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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Calling all Penelopes

33 replies

Blueberrywitch · 17/12/2022 01:43

If your name or your DDs name is Penelope, what are you called day to day? Are you all Penny or Nel? I really love the name Penelope but not totally sold on the nicknames. Does anyone remain a Penelope?

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winonarose · 23/12/2022 22:01

I like Penelope and love the nicknames Pen and Nellie

Original poster
Blueberrywitch · 19/12/2022 02:24

Thanks for all your responses! Very interesting to hear that some remain Penelope but I do see your point @toastofthetown ! I really like the idea of Poppy as a nn, maybe I can really “make Poppy happen” before Penny takes hold. The shorter Pen is also nice. Nothing against Penny at all to all the Pennys out there, it’s just such a different sound to the full Penelope - I think I like it for the “nelopy” part of the sound, which is maybe why Poppy appeals more.

I myself have a 3 syllable name and a nn has never taken on so it can be done!

OP posts:
CharitySchmarity · 17/12/2022 17:57

I knew a couple of Penelopes at school, both younger than me but both must be pushing 50 now. One was always called Penny (and seemed to like it), the other was mostly called Penelope, and hated Penny (and was quite outspoken about it if anyone did call her that). There was also one "just" Penny, and inevitably people occasionally called her Penelope! I've never met a Nell short for Penelope (in fact I've never met a Nell short for anything!) and I've never met a Penelope very much younger than me. I do quite like it though, and I firmly believe that you can nip any short form in the bud if you are firm and consistent about it, but I also believe you should allow your child to overrule you on that if they later decide for themself that they want to use a short form.

spottygymbag · 17/12/2022 11:41

DD is Penny and has another Penny in her class so at school they both go by "Penny last Initial".
Sometimes she prefers Penelope but usually only for formal occasions.

CPHB2021 · 17/12/2022 10:38

DD is Penelope. Known by friends and family and Nellie.

wfrances · 17/12/2022 10:35

I love the name Penelope
I'd use Pen for short

Sewfrickinamazeballs · 17/12/2022 10:21

We have a Penelope. She is Penny or Pen (or pickle) most of the time, Penelope is only said loudly to get her attention Wink Her older sister calls her 'pen-ee-lope' said phonetically. It's stuck.

HowVeryLikeSibella · 17/12/2022 10:15

Nice enough name but based on my mother's experience it doesn't travel well. Only the Brits, the Americans, the Spanish (because Penelope Cruz is so famous) and of course the Greeks can pronounce it. Everybody else, including loads of people living in the UK who grew up elsewhere, massacre it.

See also: Hermione, Persephone.

toastofthetown · 17/12/2022 10:11

Penny is a very obvious diminutive for Penelope and if that’s a dealbreaker for you, I wouldn’t use the name. I know more than one Rebecca who uses it as her full name, but I also knew a Becky at school whose mum would hang up on friends asking for Becky as ‘no one called Becky lives here, it’s Rebeca’. The fact the other Rebecas didn’t use a nickname didn’t mean this one didn’t want to. It’s not your name, it’s your child’s and your child should be free to use the name as she pleases, which may include the nickname Penny.

GiltEdges · 17/12/2022 10:08

I only know one Penelope and she’s always been Pen to friends

Notellinganyone · 17/12/2022 10:05

Spliffle · 17/12/2022 03:38

The only Penelope's I know are called 'Bobby' from the Greek.

I’m Greek and this makes no sense. It’s pronounced Pin- ell- O- pee in Greek with emphasis on the o rather than the first e. Not quite sure how you get Bobby from that!

MolkosTeenageAngst · 17/12/2022 10:04

The two Penelope’s I know are both Penny. One in her 70s and the other aged 5.

FayCarew · 17/12/2022 10:03

Or use a nickname like Tuppence.

FayCarew · 17/12/2022 10:02

I know several, all are known as Penny.
You could shorten Penelope to Poppy

RunDownRita · 17/12/2022 10:01

I know a few- Pen, Penny and Penelope.

Nell is my favourite abbreviation.

ChuggingtonMum · 17/12/2022 10:00

Spliffle · 17/12/2022 03:38

It strikes me as very old fashioned.

There are three in DS's nursery class so quite on trend atm!

They are Penny, Nell and Nellie iirc.

ChildrenOfTheQuorn · 17/12/2022 09:54

I know a 2 year old who is a Penny.

Seadragonusgiganticusmaximus · 17/12/2022 04:26

I’m married to a Penelope. She’s always been Penny.

ohyouknowwhatshername · 17/12/2022 04:26

I know a 4 year old called Penelope and she's always called that. I think it's because I've never heard her mum call her Penny, so I stick with calling her Penelope. It's a ovely name.

ReeseWitherfork · 17/12/2022 04:18

7 yo niece is almost always Penny now, shortened to P.

mrssunshinexxx · 17/12/2022 04:13

I have a Penelope she gets called Nelly and Nell

WholeHog · 17/12/2022 03:59

I've met a couple of people called Penny.

Stressybetty · 17/12/2022 03:51

My DM was a Penelope Anne. Friends called her Penny, DF called her Pen

Yoyooo · 17/12/2022 03:39

Pen.

Never Nell etc.

Spliffle · 17/12/2022 03:38

It strikes me as very old fashioned.