View Message

Mabel is too old ladyish for me. I actually kinda prefer Maybelle.

---

Maybelle was briefly mentioned in Gone with the Wind. A minor character in the book and movie was named Maybelle Merriweather. She was played by an actress named Mary Anderson (who is still alive as of this writing).

---

I didn't know Maybelline was a make-up brand! Then again, I'm a guy and I don't wear make-up. Too bad...it sounds pretty, if a little frilly.

I would pronounce Maybelle with the emphasis on "Belle" as well. I find it far too frilly and I also think it sounds too cowgirl, sort of "southern belle". I find Mabel much more classy and, although it is a little old fashioned I think that's fine.

---

Unfortunately the only Mabel I know is a dog :P

My mother had a friend called Zoe Mabel, which is remarkably up-to-date right now.

---

I like it a lot, but I think adding an -le spoils it, like chocolate sauce on mashed potato.

I think Mabel is so sweet and retro sounding. I am a fan of older names though. I don't like the Maybelle spelling, as it reminds me of the make-up brand Maybelline too. I think it may get used a little, but not enough to get popular, well not here in Australia anyway.

I like Mabel. I think Maybelle is unneccessary, and I pronounce it slightly differently. I think Mabel could come back into style, but I don't think it will ever be super popular.

I love Mabel. She's so comfy and old fashioned. Kind of reminds me of southern sweet tea. I do prefer Maybelle because I love over the top silly frilly names. For me the two are pronounced differently though and thus are different names with completely different feelings. I think Maybelline is adorable too, but I was raised by a Chuck Berry fan so I had that before I was really aware of the make-up.

It seems unreasonable to say, but Mable seems to stale to me while Maple (almost the same sound for pete's sake!) is fresh and sweet! If anyone were considering Mable, I would always beg that they consider Maple instead.

---

That being said, you didn't list Maple and I do love Maybelle, and I think it's because the of the emphasis on the "belle", as you explained. But then again, I really like frilly and OTT girls names, so that may be why!

I liked Mabel when I was younger, too. It was high on my list for its warm, cozy feel. For some reason, it always reminds me of warm cookies, fresh from the oven.

---

I prefer Mabel to Maybelle, though Maybelle is also nice. Reminds me of "The Pirates of Penzance."

---

I don't know if it will come back into style, but I wouldn't mind if it did. It's a very sweet name.

I prefer the look of Mabel but the sound of Maybelle for some reason. I don't dislike the sound of Mabel though. I don't know any, and as far as I know it's still considered "too old-fashioned for a kid" by the majority of namers, but it might be more 'retro-cool' eventually. I think Maybelle is more likely to be used.

I'm a massive fan of Mabel, it's my second favourite girls name.

---

I definitely prefer Mabel over Maybelle, it just looks like too many letters.

---

I've only ever met one Mabel, who was an old lady, I hope it doesn't come back!

I like Mabel. It's sweet but also really sensible and has a lot of quirk to it. I far prefer Mabel to Maybelle, which puts me too much in mind of Maybelline.

---

I'm actually surprised Mabel didn't enjoy more popularity when they named the baby that in Mad About You. And it seems very hipster-friendly. I think it has great potential to become more popular, or at least get on the charts again. I don't know of a single Mabel.

Mabel itself is alright for me. I want to love it. The sound is adorable, and it makes me think of a lovely summer afternoon. But there's something of about it. Awhile ago I realized it was just the way it looks. It should be Mable. Mable looks just right to me, but since Mable is kind of silly, I began to prefer Maple. But Mable is still softer and not so quirky, so I dunno.

---

I went through a Maybelle phase a year or two ago. I don't pronounce it the same as Mabel, so they aren't really interchangeable. Maybelle also has a Southern flair to it, and I love that it has the word maybe right in there.

---

I don't know any Mabels or variants thereof. I think it seems exactly the sort of name that should become more popular if the old-fashioned name trend keeps up. It's short, simple, and cute. But it does lack a traditional super-adorable nickname option, unlike Edith, which I otherwise think fits the same category for popularity-potential.

---

But you could call Mabel Maybe. OMG love. Okay, after all of this I think I have talked myself into liking Mabel more.

---

ETA: Last year there were 176 girls born in the US named Mabel. In 2009 there were 147, and in 2008 there were 138. So perhaps very slowly it is making a run for a ranking position.

This message was edited 6/1/2011, 11:49 AM

I think Mabel is sweet. Maybelle is alright; prefer Mirabelle. No idea whether Mabel might come back in style. Year ago, a sit-com couple ("Mad About You") named their daughter Mabel and I thought maybe it would become more popular then, but I've not ever met or heard of a young Mabel in my area.

---

Edited to fix typo. :)

This message was edited 6/1/2011, 11:42 AM

I love Mabel and Maybelle. I would probably be more apt to use Mabel simply because I like it better, but my love for Maybelle Carter is too strong to prevent me from throwing Maybelle out of the list of names I adore.

---

I really hope it doesn't get hipster or trendy, though I wouldn't mind seeing a few around. I've always loved the combo Mabel Rose.

I love Mabel - it's my dog's name.