I wish I knew! It's been puzzling me all my life.
I like
Isabel a lot (prefer
Isobel, but hey) and guiltily enjoy
Rosabel and
Christabel (but not Clarabel). So, why do I dither about
Annabel when I'm an
Anne fan of note? I do like it; I've never met one, so no associations to muddy the water; but I'd never, ever use it. Not if I had as many daughters as a herring. And
Amabel is no better.
Mabel Anne might be nice, though!