[Opinions] Susannah or Annabel
Replies
Susannah
I love Annabel (I prefer Annabelle, but any spelling will do). It might sound dated in the future, but Susannah sounds dated now.
Really? Susannah seems dated? This never occurred to me. I assumed Suzanne seems dated because it was somewhat popular, but Susannah, to me, seems like a classic that has never really been subject to trends. But it's good to know that it strikes some people as dated!
Annabel has been around for centuries! Not as many centuries as Susannah, OK, but it has classic status.
Susannah has more nn possibilities, if that matters. If this matters, Susannah is also less likely to be used in full than Annabel. I'm as conflicted as you: I also prefer Annabel, or I think I do, but Susannah is a family name, though not on my side of the family. Does it matter? Should it?
I think I'm coming down on the Annabel side. And feeling slightly naughty: what say you to Annabel Suzette?
Susannah has more nn possibilities, if that matters. If this matters, Susannah is also less likely to be used in full than Annabel. I'm as conflicted as you: I also prefer Annabel, or I think I do, but Susannah is a family name, though not on my side of the family. Does it matter? Should it?
I think I'm coming down on the Annabel side. And feeling slightly naughty: what say you to Annabel Suzette?
I love both, but Susannah sounds more lively to me.
I used to dislike Annabel, but it's starting to grow on me. (Only this spelling, though. Annabelle is too frilly.)
However, I have never been able to warm up to any of the Sus- names. I don't like the Suze sound. I'm not big on Shoshannah much, either. Inglorious Basterds' Shosanna is marginally better, though that's the only time I've ever heard the name.
However, I have never been able to warm up to any of the Sus- names. I don't like the Suze sound. I'm not big on Shoshannah much, either. Inglorious Basterds' Shosanna is marginally better, though that's the only time I've ever heard the name.
This message was edited 3/4/2020, 5:01 PM
Yes, I have this sneak peek kit that I can use on Saturday and then I'll find out the sex 72 hours later, apparently? It's 99.1% accurate at 8 weeks.
I guess I think of Susannah as outside of trends because it's never been popular.
I guess I think of Susannah as outside of trends because it's never been popular.
Wow at 8 weeks! That's exciting. I think I'd have names of both sexes ready though just in case, as even ultrasounds can get it wrong.
Annabel.
It may be dated, but no more so than Susannah, which is sweet, but like, I only know two. One is a very older lady, and the other is a little girl, and her name just is WEIRD for her, because... I don’t know, it doesn’t fit her at all imo.
But Annabel is sweet and spunky, and she can go by Anna, Belle, Bella, Bee, etc.
I’m a nickname person and all my kids have nicknames that we call them quite often, and they actual my don’t have anything to do with their actual names, so, there’s that.
It may be dated, but no more so than Susannah, which is sweet, but like, I only know two. One is a very older lady, and the other is a little girl, and her name just is WEIRD for her, because... I don’t know, it doesn’t fit her at all imo.
But Annabel is sweet and spunky, and she can go by Anna, Belle, Bella, Bee, etc.
I’m a nickname person and all my kids have nicknames that we call them quite often, and they actual my don’t have anything to do with their actual names, so, there’s that.
Well, Susannah is kinda dated now; it's not been anything like popular for forever. I don't believe I've ever met one. At least not that I know of.
Annabel is currently kinda popular. I have known of two of them who'd be maybe eight or ten now, and I knew an Annabelle growing up who was a good friend of my grandmother, so it seems both trendy and old-ladyish.
I would go for Susannah. Annabel (that spelling) doesn't look quite right, and in any case makes me think of a big, fancy, overdressed baby doll that's too expensive to play with, or like a kooky, flaky book character.
Annabel is currently kinda popular. I have known of two of them who'd be maybe eight or ten now, and I knew an Annabelle growing up who was a good friend of my grandmother, so it seems both trendy and old-ladyish.
I would go for Susannah. Annabel (that spelling) doesn't look quite right, and in any case makes me think of a big, fancy, overdressed baby doll that's too expensive to play with, or like a kooky, flaky book character.
I love Oliver.
I met two young brothers today named Oliver and Finn, and the mom kept calling Oliver “Ollie”... which isn’t my cup of tea, but she was either Australian or British, (i didn’t speak with her enough to hear more than a few words, and felt it was rude to ask) and Ollie said in her accent was delightfully adorable.
