What do you think of the name Mayre?-Mabel update

Girl Names
1

Hello all-
I recently posted on here about an agonizing name dilemma I was having. The name of our unborn daughter was [name]Mabel[/name] for four months. We kept the name a secret from all of our family and friends. My sister, who had also kept her name a secret, had a baby a boy a few weeks ago and announced his name… [name]Abel[/name]. Quite a bit of family drama has happened in the last few weeks over the whole [name]Mabel[/name]/[name]Abel[/name] similarity.

Anyway… My husband and I are having our fourth and final child and need an M name to complete the family. We’ve been deliberating for weeks. We need something unusual. (Our last name is extremely common.) It has to start with an M. It has to go with our other children’s names [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] ([name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]), [name]Major[/name] [name]Gray[/name] ([name]Major[/name]), and [name]Milla[/name] [name]Josephine[/name] ([name]Milla[/name]). We have been stumped over name choices. Nothing has seemed quite right. We can’t seem to get past the fact that we’ve called our sweet girl (who is due in a couple of weeks) our little [name]Mabel[/name].

My mother (who is very dear to me) is named [name]Mayre[/name]. I’ve always liked the uniqueness of her name, but feel that it is problematic. Nobody ever seems to pronounce it correctly (including many of her close friends). I had initially excluded the name from our lists entirely because of all of the problems that my mother has had with her name. It is pronounced like “maybe”, except substituting the r for a b. She has been incorrectly called “[name]Mary[/name]”, “[name]Marie[/name]”, “[name]Mayer[/name]”, and may[name]REE[/name] (with the accent incorrectly on the last syllable). It is pronounced “MAYree”. This doesn’t seem difficult to me, but, then again, I’ve heard it all of my life.

My question, nameberries, is this… What do you think of this name? [name]Do[/name] you like it? [name]Do[/name] you think it would cause my daughter problems to have such an unfamiliar name? Also… I’ve thrown around the idea of spelling it differently…possibly Mayree? I just wanted a few opinions, since mine are obviously biased.

We are doing everything we can to appease my sister and her husband, though our first choice is the name [name]Mabel[/name]. It has been a very difficult situation. We are really trying to be peacemakers. I just need some feedback about this potential name. I’m usually not a fan of made up sounding names, but we are really trying to think outside of the box, since [name]Mabel[/name] seems like it would cause such hard feelings.

[name]Mayre[/name]?
Mayree?
Any other suggestions for different spellings?
or Neither?

Also… If you do like the name [name]Mayre[/name]/Mayree, can you think of a suitable middle name?

2

I think definitely not with [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]. [name]Mary[/name] and Mayree are nearly identical in my accent, and I can see lots of confusion with daughters who have basically the same name. Others that might work:

[name]Maia[/name]
[name]Mina[/name]
[name]Maren[/name] (also too close to [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]?)
[name]Mona[/name]
[name]Magda[/name]
[name]Morwenna[/name]
[name]Magali[/name]

3

Yes, your naming dilemma has been quite the saga - I’m sorry to see you haven’t had a resolution! Honestly, I agree with the previous poster. As neat as it would be to honor your mother by using her name - a really neat, unusual M name - I do not think you can even consider [name]Mayre[/name] ([name]MAY[/name]-ree) with a daughter named [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]. [name]Mayre[/name] and [name]Mary[/name] not only share nearly all of their letters, but they sound very, very similar. Too similar in my book.

I still would consider using [name]Mabel[/name] as a middle name for your daughter-to-be, considering it is a name you love so, so much and one you associate so closely with her. Your sister cannot begrudge you that, I should think. And, if somewhere down the line, you and your family decide it is okay to call your daughter [name]Mabel[/name], she’s got it there, as part of her name. With your superb naming taste, I’m sure you could find something adorable to fit as a first name with [name]Mabel[/name]. [name]Mercy[/name] [name]Mabel[/name] springs to mind for me, just because I think it flows beautifully with [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name], [name]Major[/name], and [name]Milla[/name]. But, again, there are so very many unusual M names out there. You could call her [name]Mimi[/name] for short, since she’d have double M initials. [name]Just[/name] a thought…

Best of luck to you!

[name]Lemon[/name] :slight_smile:

4

[name]Mayre[/name] and [name]Mary[/name] just don’t work. I’m sorry. :frowning:

Also as far as pronunciation, I would have guessed it was pronounced like [name]Mayer[/name].

5

In all kindness, don’t go with your mom name, special as it is to you, lovely as it is to you. The name poses problems in itself, with which you are all too familiar. Those are nothing compared to having a sister named [name]Mary[/name]. The confusion, the potential for unkind and teasing comments from kids are endless. (Ha ha! Your sister got the REAL name! You are just [name]Mary[/name] – all scrambled up!)

