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I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
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bowleserised
10/25/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
Isabel is also the German (and olde English) term for palomino, after Queen Isabella of Spain, who had a fancy for them. #isabel
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Snowbunny
10/24/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
Izzy Stevens is from a trailer park, worked as an underwear model, and has a daughter (which they haven't addressed since season 2 or something, you would think when she was dying of cancer she might think about her). You could say that she has been many places I haven't. (That sounds judgey but I mean it in a way that I'm impressed at her strength, I am-and I'm admitting admiration for a fictional character...) She is also awesome and her short hair looks totally cute.

I'm hoping they fire wanna-be Michael C. Hall (who, like real Michael C. Hall, is hot) and bring her back.

I teach at a theatre camp every summer and there are so many Isobels/Izzies/Isabellas/Bellas that it makes your head spin. Although, it ends up being very nice when you don't know somebody's name, but since 20% of your kids are named a form of "Isabe-" you have a pretty solid guess. #isabel
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Snowbunny
10/24/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
Isabella's wouldn't double post, they know how to work the internet better.
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Edited by Snowbunny at 10/24/09 1:14 AM Snowbunny was starred Snowbunny was unstarred

VirginiaDentata
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
Well, hell. I knew this would happen. Been dreading when you got to "I," but...sounds kinda spot-on, I'll begrudgingly admit.

Growing up, I used to hate being Isabelle (a family name on both the French and American sides, hence the spellings) because no one could ever say my name right here, and pencils and license tags were never in my name (in France, no problem, it's very common, but in Alabama? Not so much) but I learned to appreciate never having to be described or having to use a last initial.

Now, everyone and their fucking dog is naming their godamned kid MY name. It will be common, and boring, and I'm still not really talking to an acquaintance who took not only my first name, complete with French spelling, but my rather distinct middle name as well. It's creepy, dammit!
Also, why are there trends in names? I've never understood it.
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Edited by VirginiaDentata at 10/23/09 9:33 PM VirginiaDentata was starred VirginiaDentata was unstarred

jenrobe
10/24/09

@VirginiaDentata: My mum's called Isabelle and no-one's every seemed to have any problems pronouncing her name, so how were people saying yours?

Actually, technically my mum's an IsObel because the friend of her mother's who registered her birth got the spelling wrong, which mum then chose to ignore. So it says Isobel on some things and Isabelle on others and sometimes I worry about that causing some problems in the future...

But I'm going to call my kid Isabelle and this time I'm going to make sure they get the spelling right. #isabel
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HalloweenJacqueline
10/24/09

@jenrobe: Isobel is another accepted variation. I had a friend named Isobel in high school (everyone spelled it wrong), one of my aunts in France is named Isabelle, and the school I taught in two years ago in CA was FULL of Isabellas, with an Isabel here and there. I think it's a beautiful name and I like how open it is to nicknames (my aunt's is Isu--pronounced Eezou in French). #isabel
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jenrobe
10/24/09

@HalloweenJacqueline: Oh, I know it's an accepted variation, but that's what I find so funny: My mother definitely isn't an IsOBel, she's an IsAbelle. I wonder if we could come up with a theory of spelling variations? #isabel
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VirginiaDentata
10/25/09

@jenrobe: It is really bizarre to me, but people very often pronounce it "Elisabelle," like a mashup of Elisabeth and Isabelle. I have no idea why, but it is very common and completely mystifying. Then there are those who insist it's pronounced IsabellA, although there is no A at the end and I tell them so. And still others who just do a weird soft "s" so it sounds like a hiss--Isssabelle. Makes me sound sorts Slytherin, heh.

Am I the only one who gets Elisabelle? I don't understand it, but it's been over 30 years now. #isabel
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jenrobe
10/26/09

@VirginiaDentata: How strange. I will try it out on mum next weekend. She said she got "Izzy" a lot as a kid and loathed it. #isabel
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VirginiaDentata
10/27/09

@jenrobe: Cool, let me know what she says! #isabel
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boricuaintexas
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
I named my 4 year-old daughter Isabel, in honor or my late and beloved grandmother, a wonderful human being. It's a beautiful name and it bothers me that the name is so trendy now, but I always remind my Isa that she's named after her great grandma. #isabel
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Snowbunny
10/24/09

@boricuaintexas: I was named after my great and great-great grandmother, which I always thought was cool. I didn't ever get to meet them, but hey, it's a legacy. #isabel
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scarletbegonia
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
I know two Isabelles: One is the adult daughter of the French teacher from my old HS, and she is kind of awkward, but has unlocked "Isabellness." The other is my boss's ten y.o. daughter, who is artsy and precocious. #isabel
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VirginiaDentata
10/23/09

@scarletbegonia: Oh dear. Are you from Alabama? Cause you may be talking about my mom and me... #isabel
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portia_sue
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
I love the name Isabella. It was my great-grandmother's name, and I always wanted to name my daughter after her. The fact that it is so popular right now saddens me.

