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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Annabelle or Annabel?

41 replies

harverina · 30/05/2013 08:37

I am Scottish and like the idea of having a name with some sort of Scottish origin or link. Really like Annabel or annabelle but not sure what spelling is appropriate?

I already have an Eilidh

OP posts:

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mrsXsweet · 30/05/2013 11:15

I have an Annabelle but I know some people find it too frilly. It seems to have become a more accepted spelling and I don't very often have to tell people how to spell it as they presume the belle ending.
For me the traditional ending looked unfinished and reminds me of cannibal but I am a bit weird. It is a wonderful name and in my area not too common. My dd (3) is just starting to play around with and try out nicknames- currently she is insisting on being called Belle (and dressing up as Tinkerbel of belle from beauty and the beast). I am hoping this is a short phase as I am not a fan of belle!

JojoMags · 30/05/2013 11:34

Annabel. I think it goes much more naturally with Eilidh. The Annabelle spelling looks French, rather than Scottish, and I dislike the frilliness. It seems a much stronger, more classic name wit the shorter spelling.

simplesusan · 30/05/2013 11:36

Annabel for me. Lovely choice btw!

Bowlersarm · 30/05/2013 11:38

Annabel.

DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper · 30/05/2013 11:55

Annabel for me. But then, I'm an Isobel, so I would say that.

BreasticlesNTesticles · 30/05/2013 11:59

Annabel!

everlong · 30/05/2013 12:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HaPPy8 · 30/05/2013 12:22

I like Annabelle. I think it looks prettier.

MisselthwaiteManor · 30/05/2013 15:36

Annabel

Charleymouse · 30/05/2013 15:43

Annabel

TheChaoGoesMu · 30/05/2013 15:52

Annabel reminds me of cannibal too. I like Annabelle.

SingleBelle · 30/05/2013 19:14

Annabel definitely.

Was Annabel the wife of king arthur or something. I vaguely remember reading this.

Elquota · 30/05/2013 21:22

Annabel

BinarySolo · 30/05/2013 21:26

I prefer Annabelle. It looks more finished somehow - Annabel seems to end a bit abruptly. I know that sounds daft btw.

zimbomaman · 30/05/2013 21:30

We went for Annabel mainly because I didn't want her to have the French spelling. She is half French and we live in France so I wanted her to have a little Anglo-Saxon influence somewhere! MIL still gets the spelling wrong 2.5 years later though. She answers to Bel and refers to herself as Annabella . She is absolutely adorable and suits the name which means 'easy to love'.

Original poster

harverina · 30/05/2013 21:38

Thank you everyone still not sure what one to go for but think that Annabel may be the spelling used in Scotland? Who knows! I actually like both but just unsure what one to go for

OP posts:

SingleBelle · 30/05/2013 21:46

Annabel is perceived to be the correct, normal spelling in the UK (Croft, Karmel, Goldsmith?) and Annabelle is perceived to be the normal correct spelling in USA.

Funnily enough, although I didn't rmember this, my daughter has just asked me to order Freaky Friday! and the daughter is annabel. the book by Mary Rodgers. In the first film Jodie Foster plays Annabel. In the later film with Lindsay Lohan, they changed it to just 'Anna'.

Annabel in the UK is fashionable (but not trendy) but Annabelle in France is very dated.

DewDr0p · 30/05/2013 21:47

Annabel

zimbomaman · 31/05/2013 09:35

Annabel in the UK is fashionable (but not trendy) but Annabelle in France is very dated.

Is it? Dated? To which decade? I was under the impression that it was timeless.

SingleBelle · 31/05/2013 10:00

Well I think it's timeless in the UK, I know more adults called Annabel actually but Bonsoir says it is very dated in France! Not that that matters really but I was just putting the information out there. The World according to Bonsoir,

DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper · 31/05/2013 10:07

It's probably 'timeless' in a cyclical sense; an old, recognised name which goes in and out of fashion, and is therefore dated when out of fashion.

SingleBelle · 31/05/2013 10:12

Yes, although personally i know more adults than children called Annabel I think it is more popular now than it WAS. It's interesting (if you're a nmae nerd) that the original freaky friday in 1976 left the character's name as Annabel but in 2006 that was changed to just Anna. Or maybe that is of no interest at all to anybody sane

My own name is just starting to occasionally be mentioned here! and people have either cooed over it or said 'no way, it needs to rest for another decade!'. But I hated it growing up because it was at its most popular 10-15 years before I was born. I never used to get anything with my name on it as a child, until I went to Winchester cathedral with my m&d at 13 and there were tea towels with my name on them. My mum said 'ok, point taken'.

sleepingbeautiful · 31/05/2013 10:13

Annabel. Pretty for a girlie girl, not over powering for a tomboy, and utterly wearable for a grown-up.
To me Annabelle is sickly sweet.

zimbomaman · 31/05/2013 10:31

Ok, single and don, I get where you're coming from. My own name is the same - only old ladies were called it when I was growing up and now it seems to be very favourable on MN. Apparently Coke are even using it on their 'share a coke with...' promotion .

anaotchan · 31/05/2013 14:13

Annabelle. Probably because I'm French and it kind of irks me to see the adjective not properly declined for gender ("bel" is the masculine form, "belle" the feminine form).

and yes, it's a very old-fashioned name in French. But still pretty :-)

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