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Have to admit it still has old lady images for me... Have/Had a great aunt named Muriel... (haven't heard recently if she's still alive or not). The meaning is fine though. Also as a side note makes me think of the Trash Heap on Fraggle Rock... that the fraggles went to for advice.
Mabel's kinda nice and closer potential for come-back perhaps? ... or it's closely related Mavelle could be pretty.

This message was edited 8/31/2011, 4:22 AM

I adore Muriel / Muirgheal. When said with a soft, Gaelic "r" it's irresistible. Of course it works well outside of Ireland / Scotland / Gael-dom too. I'll take her any way she comes. I fell in love with the name when seeing the movie, "Muriel's Wedding." Rent it, it's a hoot. Muriel's sister in the movie is named Joan. So Muriel Joan is my stock combo at the moment.

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Muriel is smooth and understated. She doesn't scream, she speaks. This can be unsettling for the Isabella crowd. But they will come around. Muriel is part of what I think of as the WWII era names, or "sensible shoes chic." It's romantic, but not in an obvious "hearts and flowers" way. It's romantic in a "we could die any time so we'd better appreciate what we have" kind of way. Much deeper.

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WWII era names should be the next wave of names to be rediscovered. But they will take at least ten years to catch up. So if you are planning on having a child in the future, I think you'll be just ahead of the curve. Someone has to go first.

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This message was edited 8/30/2011, 12:37 PM

I love it. I think it's sweet but feisty, and totally charming. I'd say I was fairly sane. ;)

Though I slightly prefer the similar Mariel, I also love Muriel; I can't see why anyone would call it hideous! It's sweet, melodic and strong, and makes me think of the seaside. I'd be thrilled to see it on anyone. It think it'd fit a girl or women of any age, so yes, it's completely useable on a modern child. Why not>

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Did the people who called you insane give you reasons for disliking the name?

Muriel is beautiful! I love it a lot. I think it sounds so whimsical and dreamy. I think it's perfectly usable on a child today.

It just reminds me of Ron Weasley's decrepit great aunt... It's an old-fashioned, old-sounding name. I wouldn't use it. I can't see it at all on anyone below 50, although the meaning is lovely.

I like it. It sounds kind of murky with the way I say it MYOOR-ree-ell. I think it's completely usable. It looks like it sounds and visually it's very appealing. Not sure why people would think you're insane, I think it just takes some getting used to cause you don't see it every day. Definitely not hideous, and while it's not my favorite I think its quite pretty.

In my family tree there's a Muriel born in about 1903 and her niece, born I suppose in the 1930s or 1940s.

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I don't particularly enjoy the sound of it, though the meaning is wonderful. I much prefer Mariel or Meriel, which seem lighter and more cheerful. Muriel makes me think of cows in a foggy meadow,

I love this name. I wouldn't use it though. because I would think Muuuuuriiiiielll, which isn't attractive at all. I have tons of crushes on names that I would love to see used and appreciated--- just not by me.

I know one Muriel. She is in her 80s. It would seem weird for me to see this name on a child but I still think it is usable. Lots of "old" names are coming back into use.

Sounds cute! It actually doesn't sound too unusual to me. Sometimes I am surprised at the difference in culture between name nerds and non-nerds :)