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Baby names

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Original poster

How would you spell Fern/Ferne/Fearne??

41 replies

Justnapping · 19/02/2016 12:40

I'm 23 weeks pregnant and this is my girl's name but I need some help! How would you spell it? I'd prefer to go for the most "common" form of spelling but I don't know which that would be as I haven't met anyone in real life with this name... Thanks

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partyatthepalace · 25/01/2021 23:24

Fern, as for a fern.

The charm is in the simplicity.

Sheleg · 25/01/2021 19:35

Fern or Ferne. Fearne is "feern".

Phoebe02 · 25/01/2021 17:13

This is brilliant thank you everyone. You are helping me with my research of my maiden name. 👍🏻

Quercus3 · 25/01/2021 14:59

Fern

bourbonne · 25/01/2021 13:20

Oops, missed that this was a zombie thread and that several posters have provided information on the possible origins of Fearne!

bourbonne · 25/01/2021 13:15

Fern. I wonder where the Fearne spelling originally came from... It's quite a departure from the frondy plant. And very much owned by Fearne Cotton.

YoniAndGuy · 25/01/2021 13:14

Fern. Lovely and simple.

florascotia2 · 25/01/2021 13:05

This may or may not have anything to do with previous poster's choice of name, but Fearne or Fearn is an old-fashioned spelling for the parish of Fern, near Brechin in Scotland.
dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/lineis
www.ancestor.abel.co.uk/Angus/Fearn.html

There is also a parish of Fearn, further north, in Ross-shire

Fern (the plant) was spelled in a great many different ways in the past
in Scotland:
dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/fern

The spellings in the above link indicate a range of differnt pronounciations. perhaps 'fairrn' was the most typical.

Yennefer19 · 25/01/2021 11:47

I prefer the Fearne spelling, but I like longer names personally.

KirstenBlest · 25/01/2021 10:44

Fern

ParisJeTAime · 24/01/2021 23:08

Fern!

I love it.

Summerdayshaze · 24/01/2021 23:05

Fearne

DotDotDotDotDot · 24/01/2021 22:08

Definitely Fern, like the little girl from “Charlottes Web”, so lovely.

Phoebe02 · 24/01/2021 20:54

Just seen this whilst researching my name. My maiden name is Fearne which goes back centuries and originally from Scotland. I gave my daughter Fearne as her first name to carry on the family name as I’m married and my sisters are too. The family named would’ve stopped otherwise. She gets loads of lovely comments about her name [smile.

elor11 · 21/02/2016 16:10

Fern. Ferne looks strange to me.

AmysTiara · 21/02/2016 15:27

Fern. Lovely name.

Jw35 · 21/02/2016 15:20

Fern

Kate3003 · 21/02/2016 14:49

I have got a fearne and she constantly has to spell out her name.... I wish I had gone with Fern but I felt the Fearne spelling was somehow more substantial!

Chapsie · 21/02/2016 09:51

Even with a simple name like that your child will still have to explain how to spell it as they grow up.

Original poster
Justnapping · 21/02/2016 09:41

Seems like there is no obvious answer! I'm going back and forth between Fern and Ferne at the moment...!

OP posts:
ddeemummy · 20/02/2016 20:27

Fern - nice and simple Smile

PennyHasNoSurname · 20/02/2016 20:15

Fearne but I do love Ms Cotton!

Monica101 · 20/02/2016 20:14

Ferne or Fern, I would instinctively spell it Ferne now because of Cotton but Fern is probably the most classic choice, unfussy is usually the most timeless.

maggiethemagpie · 20/02/2016 20:05

Lovely name. Fern.

kaymondo · 20/02/2016 14:01

This is interesting - I would have immediately said Fearne, the other spellings don't look 'finished' to me. But then I don't know any in real life so am probably swayed by Fearne Cotton being the one I'm most familiar with.