Mable

Mable is a spelling of Mabel, a name descended from the medieval Amabel and ultimately Latin amabilis, meaning lovable. The meaning belongs to the whole historical name rather than to an invented combination of May and another ending. Its relatives show how an older, longer form could be shortened and then preserved in different spellings.

Mable's final le sets it apart from Mabel on the page while usually leaving the familiar English sound unchanged. Older family records may use either form, so an inherited spelling can be an important part of the choice. The name's history reaches back well before its association with nineteenth- and twentieth-century naming styles, giving this compact form a substantial medieval and Latin background.