We recently had a baby girl. Big sister is [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] (my middle name) [name_f]Diane[/name_f] (grandma’s middle name). Husband and I could not agree on a name for new baby. Push came to shove and new baby was named [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] (don’t even remember where we got this from) [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] (other grandma’s name). But now I’m worried this was a sleep-deprived error! I was tired of hearing a lot of the same names on the playground which is how we ended up with [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f], but husband wants to call her [name_f]Mira[/name_f], which I do not love (I prefer [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f], but we went with the -belle ending to distinguish from the airport, which is what the name makes my family think of). I don’t love [name_f]Belle[/name_f] either. It’s been suggested we could do [name_f]Maggie[/name_f] instead, but I’m not into that either. Any nn suggestions for [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]? Husband is very resistant to doing a name change, but any other hypothetical little sister names to go with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]? Husband insists [name_f]Mira[/name_f] will grow in me… but I really want a name I love from the get-go. Ugh.
Well I think [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] is a beautiful name! I don’t think that [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] even needs a nickname it is so pretty!
Some other nickname ideas…
[name_u]Abby[/name_u]
[name_f]Bella[/name_f]
[name_f]Ella[/name_f]
[name_f]Elle[/name_f]
[name_f]Mimi[/name_f]
[name_f]Mia[/name_f]
[name_u]Ira[/name_u]
Maybe [name_f]Mimi[/name_f]? Although that’s more of a family nickname than one to use al the time. [name_f]Bella[/name_f] could be an option, or how about one of the nicknames for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]? Off the top of my head I can only think of [name_f]Daisy[/name_f] and [name_f]Margot[/name_f], but I know there’s more.
You shouldn’t have to wait to like the name for your child - your husband is wrong in that respect.
For nicknames, you could try…
[name_f]Mae[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f]
[name_f]Bella[/name_f]
[name_f]Greta[/name_f]
[name_f]Maisie[/name_f]
[name_f]Meg[/name_f]
[name_f]Mabel[/name_f]
[name_u]Billie[/name_u]
However… It doesn’t really sound like you love the name [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f]!
How do you feel about [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] or [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] (suggested as similar to [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], but less popular, at least in the US), or maybe [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], for a similar sound but a different vibe.
I really like [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] super pretty name very elegant and works wonderfully as a sister for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. Great choice. If I was you I’d use [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] as a nickname
Nn could be [name_f]Millie[/name_f], [name_f]Mallie[/name_f], [name_f]Mab[/name_f], [name_u]Abbie[/name_u], [name_u]Mel[/name_u], [name_f]Mia[/name_f], [name_f]Mimi[/name_f], [name_f]Mila[/name_f], [name_f]Maisie[/name_f]
[name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] means marvelous, so how about [name_f]Mari[/name_f] (means drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; pronounced MAH-ree although it can also be pronounced [name_u]Marie[/name_u]) or [name_f]Mar[/name_f] (means sea). Another option could be [name_f]Mirela[/name_f] (means peace, world; pronounced Mi-RELL-ah).
Do you like [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] as-is? It is completely reasonable to just call her [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] all the time. I think if you don’t like using her full name and don’t like any potential nicknames (after this search) that you are quite justified in picking a new name for your newborn. I knew someone that changed her daughter’s name after she was a year old - it happens. It’s okay. It’s more important that you like your daughters name than you stick with the first name you picked.
M ([name_f]Em[/name_f]) could be another potential nickname. Or [name_f]Mimi[/name_f] as others have suggested.
If you’re not keen on the name I would seriously consider changing it. It is important that you love the name. I would emphasise to your DH how strongly you feel, and that you both need to love the name. I think just [name_f]Mira[/name_f] is preferable to [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f], but that is not an option for you.
Hypothetical names to go with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]:
[name_f]Annabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Miranda[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Claudia[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Elspeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Marianne[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosamund[/name_f]
[name_f]Camilla[/name_f]
[name_f]Anthea[/name_f]
[name_f]Cressida[/name_f]
[name_f]Jemima[/name_f]
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f]
What do you think of [name_f]Em[/name_f] or [name_f]Emmy[/name_f] for the M’s in her name? There’s also [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], [name_f]Meg[/name_f] and [name_f]Peggy[/name_f] as nn’s for [name_f]Margaret[/name_f].
Miri? I know it’s not too different from [name_f]Mira[/name_f], but maybe it’s just different enough?
I second the suggestion of [name_f]Em[/name_f] or [name_f]Emmy[/name_f]!
There are also [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] nns: [name_f]Meg[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]…
Or just a pet name that has meaning only to you, like [name_f]Birdie[/name_f] or [name_u]Cricket[/name_u] or something.
Hi all - thanks for the thoughtful suggestions! We just call [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] (except for ridiculous terms of endearment) so [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] works for me as [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f]. I’m just worried about husband’s insistence on [name_f]Mira[/name_f], because he really loves it. I might be able to work with [name_f]Miri[/name_f] though! I wish we’d agreed on something in advance of baby’s arrival… but I’ll ruminate over these suggestions. [name_f]Glad[/name_f] to hear I’m not the only one who has had baby name second thoughts. I’m now leaning towards [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], but also think I might be being a bit ridiculous.
