Amabilis is a Late Latin unisex name derived from the Latin word for “lovable.” It was used throughout Medieval Western Europe on both males and females, and was borne by a St. Amabilis of Riom (a 5th-century male French saint known in his native language as Amable) and St. Amabilis of Rouen, a 7th-century female French saint.
Amable, Amabel, Mabel have been used exclusively on females in England since Medieval times and was introduced by the Anglo-Normans in the 11th-century. They have gone in and out of popularity since the 11th-century, especially Mabel.
Between 1880-1922, Mabel was among the top 100 most popular female names, peaking at #15 in 1891 and is currently the 435th most popular female name (2018).
In England & Wales, Mabel is currently the 104th most popular female name (2018).
in Ireland, it was often used as an anglicized form of Maeve and it is often speculated that Annabel is an offshoot.
Mabel is the name of a character in C.M. Yonge’s 1854 novel, The Heir of Radclyffe.
Mabel is also used in Dutch, Czech & Slovak, Galician, German & Spanish.
It was borne by several early Anglo-Norman countesses and other notable bearers include: 13th-century English embroiderer, Mable of Bury St. Edmund; Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau (b. 1968); and British pop-singer Mabel (b. 1996).
Other forms include:
- Amabel, Amabil, Amiable (Anglo-Norman, English)
- Mabinka, Mejbl (Czech, Slovak)
- Mabella, Mabelle, Mable, Maybelline (English)
- Amabilie, Mabile, Mabilie (French, archaic)
- Mábel (Hungarian)
- Amabilia (Italian, Late Latin, Swedish)
- Mabilia (Italian, Late Latin, English)
Amable & Aimable are male names in France, while Amabile is an Italian unisex form. Caradec or Karadeg are Breton masculine forms that is directly translated from the Latin.
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