[name_f]Muriel[/name_f] is a name I’ve liked for some time. I’m always looking for non religious names to replace [name_f]Mary[/name_f], which has always been a frontrunner if my husband and I ever have a daughter but I’m not 100% sure I’d use.
My husband had not long ago told me he doesn’t like [name_f]Muriel[/name_f], so I moved on to [name_u]Meredith[/name_u]. Then today he was naming a character in a game and called her [name_f]Muriel[/name_f] [name_f]Summer[/name_f]. I said “[name_f]Muriel[/name_f] [name_f]Summer[/name_f]? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you like that name?” and he said “Yeah, I love the name [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]!”. So needless to say it’s back on my list!
Then again, I wasn’t surprised when DH said he didn’t like [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]. I feel like it’s a widely disliked name. Is [name_f]Muriel[/name_f] so bad?
Ottertails : yes, I really like the angel of [name_u]June[/name_u] meaning (even though I already said I don’t want a religious name) especially if all goes to plan in getting pregnant in [name_f]September[/name_f] which would mean the baby would be born in [name_u]June[/name_u]. I also like the meaning “shining sea”.
[name_f]Muriel[/name_f] isn’t exactly my style but I think that it’s a good name. It’s not terrible, especially compared to some of the other names people give their kids. I think it’s a name that ages well.
I quite like it, though I have to agree with @ottertails in the reference. I love the name [name_f]Mariel[/name_f], which is a good alternative - it might sound a little fresher?
Also quite like [name_f]Marina[/name_f] - which I believe is a separate name from [name_f]Mary[/name_f] but looks related.
[name_f]Muriel[/name_f] isn’t quite ms but really that doesn’t matter if it’s yours! Most people are on NB are looking for names that are less popular - and you are asking if it’s too unpopular.
It was most popular in 1922 and so in about 5 years it would be hitting it’s 100 year popularity revival.
While I doubt it will ever really make it into the top 100 that would be in 5 years. So if you used it at worst/best you’d be a little ahead of the up curve… on the other hand you’d have a name for your kid nobody else will. [name_f]Muriel[/name_f] is easy enough for an English speaking audience and while it is a bit Grandma-chic it’s still feels fairly familiar.
It’s a bit heavy and frumpy for me, along the lines of [name_f]Bertha[/name_f] or [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f], I think it’d be difficult to wear nowadays and might be better off in the middle where it adds character but doesn’t make life difficult.
Btw. why are you looking for an alternative for [name_f]Mary[/name_f] if love it so much?
katyi : I like [name_f]Mariel[/name_f] OK, but the u sound is part of what I like about [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]. [name_f]Marina[/name_f] is so pretty, but I live on the coast where there are a lot of boat marinas around so I hear it used as a word very often.
opheliaflora : Well, it’s not exactly that I’m trying to replace [name_f]Mary[/name_f], just that I’m not sure I would use it and I tend to love a lot of similar names.
Have you considered [name_f]Miriam[/name_f]? I love the nn [name_f]Miri[/name_f] for a younger girl. I also think [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] is pretty. Ooh, and the nn Meri means sea!
[name_f]Muriel[/name_f] is nice; I do have a hard time seeing it for a little girl though. Good luck!
I’m so happy to see somebody considering [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]. I’m fascinated by everything Celtic, so [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]'s heritage as one of the oldest and most interesting Celtic names adds to it being a lovely underused gem in my eyes.
I had similar reservations about it, but I like it. I think it’s pretty and love the meaning of bright, shining sea. And that it’s Irish but isn’t one of the popular Irish names. I tried to get DH to agree to it as a middle name, but he didn’t like that “your” sound in it.
If you and hubby both like it, go for it!
I’m sorry, but I’m one of those who really dislike it. Why not just [name_f]Mary[/name_f], which is lovely and rarely used these days?
I do generally like vintage chic names -eg [name_f]Violet[/name_f], [name_f]Edith[/name_f], [name_f]Daisy[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f]. But [name_f]Muriel[/name_f] is terribly frumpy to me.
I love [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]. I love the meaning, love the sound, love the way it looks. If names like [name_f]Edith[/name_f], and [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f] are popular again, why not [name_f]Muriel[/name_f]? [name_f]Adore[/name_f] it.
I think it’s too heavy a name for little girl. To me, it sounds like a grandma, but not in a cute way like [name_f]Pearl[/name_f] or [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]. Have you considered [name_f]Marielle[/name_f]? (Mah-ree-elle)? It’s a real [name_m]French[/name_m] name and sounds better off the tongue.
