[name_m]Hi[/name_m] berries,
[name_f]Love[/name_f] the name [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] it’s been a favourite since I was a young teenage girl. However I am a name nerd and not having children anytime soon. Anyway I have also started loving the nickname [name_f]Miri[/name_f] and want a longer name to use instead of a nickname. I like [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] better then [name_f]Miriam[/name_f]. But I’m worried [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] will seem really matchy with [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] on the list and was wondering is [name_f]Mira[/name_f] substantial as a first name?
I personally would not name daughters [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f]. I love [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]. Such a gorgeous name, ages well, and has so many nickname possibilities.
Were you suggesting using both names for sisters? I can’t imagine you would as they are just TOO similar. That said, both are beautiful names and I think either one would make an excellent choice on its own. I prefer [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f], as [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] (and her variations) is SO popular. Plus [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] means wonderful 
[name_f]Love[/name_f] [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]! It’s by far my favorite girls’ name–I adore her. I agree with the others that you shouldn’t use [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] as sisters, but if you’re looking at alternatives for [name_f]Isabel[/name_f], I think [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] isn’t a bad one. I am not put off by [name_f]Isabel/name_f’s popularity, personally, but popularity generally doesn’t bother me. I like that [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] has the cute nns of [name_f]Miri[/name_f] and [name_f]Bella[/name_f], but still retains the beauty that attracted everyone to [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] in the first place. I’d just go with [name_f]Isabel/name_f personally, but [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] is lovely, too. If you want to keep both, have you thought of something like [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Mireille[/name_f]? or [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Mireya[/name_f]? That feels quite Spanish, but I think they’re still gorgeous together. [name_f]Mirielle[/name_f]'s my favorite way to get to [name_f]Miri[/name_f], but I feel like [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Mirielle[/name_f] would be much too close for sisters…
[name_f]Mira[/name_f] is definitely substantial enough to be a stand alone name. However if you’re not sure and you want to keep [name_f]Isabel[/name_f], another long form for [name_f]Mira[/name_f] is [name_f]Miranda[/name_f]. I prefer it to [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] actually.
I actually prefer [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] over [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Mira[/name_f] is a full name, and I think it is lovely and substantial in its own right. There is also [name_f]Mireille[/name_f], prn Mee-[name_u]RAI[/name_u], which is obviously quite french, but I love, and could have [name_f]Mira[/name_f] as a nn. Others are [name_f]Mireia[/name_f] and Mirasol. [name_f]Mirella[/name_f] may share too much in common with [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] as well.
I too that think that [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] are waaaay to close for sisters’ names.
That said, i much prefer [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f] over [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]. I also think that [name_f]Mira[/name_f] can be a name on it’s own. Like a previous [name_f]Berrie[/name_f] stated, it can be short for [name_f]Miranda[/name_f]…
I like [name_f]Mira[/name_f] on its own. You can use [name_f]Miri[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] that way. [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Mira[/name_f] sound quite nice to me.
I also much prefer [name_f]Mirabel[/name_f]. It seems shinier and lighter and sounds like a princess name. [name_f]Mira[/name_f] definitely stands on its own, though.