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Baby names

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

Original poster

Fenna or Minna?

167 replies

lululu99 · 09/03/2026 13:00

What are your thoughts on these 2 names for a girl please? Any other similar ideas? I like that they are short and simple, but not too common and feel like they would work for all ages.

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FakeTwix · 09/03/2026 19:53

I like the Welsh suggestion of Menna and it made me think of the Cornish Morwenna (nn Wenna) too.

What were the books with Minna in?

Fenna has a strong link to KR at the moment but that won't last.

I prefer all the above to Jenna, which i really dislike! We are all different!

Jrisix · 09/03/2026 19:48

I know a baby Fenna who has Dutch ancestry. It's a perfectly nice name. I don't get the hate on this thread at all. AndI am amazed anyone is suggesting Fenella?!

mathanxiety · 09/03/2026 19:47

lululu99 · 09/03/2026 16:06

I said “not too common” was a bonus, not that I’ve gone out of my way to find something as wacky as possible. Both felt pretty tame to me based on the range of names I come across but clearly I’m mistaken!

You're not mistaken at all.

There are a lot of Little England types on the MN Baby Names board.

notmuchtoit · 09/03/2026 19:46

It seems some on MN have never heard of names from outside their Middle England bubble.

Ophir · 09/03/2026 19:46

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mathanxiety · 09/03/2026 19:43

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It appears some posters here have a very small frame of reference.

Just because you have never heard these names doesn't mean they're not 'normal'. There's a big, wide world out there.

mathanxiety · 09/03/2026 19:40

I like them both.

I know one of each too.

I think I'd go with Fenna.

What do you think of Mella?

mathanxiety · 09/03/2026 19:38

MiddleAgedDread · 09/03/2026 13:15

I'm not sure how either are pronounced? Min-na, Mee-na, My-na??

There are two Ns, so Minn-a and Fenn-a.

timoteigirl · 09/03/2026 19:36

Minna is a Germanic name whereas Mirena is originally Slavic. There's also Mirella from Mary. Jenna was suggested here, wasn't it a dishwashing brush brand?

HanJanFan · 09/03/2026 19:33

When I read Minna, my first thought was the coil - I think it's Mirena?

NamingNoNames · 09/03/2026 19:32

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 09/03/2026 19:25

@NamingNoNamesYou don’t get to police other people’s posts love.

Neither do you chuck.

pasteleggs · 09/03/2026 19:29

Moveoverdarlin · 09/03/2026 13:22

Fenna reminds me of the character Jim Fenner from Bad Girls.

Minna I just don’t know how to pronounce - is it Meen-nah or Min-nah.

😂

AllSlippersareBanned · 09/03/2026 19:29

Both are bloody awful.

notmuchtoit · 09/03/2026 19:29

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They are normal European names.

notmuchtoit · 09/03/2026 19:27

I like them both. I think I like Minna the most though.

Sound bloody rude replies on this thread.

timoteigirl · 09/03/2026 19:26

Minna is okay, much better than Fenna IMHO. Minna from Wilhelmina, could also use the Polish Minka - little Mina. Did you consider Hanne, another European name?

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 09/03/2026 19:25

@NamingNoNamesYou don’t get to police other people’s posts love.

YourWinter · 09/03/2026 19:23

They might possibly pass as names for goldfish but they’re really awful for a human.

Channel4IsShit · 09/03/2026 19:20

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Calliopespa · 09/03/2026 19:14

RosesAndHellebores · 09/03/2026 15:54

Honestly. I'm sorry but they sound like euphemisms for lady parts. Fanny and minge spring to mind. Absolutely awful.

I'm afraid this was my first thought too.

Fenna also sounds like some kind of daily supplement from fennel root.

I would have thought Minna was a typo for Mina, but I do like Minnie, short for names like Mary and Margaret in Victorian times.

If you go for Fenna, I'd do Fenella on the BC.

What about Nella or Millie? Or even Mila, though that's less my cup of tea; it makes me think of milia, those tiny spots you can't squeeze.

PrincessPig · 09/03/2026 19:06

Hmmm I'm not keen tbh. I agree that they do give off contraceptive pill vibes (to me).

Lots of other short, snappy, uncommon names around though

NamingNoNames · 09/03/2026 19:04

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 09/03/2026 18:48

What silly names

What a silly post.

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 09/03/2026 18:48

What silly names

Comtesse · 09/03/2026 17:47

Minna is ok, not keen on Fenna sorry.

RuthW · 09/03/2026 17:43

Both dreadful. Minna gets her dinner! Reminds me of a slang word for vagina.

Fenna slightly better, but prefer Jenna or Enna.

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