[name]How[/name] about?
[name]Miranda[/name]
[name]Maeve[/name]
[name]Madeleine[/name]

[name]Mabel[/name] is a version of [name]Amabel[/name], which I like much more. I’m not sure why you want to confine yourself to “M” names. If you were to branch out, your problem would be easy to solve. It is very hard not to repeat the names you already have or get too close to them for comfort – example –
[name]Mirabelle[/name]

More “m” choices:
[name]Matilde[/name]
[name]Marina[/name]

6

[name]Margaret[/name] – could be called [name]Maisy[/name] – or you could just use [name]Maisy[/name]
[name]Margot[/name]
[name]Martha[/name]
[name]Marta[/name]
[name]Meredith[/name] (although the nn is usually [name]Merry[/name], which obviously you don’t want)
[name]Myrtle[/name] (I wouldn’t, but it is not a grandma name to everyone.)

7

Personally, I think it’s sad that your sister would be so upset about this. I understand that the names sound similar, but they are totally different, and you have as much of a right to the name of your choice as she does. That being said, if she’s upset, she’s upset, and think your effort at peacemaking is so gracious.

Personally, I don’t love [name]Mayre[/name] because it is so close to [name]Mary[/name]. You’ve probably been through all of these, but here are some ideas kind of in order with my favorites at the top…

[name]Maeve[/name]/[name]Meave[/name]/[name]Maive[/name]
[name]Mercy[/name]
[name]Mirabel[/name]
Maebry
[name]Marketa[/name]
[name]Myrtle[/name]
[name]Muriel[/name]
[name]Mabelle[/name]
[name]Misha[/name]
[name]Mairead[/name]
[name]Merritt[/name] (I used to work with a woman named this - very classy and creative)
[name]Moira[/name]
[name]Moya[/name]
[name]Mossie[/name]
[name]Marleigh[/name]
Morrow

8

I agree that [name]Mayre[/name] is [name]WAY[/name] to close to [name]Mary[/name]. Otherwise it would be fine. I’m sure your mother is honored by [name]Mary[/name], which sounds so close to her name.

I don’t really understand why you can’t use [name]Mabel[/name]. You mentioned in your other thread that you live nowhere near your sister and that you have many other siblings who will also be having kids. Names will be repeated in large families. And this may sounds harsh, but your daughter is more important than your sister. It’s odd that your sister doesn’t get that, being a new mom and everything.

If you must bow to her instead of choosing the name you love, here are a few M names I like:
[name]Margo/name-This is absolutely beautiful and so perfect with your other names!
[name]Marina[/name]-[name]LOVE[/name] this. I love all things sea-related. Is it too close to [name]Mary[/name] though? idk.
[name]Minette[/name]-This is such a cute name to me.
[name]Martha[/name]-This isn’t exactly fashionable right now, but it is a sweet, underused classic imo.
[name]Manya[/name]-I know someone with this name, pronounce like [name]Anya[/name], but with an M in front of it.

9

[name]Mayre[/name] is too close for comfort to [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name] (which is my favourite [name]Mary[/name] combo btw!)

You need some other name. I can’t help you with the [name]Mabel[/name] issue, it’s a tricky situation and I would probably just do the same as you and give up, but I would not choose [name]Mayre[/name] regardless.

Here’s my list of M names, most of them are very unusual, so it’s possible you could fall in love with one simply because you haven’t seen it before:
[name]Mabyn[/name] (a lot like [name]Mabel[/name], but not like [name]Abel[/name] at all!)
Madelief
[name]Madelon[/name]
[name]Magdalena[/name]
[name]Magnolia[/name]
[name]Malou[/name]
[name]Manon[/name]
Maple
[name]Mara[/name]
[name]Marcella[/name]
[name]Margot[/name]
[name]Marigold[/name]
[name]Marilla[/name]
[name]Marjorie[/name]
[name]Marlena[/name]
[name]Maud[/name]
[name]Maxima[/name]
[name]Maxine[/name]
Mazarine
Mazelle
[name]Meadow[/name]
[name]Melisande[/name]
[name]Melosa[/name]
Memory
[name]Mercy[/name]
[name]Meryl[/name]
[name]Mildred[/name]
[name]Millicent[/name]
[name]Minerva[/name]
Mintara
Minver
[name]Mireia[/name]
M”riel
[name]Mirren[/name]
Mirth/[name]Mirtha[/name]
[name]Moira[/name]
[name]Morea[/name]
[name]Morning[/name]
[name]Muriel[/name]
[name]Myrtle[/name]

Hopefully, one might strike your fancy!

