Isabella vs Tabitha

[justpotteringabout]

Like both. I know Isabella is very popular but it is such a beautiful name. I prefer more unusual names but this one seem to be sticking on the short list. Tabitha is another contender, more unusual and I think elegant but wondered what the consensus is? My Mum is on the campaign for the former so I'm trying to get some unbiased opinion.

rob99, what an unnecessarily nasty thing to post. Having a bad day are you?

Blimey rob how bored or bitter must you be to post something like that about someone you don't know's taste in names?!

I have an Isabella, we waited until she was born & i just came out with it , it seemed to suit her.

I had absolutly NO idea how popular it was (she can always use her middle name anyway if she so chooses!!) i thought i was choosing some thing a bit "different" (shows what i know).

Its a pretty name so if it suits her...use it.

To everyone who has made fun of the name Isabella on here....fek all of yall!!

Tabitha is the name I would have given a daughter had I not only had boys.It is ever such a pretty name. If the popularity of Isabella is a concern how about something similar like Mirabella or Arabella?

I like both but prefer Tabitha. It's a stunning name and a bit different. I would def use it if have more DDs.

Love Tabitha - we have one!

It is certainly less popular than Isabella/Isabelle/Isobel/Isabel etc BUT it has been mentioned so often on these boards recently I expect it will have shot up the rankings when the baby name stats are published.

That said, I believe it's a marmite name so it probably won't ever trouble the top 50.

Go for it, Tabitha is pretty but still a bit different.

Tabitha. Delightful pretty name. Isabella gorgeous too although very popular, if that bothers you.

Rob99 is rather limited. Best to ignore. Wonder what fabulous names he has given his poor children.

I have a Tabitha too! Was supposed to be nn Abi but

I wouldn't worry about Tabitha shooting up the rankings - lots of names are popular on MN that never make it into the top 100.

I have a Tabitha (13y) and she doesn't often bump into other Tabitha's (although she knows a Tabatha) but she refuses to use that name an only responds to Tabby, which is nice, but drives me mad

Meant to add that even though Isabella is quite popular, I think it has a better choice of nn, Izzy, Bella, Belle ect.

I agree with italladdsup. Tabitha is a great name. :)

Don't listen to those saying Tabitha is a cat's name; it's a lovely name.

Isabella and all varients of that name (Isabelle etc) have been done to death recently; I'd be surprised if she was the only Is/Bel in the class. It's not very imaginative

Don't be bothered about popularity - you know which name you love. My DD is Isobel and I love saying her name - to me it is the most beautiful name ever in the world and she is the most beautiful daughter I could ever have imagined, so no matter how many other Isobels/Isabellas there may be out there, it's still the loveliest name we could think of.

I think Tabitha is pretty too - depends on your region, I think, since it is definitely also very popular in some areas (I know three and only one Isobel!)

Wow rob99s rather offensive. I haven't encountered such things on mumsnet before (newly pregnant) so atleast most are kind with their comments even when they don't agree.

I think Tabitha a lot. One of my favourite girls names (alas DH not keen). I would pick that over Isabella (which is pretty but a bit overused now)

siluria, really? You know 3 Tabithas? How old are they? I've never met any. But that's the thing with MN, everyone except me seems to know 25 Byrons and 45 Persephones.

I actually know 2 young Tabitha's. I would not let popularity put you off a name and think that you should go with the name you truly prefer. One of my DC has a name which was well outside the top 400 names when I choose it and they actually have another with the same name in their class. Another of my DC has a very popular name (top 5) and doesn't have another in the same class, so you can never tell!

That should say "Tabithas"!

A three-year-old (in Tenterden - poshish bit of Kent); a 13-month-old in Muswell Hill, and a girl at my daughter's nursery (in Bucks) who I guess is about 2.

So all very MN-tastic areas, I'd say ... ;)