Okay, I know it’s definitely a stretch, and I’m usually not one for non-traditional nicknames, but what do you think of [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] as a nickname for [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isobel[/name_f]? ([name_f]Isobel[/name_f] would probably make more sense.) Is it just too weird, or do you think it could work? It’s not that different from [name_f]Izzie[/name_f]…
I think it’s a huge reach. But then, I don’t get a lot of the [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] nicknames either.
It feels contrived.
I think (though I’m about to cringe at this), in order for this to work you’d need to use Izobelle/Izobel. Otherwise, it won’t likely catch on. That being said, I suppose it’s not too much different from [name_f]Lily[/name_f] for [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] for [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], [name_f]Plum[/name_f] for [name_f]Victoria[/name_f], etc. You could always give it a try, and if it doesn’t catch on, there are plenty of other nicknames.
Another idea would be to uses [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] as a name. That way, even if it doesn’t catch on, she’d simply be using her middle name as her first.
They seem like 2 totally different names maybe [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] and then you’ll have a reason to call her zoe since its her middle name. Some other nicknames for [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] could be [name_f]Ibby[/name_f] or [name_u]Isa[/name_u].
I do think [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] nn [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] is a huge stretch, but I’ve tried to get away with worse ([name_f]Johanna[/name_f] nn [name_f]Posy[/name_f]? It still makes sense to me, but no one else!). I think you could get away with it, but I think a lot of people would scratch their heads when they hear it. I think it matters more that it makes sense to you, as opposed to others. Because if it doesn’t make sense to you, you’re not going to be able to enforce it, much as you like it. You just won’t have the guts to go through with it. That’s been my experience, at least!
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch, actually. If your pronounce it with a strong Z sound, and if you’re pronouncing it [name_m]Zo[/name_m] rather than [name_m]Zo[/name_m]-ee.
That was on my list. Izobel, nn [name_f]Zoe[/name_f]. I love it and think it works.
I feel like it works for [name_f]Isobel[/name_f], [name_f]Izabel[/name_f] or Izobel, but not [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] or [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]. There have to be some letters in common.
I don’t think it works at all.
Exactly this . Its a spunky and unusual nn for [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] . I like it .
I agree with [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] and do think it’s only your choice how to nickname your children. [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] for [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]/Izobel works and who cares whether it’s a stretch or not.
It’s a stretch but I think it’s a workable stretch. It makes much more sense with [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] than it does [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] though.
I think it definitely works, although I say [name_f]Isobel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isabel[/name_f] like IZZ-uh-bell so it has the ‘z’ sound in it, not an ‘s’ sound. To me, it’s no different from [name_f]Bianca[/name_f] (for example) being nicknamed [name_f]Annie[/name_f]. It’s just taking a sound in the name (‘ZOH’ or ‘AN’) and adding an ‘ee’ sound. If it happens to be another name, your daughter gets two for the price of one! Good luck.
I agree with this completely. I’d encourage the [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] spelling if you want to use [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] as the nickname, it just feels a bit less contrived that way.
Or you could name her [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] if you intend to call her that. They’re totally different, I don’t think it works at all… and please don’t spell it Izobel to make sense of it. I’m sorry but that spelling is horrendous.
Ditto.
My hairdresser is [name_f]Sara[/name_f] but goes by [name_f]Zoe[/name_f]. She chose her nickname and I’m not sure how it came about.
Thanks, everyone.
My husband is not a big fan of [name_f]Zoe[/name_f], but it’s my absolute favorite name, so I thought using it as a nickname for [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]/[name_f]Isobel[/name_f], which we both love, would be a good compromise. Honestly, I don’t really care if it “catches on” with other people. If she’s anything like me, she’ll prefer using her formal name in public, anyway, with nicknames reserved for family and close friends. (And I don’t mind [name_f]Izzie[/name_f] or [name_f]Belle[/name_f] either, if she decides she likes one of those better.) I was just wondering if it made sense to other people, but like [name_u]Ash[/name_u] said, it’s probably more important that it makes sense to me, and it does, especially since I tend to pronounce [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] with a more prominent “O” sound than [name_f]Isabel[/name_f]. More I-zoh-bel than I-za-bel.
I think [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] ([name_f]Zoe[/name_f]) [name_f]Theophania[/name_f] just shot to the top of the list!
I completely agree - nicknames (especially those not “intuitive” to the name) should make sense to family and close friends, and I think it’s wonderful how your daughter would get not one but two carefully thought out names which you love. [name_f]Isobel[/name_f] [name_f]Theophania[/name_f] is simply beautiful - [name_f]Isobel[/name_f], spelt so, is my favourite form of all the Isabellas etc. and [name_f]Theophania[/name_f] is exquisite. Sorry if I seem overly eager, but I just had to get my love out in the open… Good luck!
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f] [name_f]Theophania[/name_f], nn [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] is like heaven. I absolutely love [name_f]Theophania[/name_f], but my husband would never, never agree to it! He does like [name_f]Zoe[/name_f] though 