Any thoughts on the name Gabriel for a boy?

[davinaroma]

Hi fellow mumsnetters!

DH and I are getting really stuck for boys' names, although we have a million girls' names to chose from and as we're still not sure about the sex we need a shortlist for both!

At the moment, top of our lists are Isabella Amy for a girl or Gabriel Lewis (DH is big fan on the racing driver Lewis Hamilton!) or Gabriel James for a boy?

Does anyone have any thoughts on either of these? Any other ideas would also be very welcome!

My dds say it but apparently it's just the new 'naff'.

I don't think Isabella Amy go together, I think Amy sounds more of a common name and Isabella more posh, no offense just what I think. Gabriel I love for a boy, dh didn't so couldn't use it though.

I just think Isabella Amy is a bit hard to say, ending with an A and starting with an A iyswim...I tihnk you want a middle name starting with a consonant!

Isabella Louise?
isabella Grace (not keen on this personally but I know alot of people like Grace at the mo)

My ds is called Gabriel so obviously I love it.

It's a fairly common name here in Ireland and often shortened to, Gay, but without the silly name-calling element attached.

I don't really like it. We had a boy called Gabriel at school which was shortened to Gabe by class mates but he was bullied for his full name quite horribly, especially when called out at assembly etc.

Like Isabella, don't like Amy.

Love Gabriel - agree with HG about Gabriel James in preference to Gabriel Lewis.

I know a Gabriel who's called Gabe. He is v cool, but not old enough for the 'gay' jibes, which I do think will be inevitable. But then, all kids get the pee taken for something at school.

I do think Gabriel is a lovely name, though.

Gabriel James is a lovely name.

I love Gabriel. And Isabella. Lovely names.

Since Gabriel is becoming more popular then perhaps the bullying/namecalling aspect will not be so much of a problem. When I was at school it was children very unusual names that were teased. I really like Gabe as a shortened form.

Saying that, our children have unusual names (where we live) and DD recently said that she likes it when she gets asked about her name. She said that her friend would like to have an unusual name too. She has never been teased about her name.

love it.

I really do love it, but we decided that we couldn't have it for ds as we are both big Peter Gabriel fans and didn't want it to appear as if we had named our son after him.

So for us Gabriel is relegated to the "if only" box.

But for you....

Love Gabriel esp with James.

Also love Isabella but not keen on Amy.

Sorry, but I wouldn't. Some children will be fine with teasing and not worry one iota what their nickname is. For others it will make their life so so miserable. All of ds's friends are known by first syllable only - even George has been shortened to "Jaw". You might have a son who is so self-confident that he can cope with the Gay-Boy tag from early on, but you might end up with a super-sensitive son for whom this would just be agony.

My dh is Gabriel and the number of people who either say or spell it Gabrielle is ridiculous. It amazes me that so many have apparently never heard of the angel Gabriel. I like the name but dh does get annoyed with always having to say "Gabriel. Like the angel. No, G A B R I E L. Gabrielle is the female version"

Oh dear I hate the way every slightly unusual name thread brings up the subject of teasing! Surely we ought to be standing up to it rather than calling all our children one acceptable name?

I mean Jack rhymes with things too, if you think hard enough you can come up with a teasing rhyme for every name in the book.

It is something I feel quite strongly about. Gabriel isn't even an unusual name now.

Isabella, Gabriel, both lovely.

But how names can be shortened is fairly important, as are initials etc. And acknowledging that some names will result in teasing is something to think about. That said the chances are if both you and dh wouldn't mind it then the apple won't fall far fromt he tree and your ds will be able to take it in his stride. Gabriel for a boy is still fairly unusual and I'm in London.

I like Gabriel a lot, but agree with other posters that Gabriel Lewis is not a good combination.

Isabella is also very pretty, but again, doesn't go with Amy.

I agree we should be standing up to bullying and teasing however, not everyone will and it will carryon regardless I'm afraid.

Love Gabriel - fab, unusual but not wierd, imo. yes, there are teasing possibilities, but aren't there always? Not personally so keen on Isabella - they are 10 a penny round here...

Fair enough, I know it will never be wiped out - but I just wouldn't let the chances of it put me off a really lovely name iyswim!

Gabriel is a great name.

There is a common abbreviation of my name which I don't like - so I don't use it, I just introduce myself as my full name, and if people ask if I am ever called by the short version, I say no, but I don't mind the even shorter version if they feel like it. No bother at all!

I don't think Amy goes with Isabella as a first name because words ending in 'a' don't sound good in front of another vowel. they run together with an 'r' in the middle: 'isabelleRamy'. Amy isabella sounds better imo!

I don't like Gabriel. Sorry. But then I am not a fan of "feminine" boys names and to me, Gabriel is a girlie boy's name.

I like Isabella but as others have said I don't think it flows well with Amy. I like Isabella Rose.