I was newcome thru Ubuntu 16.04 LTS then LMDE Cinnamon, both of them are focused on the desktops and newcomers, esp the most newbies need the firmware blobs and I was to accept that fate, an Unix-like newbie MUST accept the blobs fate which you mostly did NOT have clear ideas to what are copyleft and free software when EVERY of you were newcome to Unix-like systems.
By isolating the blobs fate, Tumbleweed, AntergOS, ArchBang, Chakra, Manjaro are also nice to the newbies, a pro is they are rolling (Tumbleweed is SuSE and others are Arch derivatives) which you will not need to worry too much over the short lifetime, like LTS though opposed to rolling.:)

I think Ubuntu is a good newcomer distro. However I think also that it is perfectly usable on the advanced end as well. Many would disagree, I rather like having a bunch of things preset for me instead of having to configure every little detail myself. In the end you usually end up with the same settings, just a different name on the distro. Ubuntu is great at all levels.

Like Ubuntu, Devuan and LMDE are also deb-based and focused to the desktops and newbies market, knowing to use Ubuntu should also know to use Devuan and LMDE, but a pure novice should first of all try Ubuntu. Both the three are LTS releases which you are not urge to upgrade.:)