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Baby names

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

Original poster

Penelope

32 replies

mauvish · 30/01/2023 19:43

I keep seeing this come up in lists of suggested names.

Has anyone actually chosen it for their DD? If so, do you call them Penelope or Penny?

I know that the name has been around forever. I've come across it (very infrequently) in baptisms etc in church registers from the 1700s. It seems it was at its most popular in the very early 1960s when it peaked at something like the 54th most popular girl's name in E+W. But Penelope is quite a mouthful and no-one knows how to pronounce it!

So - thoughts?

(DOI. Guess!)

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Twoinapod · 30/01/2023 20:25

I love it, I don’t think it’s a mouthful, I do love penny as a nn though. I know Nell is also used quite a bit.

I’ve never known anyone not know how to pronounce it. It’s a very well known name.

Original poster
mauvish · 30/01/2023 19:59

CaptainMyCaptain · 30/01/2023 19:50

It's easy to pronounce Pen-ell-o-pee. It us a name from the late 50s or 60s (the same age as me) but is a nice name and due for a revival.

It's a good deal older than that, it dates back at least to the 7th or 8th century BC with the Greek myths!

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Original poster
mauvish · 30/01/2023 19:58

CaptainMyCaptain · 30/01/2023 19:50

It's easy to pronounce Pen-ell-o-pee. It us a name from the late 50s or 60s (the same age as me) but is a nice name and due for a revival.

Well I agree, it's not difficult to say. But I hear "Penny-Loap" on a regular basis, and it really makes me cringe!

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addler · 30/01/2023 19:50

I have a Penelope, she's Nell. No one calls her Penelope actually.

CaptainMyCaptain · 30/01/2023 19:50

It's easy to pronounce Pen-ell-o-pee. It us a name from the late 50s or 60s (the same age as me) but is a nice name and due for a revival.

WeBuiltThePyramids · 30/01/2023 19:47

DD2 was very nearly Penelope. We didn’t use it in the end but it made it to the last two and I still love it. Wouldn’t have ever classed it as difficult to pronounce, surely it’s pretty well known?

Enko · 30/01/2023 19:46

I've known 2. One was Penny the other Penelope

I've heard of one called lope. (Friend of kids) due to her younger brother not being able to say Penelope.. but never met her.

I like it as a name I don't think it's hard to say.