10

I’m sorry to say this, but [name]Mayre[/name] ([name]MAY[/name]-ree) is really just too close to the [name]Mary[/name] in [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]. My name is [name]Mary[/name], and I know a lot of people whose accents turn it into [name]MAY[/name]-ree, including one of my grandmothers. Also, when I first saw it, I too thought it was pronounced like [name]Mayer[/name], which pronunciation I think would take care of the ‘too close to ‘[name]Mary[/name]’ issue,’ but is not what you’re going for.

11

Okay…okay…

I guess the general consensus is that [name]Mayre[/name] sounds too much like [name]Mary[/name] [name]Alice[/name]. This is one problem that had never occurred to me!

We are getting incredibly close to our due date, too close to not have a name! Our little “[name]Mabel[/name]” might just stay that, if something doesn’t come to us soon. :slight_smile:

Thank you for all of your opinions. I really appreciate having unbiased perspectives on things.

I’m sure that some of you may be tired of hearing about this dilemma. I’ll post much later, possibly after we have the baby and give a final update. Again, thank you. :slight_smile:

12

My vote still goes for [name]Mae[/name] [name]Belle[/name]. :wink:

13

I was one of the few who could see where your sister is coming from. I think it has to do with closeness. My sister and I are VERY close so it would be completely weird to have rhyming cousins names. BUT, if I kept my sister from using her favorite name, you better believe I would be scouring the baby name books to make it up to her! II’d put your sister to work!

14

I have to agree that its too close to [name]Mary[/name]. When I first read how you were pronouncing it, it really does sound like an accented verison of [name]Mary[/name].

15

Good point made by phoebesmom. Is your sister helping you find new names, is she trying to help you in anyway with this? She has forbid you from using the name you had picked out, she knows your due soon (I think your post a couple weeks ago said one month right), is she trying to help you?

16

hi mommytosweeties,

i was the one in the last thread who proposed [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Eleanor[/name] called [name]Mabel[/name] (also like [name]Mae[/name] [name]Belle[/name]). i also like lemon’s suggestion of [name]Mercy[/name] [name]Mabel[/name] (called [name]Mimi[/name] or [name]Mabel[/name]?) since you seem to really want to be merciful to your sister in this situation (and i have always loved the name [name]Mercy[/name]). but, honestly,i think you should name your daughter what you were going to name her, [name]Mabel[/name]. I don’t know, if it’s been this long and your sister is still deadset against it, then i guess i would choose one of the other lovely names suggested, but [name]Mabel[/name] was your name first.

p.s. [name]Marguerite[/name] has always been my favorite ‘m’ name, nn [name]Daisy[/name]. also love [name]Madeleine[/name].

17

So sorry you are still struggling so much and not getting much help from your sister in the naming process for little ‘[name]Mabel[/name]’

I thought of a great name for you last night and had to come post.

[name]Macy[/name] – her full name could even be [name]Macy[/name] [name]Belle[/name] or [name]Macy[/name] [name]Bella[/name]. You could still use the nn’s [name]Mae[/name] and [name]Mabs[/name] that you were using during your pregnancy.

I also thought of [name]Maya[/name] (or maybe [name]Mia[/name]) with a mn [name]Belle[/name], [name]Bella[/name], [name]Beth[/name], or really any B name to also give you [name]Mae[/name], and [name]Mabs[/name]

[name]Maribel[/name], [name]Mirabel[/name], [name]Mirabelle[/name], [name]Mirabella[/name], [name]Maribella[/name] – are also other options, but I like the way [name]Macy[/name] has the emphasis on “[name]Mae[/name]” whereas these names put the emphasis on Mir/[name]Mar[/name] --and one might argue that [name]Mirabel[/name] and [name]Abel[/name] are still a little close, but the length of the name takes away from the rhyming I think.

Good luck with your upcoming delivery.

18

Instead of letting the name [name]Mabel[/name] blow off into the wind - lost forever – I second [name]Lemon[/name]'s advice that you use it as a middle name. That way, [name]Mabel[/name] will be safe and secure as a permanent part of her name. It seems like there would be less chance of regret or a sense of loss by using it in that way. You can then legitimately call her [name]Mabel[/name] at any time – even if it is just casual moments around the house. You’ve had M-name suggestions galore already, but I’ll just mention some that I really like…

[name]Marina[/name] [name]Mabel[/name]
[name]Marlena[/name] [name]Mabel[/name]
[name]Magdalena[/name] [name]Mabel[/name]
[name]Miranda[/name] [name]Mabel[/name]
Miette [name]Mabel[/name]

You don’t have to go with our advice, but PLEASE BE SURE TO UPDATE US AND LET US NOW WHAT YOU DECIDE!!

19

[name]Mayre[/name] is a nice name but it sounds so similar to [name]Mary[/name], your daughters name. what about [name]Marnie[/name]?