - more lilting and melodic.

Everyone's perception is their own - there's no right or wrong. :)

I think Ben and Bella rolls off the tongue quite well. People will take their cue from you, so if you always say Arabella, so will everyone else IMO.
Disclaimer - have an Arabella nn Ella so am v.v. Biased

Its on my list too :) and we plan to shorten to Belle or Bo.

It is a 'marmite' name which is fine by me - some will love it, some hate it which means its unlikely to turn up in top 100 & plenty of nn options if she's not keen in future