Annabelle or Annabel?

[insanelycheerful]

Which spelling of this name do you prefer? (And why, if you have a particular reason!)

Although Annabelle looks prettier and more feminine, it seems a bit frilly for me and for some reason I prefer Annabel!

Annabel just seems smarter and less frilly to me.

Both lovely though! If you want to use the nn. Anna, I would go for Annabel spelling as I think Annabelle lends itself more to the nn. Belle.

I have thought a lot about this as I will probably be naming dd2 Annabel!

Annabel, for same reason as both PPs. DD (3.5months) is Annabel, and I've had really positive responses so far.

I prefer Annabelle as it seems more traditional x

I don't get all these unnecessary le's

We had a spate of Isabelle's, why? It's bad enough trying to sort out all the Isabel, Isobel and Isabella's without throwing yet another spelling into the mix.

Annabel.

It reduces the frill factor if only a tiny bit.

Annabel for me as per the otheres above.

Annabel too

Yep Annabel :)

Annabelle

Thanks for replies! I think I agree with the majority that Annabel is better. Weirdly I do prefer Isabelle to Isabel. But do think perhaps the extra "le" on Annabelle is too much....no idea of my reasoning here!!

Everlong I did wonder which was the more "correct" spelling as such.

I actually love the nn Annie, both as a name and in honour of DH's wonderful granny. Not sure if this has any bearing on the spelling of Annabel though!

We have an Annie who is just Annie - it is a fab name.

If someone asked me to spell it I'd automatically put the extra LE on the end, probably because I'm thinking in French etc 'belle' is feminine, whereas a single L would be a more masculine ending.

That's not to say Annabel is a masculine name of course!

Just my reasoning for putting 'elle'.

However, with names like these many people will ask, or your DD will end up calling herself 'Annabel without an e' anyway.

I'm not sure she will Hyena - Annabel is the original version isn't it?

IHeart I also absolutely love Annie as it is by the way, and would happily choose it if this one is a girl. I think DH prefers Annie as a nickname/shortening, however, so am thinking of options! You are very lucky to have a little Annie, I think it's a wonderful name.

Well I have one of those type of names, people always debate which one is the 'correct' spelling but there isn't really a consensus, so I call myself e.g. 'hyena with an H' rather than wait until they spell it wrong and have to correct them.

Annabel is much better and also 'proper' I think. Annabel Croft and Annabel Goldsmith are very proper ladies and both spelt the proper way!

By the way, there is such an obsession with nicknames of names on here. If you like a name, then use it as it doesn't have to be abbreviated. I had friends at school called Rebecca, Jacqueline, Catherine, Jessica etc. All of them called their full name and still known as full names in their 40s! I think nicknames used by friend only stick if the person themself likes it. I had a friend called isobel i wanted to call izzy because of the girl in neighbors and I kept trying to call her that so it would catch on and she just said, no my name is isobel!!!

Annabelle just looks nicer to me, not sure why.

Aw thanks!

Annabelle. My dd4 is called annabelle and I really dislike the spelling annabel. I have no idea why! also we don't shorten her name to anna, annie or belle which has surprised me as its a name I thought people would be lazy with! either way you spell it its a lovely name