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Baby names

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Original poster

Fern or Penelope (Nell)?

33 replies

Jessesgirl13 · 08/02/2021 16:24

Our little girl is due in a couple of months and we are really struggling to settle on a name for her. Nothing seems to be clicking, but so far we've come up with either:

Fern Alice
or
Penelope 'Nell' Fern

We'd be happy to go with Penny as a nickname but she has a cousin named Poppy and I'm just worried that its a bit too similar. So we'd prob go with Nell. Surname is short and one syllable - think Yates/Jones/Croft etc

Thoughts?

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TinyCake · 08/02/2021 17:27

I'd go for Fearne or Nell

Floralnomad · 08/02/2021 17:24

I’d go for Fenella , nn Nell rather than Penelope .

partyatthepalace · 08/02/2021 17:21

I’d go for Fern I think

I love Nell, but I’m not mad about Penelope - and I’d really fear the nickname Penny which I think is deeply drippy..

finallychangedmyusername · 08/02/2021 16:40

I really like Fern. What about Eleanor or Helena, nicknamed Nell?

I do know a Penelope who goes by Poppy, in case that's a concern for you (matching her cousin).

GhostPenguin · 08/02/2021 16:37

Not helpful but I love them both! Lovely choices!

SE13Mummy · 08/02/2021 16:35

Penelope would be my preference. I like names that offer multiple shorter names e.g. Penny, Pen, Nell, Elle amongst others. I know a teenaged Penelope who goes by Pip and can see that cousins named Poppy and Pippi who are in the same class at school/who will be brought up together, might feel a bit OTT, Poppy and Penny feels fine to me. Mind you, I've taught identical twins whose names were along the lines of Joanne and Joanna so Poppy and Penny feel quite distinct!

Quercus3 · 08/02/2021 16:33

I love both of these names, both on our list!

I think if I had to pick between the two I would pick Fern. Penelope really seems to be growing in popularity lately which would give Fern the edge for me. Love the nickname Nell though!

IncludeWomenInTheSequel · 08/02/2021 16:25

I think Nell is my favourite, but just Nell. I think Penelope is way overrated on here. Fern is nice too but Nell is lovely.

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