Annabelle

[Exposay]

Thoughts on Annabelle? Is it too frilly and twee? Is it likely to be shortened to just Anna? I must say that I hate Anna by itself so will avoid if that’s a strong possibility.

The most beautiful girls name

Definitely Annabel not Annabelle

It’s ok. It does conjure up a blonde queen bee type to me but that’s just my associations…

I have one and it’s never been shorted by anyone. Mine is an Annabel though. She’s strong, sporty, clever and not at all like some of the descriptors upthread!

Couldn’t disagree more …. Definitely Annabelle not Annabel.

Definitely is a strong statement. No one has ever tried to shorted my daughter’s name to Anna in the 12 years she’s been alive!

Lovely name but just makes me think of the horror movie doll. But then I am a horror nerd

Annabelle is frilly and has the emphasis on Belle. I really dislike it.

Annabel is much nicer ! Emphasis on Anna.

But be prepared for lots of misspellings. Anabell, Annabell, Anabelle etc

I’d also avoid it if you hate Anna

That's funny! I have a name that has so many 'options' to be shortened and although I like my name, I don't like this aspect of it at all! I made sure my DC have very short names that can't be shortened😂

I prefer the Annabel spelling for sure, in English the extra 'le' is superfluous and frilly.

The only Annabel/Annabelles I know are either the full name or shortened to Annie, none of them are Anna.

I know 3 (2 Annabelles and an Annabel). They're all in their late 50s and none of them get their names shortened.
I think that the "belle" looks better but it's probably due to my A level French that makes me think it's the feminine form of the adjective beautiful.

Someone tried to shorted by Annabel’s name to Belle once. She said ‘I prefer Annabel’ and that was that. Easy!

It's a beautiful name.

I have a degree in French and spelt my DD’s name Annabel as I hate the frilly ‘belle’ ending 😁

I really really love the name Annabelle. I know very many and none have their name shortened to Anna (sometimes Bella or Belle but only if they asked to be called that)

It’s a nice name. How about the Anabel spelling?

Give it time and unless you are with her all the time how do you know?

I don't mind Annabel or Annabelle but for some reason Anabel looks like a totally different name to me. It feels to me like a longer version of Abel - as though it should be pronounced Ann Able.

If pressed, I think I like the Annabelle spelling, as there is a visual balance around the B: two As either side of double N, and then two Es either side of double LL, which to my eye has an almost palindromic quality.

Probably prefer Arabella to all of them as I think the "r" sound has slightly more gravitas and is less sing-songy, but they are all lovely names and I don't think you can go wrong.

Lovely, but the Annabel spelling.

Dreadful

It's lovely

Well she can talk, I’ve just asked her and she said not. As I said upthread, she said someone once tried to shorten it to Belle but she told them she prefers Annabel, so that was that.
If no one at the 3 schools she’s attended, her football club, her drama group, her hockey club etc have ever tried to shorten it to Anna in 12 years, I’m just not sure it’s as ‘definite’ as you suggest!

I know an 11 year old Anabel. It's a really lovely name and everyone calls her by her full name. Apart from my Welsh speaking husband who calls her Anne the Bell! The 'uh' sound of the second syllable (accent/pronunciation dependent) sounds like the word for 'the' in Welsh, so Anne The Bell it is 🙄I doubt you'll have that problem!

Far too close to Anabl. It's really not a lovely name.

Annabelle is the French version. It sounds lovely in French (as does Isabelle).

In English it's pronounced exactly the same, by English speakers, as the traditional English version Annabel, making the extra 'le' pointless.

This is fighting a losing battle at this point though as Annabelle is clearly currently preferred in the UK😂 I like the elegant simplicity of Annabel so hope it makes a comeback at some point.

In your opinion. In my opinion it really is. We are both allowed to think differently you know!

I've no idea what anabl is.

This Anabel spells it like this as it's more phonetic Welsh, if that's the right way to put it, they don't have silent letters in Welsh.