Mabli

[sageandbasil]

Ive just had a baby girl called Mabli. Pronounced Mab-Lee. We live in England and a lot of people are pronouncing it May blee. I never thought this would be an issue. How would you pronounce it if you just saw it written down?

Where is Mabli from? I hadn't heard of it around 2 years ago and now know four Under 1.

I can't see how it's hard to pronounce, your family are just being nobs.

Sorry that seems rude, I didn't mean it like that but it's become very well known.

Before I'd heard of it, I would probably have said May-blee initially. Not really sure why, but as has been said above, it could be because the letter combinations look similar to "able". I think if someone had told me it was a Welsh name, I would have been more likely to say Mab-lee, as Welsh is more phonetic than English (as are most languages ).

I would hope once you correct people, they say it properly. Do you ever shorten it to Mab? I quite like that shortening (makes me think of the queen of the fairies), and it would then be more clear that the first syllable if her full name is "Mab", not "May".

Mabli and Mabel both derive from the same Latin girls name, so there is a link between them.

I'm Welsh and have a common Welsh name and now live in England so I really wanted her to have a Welsh name if we could find one we both loved. It was actually the only name we agreed on! Mabli is the Welsh version of Mabel. It also means loveable which i think is sweet. We call her Mabs as a nickname. Thanks for all the feedback

Lovely name and nickname! I’d pronounce it as you do, but I have heard it before. I guess people are pronouncing it like the nearest familiar to them name, Mabel. Congratulations

Congratulations!
I'd pronounce it mab lee, it's a lovely name!

Unfortunately I think it's something you'll always get, our DD is Mila pronounced "Mee la" and we've had all sorts, most of the family called her myla for months, just keep correcting them it will click eventually.

Mab-Lee- but I know it's a Welsh name and I love love love it, but DH sadly vetoed it. Beautiful name. Congratulations. Try not to worry about it - I have a really unusual name which people often mispronounce. It doesn't bother me - I correct people and it's fine.

It's a lovely name.

I am so very jealous. It's my favourite ever girl's name but stupid dh has vetoed it. Beautiful name obviously pronounced Mab lee.

I’ve got a Mabli (husband Welsh, I’m English and we live in England)

We get a lot of ‘mayberlee’ or ‘maberlee’ but otherwise lots of compliments. I think it’s the best girl name ever.

I have never heard it in real life but I've seen it mentioned on Mumsnet before and never known if it was Mab-lee or May-blee-like-Mabel.

Mab-lee

It's because of all the May/Mayas I guess. I'd persist, It's a nice name

I would probably have guessed may-bli, but once you had told me I’d get it right in future.

It’s a lovely name.

Aw thank you for the mabli love! @WeasilyPleased I thought it was you who wanted Mabli, did I see you've decided on nerys? That's such a lovely name!

I read it as Mab-lee.

Mably, like Madly

Mab-lee.

Just a hunch but your 🙄 hints to me that you’ve got family members making a POINT about the ‘odd’ Welsh name you’ve chosen?

I had similar - ‘we don’t like it that you’ve not asked our advice and have called baby something WE’VE never heard of so we’re going to make a subtle dig’ pronunciation troubles are not unheard of 🙂

I solved it very quickly.

‘Oh no if you don't mind we won’t come over this week, I know she’s tiny but we don’t want her hearing her name said wrongly all the time! She’s learning it right now so when you’ve got the hang of it we’ll come over lots more, we can’t wait to see you more often. I’m sure it won’t take you long’ 🙂

Did you announce the name as 'Mabli, welsh for Mabel'?

Some people struggle with names and will try to use something vaguely similar that they are familliar with

e.g. Annalise - Anna Louise or Anna Lisa

Just be firm and correct them, if that doesn't work use the Skeumorph method

I would have guessed Mab-Lee, but I've never heard of it and didn't know it was Welsh. That said, I can't think of any language where it would be May! However, logic is irrelevant. A lot of people don't read carefully or quickly, and just make assumptions. Mabli is like Mabel so their mind goes there, especially as Mabel is quite trendy at the moment.

It's not a name I have ever come across but I would have assumed the correct pronunciation

I can understand why people are getting it wrong though because of the similarity with Mabel

@Skeumorph that's a great idea! DH English family were having trouble and my Nan but it's hardly a difficult name to pronounce. may blee didn't even occur to me

May-blee

I’d change my pronunciation once I was corrected though