When Morgana McCabe Allan and her husband, Duncan Allan, welcomed their daughter on December 8, 2018, they quickly realized that the names they had selected no longer suited her. After three days of reflection, they chose the festive name Meribelle, a blend of “merry” and “bell,” that resonated deeply with their passion for the holiday season.
Morgana, a 44-year-old from Dalgetty Bay in Fife, has always celebrated Christmas enthusiastically. In contrast, Duncan had previously been less enthusiastic about the holiday. However, the arrival of their baby girl transformed his perspective. After a challenging birth that left Morgana with significant blood loss, the couple felt they had experienced a “Christmas miracle” when they finally held their healthy daughter.
Initially, the couple had considered the names Philippa and Aurora during Morgana’s pregnancy, but once their daughter arrived, those names felt unsuitable. “We went through a long list of names, and we were tearing our hair out a bit,” Morgana explained. Ultimately, inspiration struck, leading them to Meribelle.
The name holds various meanings for the couple. Morgana noted, “There’s this cute place called Meribelle, but it’s spelt completely differently. There’s a fairy story, a Christmas story that my dad used to tell me at Christmas about a magical fairy.” They found that the name also aligns with their shared love of sailing, as Meribelle means “star of the sea.”
Morgana described the moment they settled on the name as serendipitous. “As soon as we thought of it, it was like, that’s the one. Every other name was off the list.” Upon revealing the name to their family, Morgana’s parents were overjoyed, expressing their delight with tears of happiness.
In contrast, Duncan’s parents did not share the same initial enthusiasm. “They were like, ‘Oh my god, what have you done? You can’t be serious?'” Morgana recalled. Fortunately, their skepticism did not last long, and the family soon embraced the name.
Most people now compliment the couple on the beauty of the name, although some mistakenly refer to Meribelle as Mary. The seven-year-old is quick to correct them, saying, “It’s not Mary, it’s Meribelle.” She also affectionately refers to herself as “Merrie Penguin,” a nickname stemming from the sounds she made as an infant.
Reflecting on her daughter’s name, Morgana emphasized its joyful connotations. “There’s nothing more joyful than your child having a name that literally evokes joy. I think that definitely brings out a joy in her as well.” Meribelle has indeed brought happiness to her family, inspiring Morgana to launch a business just seven months after her birth.
Morgana’s entrepreneurial venture arose from a desire to create a balanced life for her family. “It was only when I got pregnant with Merrie that I realised how important it was for me, especially for women, to be able to create a real income and have quality of life,” she stated. Her husband Duncan was able to leave his traditional job to become more involved in their daughter’s upbringing, a significant shift from his previous role.
“This has been wonderful,” Morgana said about Duncan’s increased presence in Meribelle’s life. “He’s been a major caregiver, instead of just seeing her at bedtime.”
Morgana concluded by reflecting on the profound impact Meribelle has had on their lives. “All of it feels like a bit of a Christmas miracle. I never imagined that a few months later our lives would have changed so much. I really do think that’s got so much to do with the energy that she brought into our lives. She is pure joy.”
