Isabella? Honest thoughts please!

[DoveGreylove]

Hello!

Our current favourite girls name is Isabella. What do people think when they hear this name? Is it too common? Would you think, "oh here comes another Isabella"?

If you hate it or think it's far too common, what names would you suggest instead? We are rather stuck here...

Thanks!

I love love Isabella. Who cares about popularity?

If you want something similar but different I would suggest:

Isadora or Annabelle

As for your other options

Ivy- no
Mila- if short for Amelia (which is more popular) or Camilla
Sofia- love sophia/sofia but also popular
Emma- meh ok

If you love a name use it.

Loads my daughter's age. I like it but I think simpler names are more in fashion now. My tastes have changed too. My daughter has a name that is similarly frilly I guess and if I were choosing now, I'd probably pick something like Jane, Mary or Ruth. My tastes have really changed in 16 years.

I have never met a Christabel though and I do like Christy and Christa and Belle, so I have a soft spot for Christabel. (Pankhurst inspired you could say)

Way too many out there, along with all the variations and shortenings.

Duchess I love Christabel!

Most of your suggestions are pretty popular right now. The only one I don’t like from your second list though is Mila.

Too many 😕..just like Ellie's and Alfie's ...Honestly I think of something similar or different 😊

It's too fussy and twee sorry

I love love Isabella. Who cares about popularity?

Your daughter may! Isabella is so so so overused that she may need to add her initials to it and the name may soon start to sound dated!

I have an Isabelle. She has never been called izzy, she is always Belle. She was the only one in her school in UK and now we have moved to France there are zero Isabelle's here in school, they are all 40+ as its an older name! Mind you, there are lots of Paulines and Marions so it just shows how different the names are in France!

Btw I love it

It’s one of my favourite girls names. I think it’s beautiful, yes it’s popular, but for a good reason.

123Flopsy I see your point, but I have such a unique name that growing up I longed to have a “normal name”. I wished to see my name on a key ring or have a name that is recognisable. I made sure I gave my child a popular name for that reason.

In my days Sarah/Sara was the most popular name, and I’ve never met a Sarah/Sara that didn’t like their name.

123Flopsy but I agree with you that this may mean the name will date...they will just have to wait for them to be a grandparent so their names will be trendy again!

True, we are affected by our own experiences. I have a very popular 70s name and wish I'd been given a more interesting name.

Absolutely love it - I was tempted for my dd but there are just so many now I decided against.

I also loved Mia, Mila and Amara if you like any of those.

If you go for Isabella though it is really beautiful.

I love Isabelle but didn’t even contemplate using it due to its popularity. It’s a shame, but it really has been done to death. I like Ivy from your list. Sofia also overdone. Emma is nice, but prefer Iva. Mila, I am indifferent to.

Honestly, I meet so many Isabelles and Isabellas I always wonder why their parents had so little imagination. I know it's harsh. It is a pretty name but it's just soooooo common.

Ivy
Mila
Sofia
Emma

All really lovely names and a million miles better.

I think it's gorgeous & it's a shame it's so popular.

Isabella is a beautiful name.

Far too common. No point in a beautiful name if the whole class is called the same name.

I love Emma.

It is a lovely name but very common now. Have you considered the Scottish variants, Isobel or Ishbel? Ishbel is especially great if you don't want to shorten it as it doesn't really need shortening!

It’s a really lovely name, it’s so popular for a reason

But I know more than I can count! I’ve been a Brownie leader for 6 years and have never not had at least two Isabella/Isabelle/Isabel

I like it but I know so many. From your second list I like Mila

It's a beautiful, classic name.

There were loads around, born about 2005/08, but there have been larger 'spikes' for Sophie (and close variant) Evie (ditto), and more enduring ones for Olivia and Ellie names.

Yes, if you name your DD this, she may well come across people (especially those 7-14 years older than her) with the same name. But several in every class - rarely happens, but currently rather more likely to be girls with one of the names I mentioned above.

Isabella is a lovely name. I don't know any at all and I work in a school.

It's very pretty.