The manuscripts consistently support Shiblon as the name for Alma’s second son, not Shiblom. Twice Oliver initially wrote the name as Shiblom, once in 𝓞 (here in Alma 38:5) and another time in 𝓟 (in Alma 49:30). Both times he immediately caught his error and erased the final stroke of the m to give an n. All the extant occurrences in the manuscripts of the name for Alma’s son consistently support the spelling Shiblon:
| 𝓞 | 𝓟 | |
| Alma 31:7 | —— | Shiblon |
| Alma 38 preface | Shib(l ) | Shiblon |
| Alma 38:5 | Shiblon >% Shiblon | Shiblom |
| Alma 49:30 | Shiblon | Shiblom >% Shiblon |
| Alma 63:1 | ( i)blon | Shiblon |
| Alma 63:10 | Shiblon | Shiblon |
| Alma 63:11 | Shiblon | Shiblon |
| Alma 63:13 | Shiblon | Shiblon |
| Alma 63:17 | —— | Shiblon |
The tendency to produce the labial m at the end of the name may be the result of assimilation to the preceding labial b in Shiblon. I myself find the pronunciation of the assimilated Shiblom easier to say. This error tendency may help in determining whether the name Shiblon /Shiblom, the name of a different person in the book of Ether, should end in an m or an n. For discussion, see under Ether 1:11–12.
Summary: Maintain the name Shiblon as the name for Alma’s son, not Shiblom, the misspelling that Oliver Cowdery initially wrote twice in the manuscripts (in 𝓞 for Alma 38:5 and in 𝓟 for Alma 49:30).