Oh! And said great-grandmother was an opera singer who sang with Caruso, so she definitely lived up to the name's potential. #isabel
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Understater
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It

My favorite Isabelle: #isabel
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Ailatan
10/23/09

@Understater: My favourite Isabella #isabel
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EarlyGrey
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
My favorite incarnation is Isobel. It's got the sophistication without the girly girl prettiness. #isabel
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Ipomoea
10/23/09

@EarlyGrey: My favorite Isobel: #isabel
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Crackers In Bed
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
the only Isabel i currently know is german, and she definitely fits the profile: tough, no-nonsense and stern but unwaveringly feminine.

though in high school i knew a guy whose last name was Isabel, but in order to make is more masculine sounding, he insisted it be pronounced Iz-buhl.
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Edited by Crackers In Bed at 10/23/09 3:52 PM Crackers In Bed was starred Crackers In Bed was unstarred

Crackers In Bed
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
i really really really hope you do my name when you get to M! alas, i'm sure you'll pick something more popular like Melissa or Margaret :( #isabel
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textile_queen
10/23/09

@Crackers In Bed: my name's letter is next! is it weird that i'm nervous? #isabel
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tinydundie42
10/24/09

@textile_queen: My name's letter is next, too! I want it to be chosen, but I know it won't be because it is very uncommon. I think I've only met two other people with my name in my entire life. I think the most famous person with my name was a contestant on Big Brother... ugh.

It will probably be Joan. I'll guess I'll be ok with that, since it's my mom's name and Joan on Mad Men is awesome. #isabel
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curiousgeorgiana
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
God, Jezebel, please don't ever do my name. I'm not ready for the truth. #isabel
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That_little_attention_whore
10/26/09

@curiousgeorgiana: one advantage of having an obscure, somewhat old-timey name: you don't get typecast! #isabel
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Etoiles
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
When I was little (early and mid 1980s), I was absolutely convinced that when I grew up I was going to name my daughters Isabelle, Adrienne, and / or Sophia.

Apparently lots of other little girls of the late 1970s and early 1980s thought the same thing. I wonder how that happens... #isabel
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linnyt is a walking cliché
10/23/09

@Etoiles: There was probably something popular on TV with those names. My mom says that's how so many girls my age were named Lindsay- Lindsay Wagner was on TV. (I was named Lindsey after my mom's friend though.) #isabel
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amoureuse is a second class citizen
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
I think that Isabella Marie Swan ruined the name for generations to come. #isabel
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lyra31
10/23/09

@amoureuse is a second class citizen: Yeah, I'm pretty sure Isabella skyrocketing to #2 has everything to do with one Mrs. Stephenie Meyer. Irritated non-yuppie parents should take the issue up with her. #isabel
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NatalyaI927
10/23/09

@lyra31: Actually, I feel like Isabella was already skyrocketing before Twilight really took off. And in her essay about her process of writing the first book, Mrs. Meyer says that Isabella was the name she'd chosen for her daughter. Which is sweet, actually.

But it does make me laugh, in a tangential kind of way, when Mrs. Meyer commented much later (and I'm paraphrasing) that she created the name Renesmee because such a special child 'couldn't be called Ashley or Jennifer.'

And I feel like Jennifer is to the 1980s what Isabella is to the 2000s.
(Not to say I don't love it myself). #isabel
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jenrobe
10/24/09

@NatalyaI927: I'm a Jennifer who's the daughter of an Isabelle. We're obviously a trend-based family, although my mother swears she didn't realise how popular my name was in 1981 (something like #2 I believe). #isabel
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lilbobbytables
10/23/09

In reply to I Is For Isabel, Who's Snooty, But Earns It
I have never met an Isabel, and it was on the short list of future childtables names, but perhaps I shall strike it. After all, if future childtables is anything like me, regalness is not an option. #isabel
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