I met two young brothers today named Oliver and Finn, and the mom kept calling Oliver “Ollie”... which isn’t my cup of tea, but she was either Australian or British, (i didn’t speak with her enough to hear more than a few words, and felt it was rude to ask) and Ollie said in her accent was delightfully adorable.
Bear in mind "Annabel Lee" is the name of a famous and very creepy poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The guy in the poem was in love with a girl named Annabel Lee, and she died. Now the guy is obsessed with her, sleeps in her grave, and defiantly claims that HE loves Annabel so much better than other people love, and he's certain the angels envied him for it!!! Really disturbed guy Poe wrote. But then, Annabel Lee never did anything wrong but love some guy who went bonkers when she died, so it's not like naming a girl Maleficent or something.
Susannah. The main association with that name is the nonsense song "Oh Susannah." "O Susannah, O don't you cry for me. I am bound to Alabama with a banjo on my knee." Not a negative song. Fun, rustic associations.
I like Annabel and Susannah in and of themselves. I wouldn't name a kid Annabel, but both my parents were English professors, so "Annabel Lee" looms larger in my mind than in most people's.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44885/annabel-lee
Susannah. The main association with that name is the nonsense song "Oh Susannah." "O Susannah, O don't you cry for me. I am bound to Alabama with a banjo on my knee." Not a negative song. Fun, rustic associations.
I like Annabel and Susannah in and of themselves. I wouldn't name a kid Annabel, but both my parents were English professors, so "Annabel Lee" looms larger in my mind than in most people's.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44885/annabel-lee
Yep, Theodora was going to 99% be named Daphne until she was born. My family was a bit stunned because they'd gotten used to it (even though I told them we told them it could change).
Hermione was 50/50 between Hermione and Winifred up until the last month where she was almost definitely Hermione.
I wouldn't have a name 100% locked in or announced before the birth.
Hermione was 50/50 between Hermione and Winifred up until the last month where she was almost definitely Hermione.
I wouldn't have a name 100% locked in or announced before the birth.
This is true too. 1 of my kids had their name chosen before birth and was concrete.
The other 4 we waited until they were born to decide for sure and it was pretty neat. A little unnerving to not have a name picked, especially when everyone kept asking, but I really enjoyed deciding after I saw my baby as well.
The other 4 we waited until they were born to decide for sure and it was pretty neat. A little unnerving to not have a name picked, especially when everyone kept asking, but I really enjoyed deciding after I saw my baby as well.
I honestly can't imagine not using some form of Anna for a girl no matter what she looks like or seems like. I've been obsessed with Anna since I was a tiny little girl. But who knows? I've never had a baby before so I have no idea how it feels to meet a brand new person and be responsible for its name.
My son was always going to be Peter, and was. Thus reassured and confident, I decided on Lucy for a daughter. Didn't tell anyone - decided I'd pass it off as a delivery-room inspiration. Which was just as well: somehow, I don't know how, she didn't look anything like a Lucy. So I went through my (reputable!) name book, trying out each name that I liked until I reached Caroline, which seemed to fit her perfectly. So, Caroline it was. Never did get my Lucy daughter, and it might have been a bit too Narnia with Peter, but I was willing to take the chance. Then my second daughter had to have one of her sister's names, Caroline having died, and her first mn was Beatrice after my mother. Who hadn't liked her name, and always went by Bea. So, DH and DS insisted on Beatrice, and I was OK with it because I'd never heard anyone call my mother by it so there were no associations. Naming can be weird.
It's hard for me to imagine Anna being dated, which mitigates the likely eventual datedness of the *bel part, so that wouldn't be a dealbreaker to me.
I kind of like Susannah, but the problem is, I dislike it with any nickname.
And I do like Annabel. It's ordinary looking but spunky and delicate, and the meaning's sweet.
It's a toss up if Susannah is just Susannah, but if not, then I prefer Annabel.
I kind of like Susannah, but the problem is, I dislike it with any nickname.
And I do like Annabel. It's ordinary looking but spunky and delicate, and the meaning's sweet.
It's a toss up if Susannah is just Susannah, but if not, then I prefer Annabel.