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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Too old-fashioned?

61 replies

phoenixrose314 · 13/07/2012 18:22

Feeling really upset... wanted to call my baby Penny if it's a girl, after my favourite nan who passed away right before I met my hubby. She was an amazing woman who raised me for the first five years of my life, and she meant the world to me. I love the name, especially on a cute little girl, but when I mentioned potential names a while back (before I was preggers) to my friends, more than one of them pulled a face and said that they hoped for the baby's sake I went with one of the other options...

What do you think? Should I just go with my gut feeling that I love the name Penny, or should I listen to my friends and think of some more options? Is it really too old-fashioned to be given to a little baby?

OP posts:

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DontmindifIdo · 13/07/2012 19:11

Oh yes, never tell a name until you've had the baby and announcing the 'done deal' - someone will have a negative opinion, for most 'traditional' names there'll be someone who's met someone with that name who they didn't like/was a bit odd, for every 'new' name there'll be someone who thinks it's 'cruel' to give a child a 'made up name'...

kerala · 13/07/2012 19:13

Love names like this - i.e. proper names but for some reason not widely used. She will stand out amongst all the Sophies/Olivias/Isabellas.

Oh and don't tell ANYONE names before the baby is born no good ever comes of it!

marshmallowpies · 13/07/2012 19:14

I love Penny & Penelope too! I similarly love Peggy because it was my granny's name, but didn't use it for DD as I'd want to use the full name (Margaret) as her proper name & Peggy as the nn, but Margaret doesn't go with our surname.

My mum thought I should just call her Peggy and not worry about Margaret- but I like long names that can be shortened rather than short names. Go for Penny if you like it though!

ZenNudist · 13/07/2012 19:14

People who feel they can disparage your name choices as it's not 'final' yet. What kind of 'friend's' are these?

I had a joke name for ds when he was still a bump. More than once when I referred to him by this name a friend's face would freeze and they'd make discrete enquiries to find out if I was serious (& this was for an 'out there' name). It's not like you've chosen a bad name and you also have a lovely choice of namesake. I too think Penelope nn Penny. Was your gran christened Penny?

If you do insist on telling so called friends who are then rude about your name choice I would call them on it. "did you mean that to sound so rude/ hurtful?" is a good phrase.

WithACherryOnTop · 13/07/2012 19:21

Penny is beautiful,and it has meaning for you.I'd definitely stick with it.

kerala · 13/07/2012 19:22

Oooh Peggy love that too.

Abra1d · 13/07/2012 19:23

Penelope nn Penny is gorgeous! Go for it.

insanityscratching · 13/07/2012 19:27

Love Penny for a name it was on my shortlist for dd. I don't think it's old fashioned at all very classy if you ask me.

Viviennemary · 13/07/2012 20:41

I like Penny. But don't like shortforms of names used on birth certificates. . And would call Penelope and Penny as usual name. This is a personal preference. And everyone is entitled to their own choice.

Original poster

phoenixrose314 · 13/07/2012 21:04

You're all so so so lovely!!!

I was going to put Penelope on the BC, but in my mind she is already Penny... and to those who said not to mention it beforehand, this was about two years ago when a few drunken friends and I were just speculating what the future generation might be like! Now it's all really happening, and that particular conversation just returned to haunt me....

Thanks for reassuring me. I knew I should just go with my instincts!!

OP posts:

jaffacakehips · 13/07/2012 21:08

Tell you friends to feck off

Penny is a lovely lovely name, and give the reason I think it's just the sweetest thing you could do. My DD is name after a dear family member and I love her name even more because of it.

MammaTonic · 13/07/2012 21:11

Ha! Find new friends! Penelope and/or Penny is 100% totally gorgeous and not old-fashioned at all.

I prefer to say 'classic'.

Selks · 13/07/2012 21:11

Penny is a lovely sweet name (without being overly sweet)

Not so keen on Penelope. If Penny is your choice, go with that.

MrsBranestawm · 13/07/2012 21:17

Put Penelope on BC and use Penny as nn. It's a lovely name imo. There's one in my family. Not too popular but not too weird either.

RIZZ0 · 13/07/2012 21:18

Penny is very sweet! She will become her name and you won't look back.

People made a few faces about my daughter's old fashioned name and didn't think it was pretty enough, but we stuck to our guns and now get lots of compliments on it.

CecilyP · 13/07/2012 21:50

I don't think it can be too old-fashioned because it has never been particularly in fashion. Penelope was probably a bit more popular in the 1950s, but it was never all that common, so you can't really put an age to anyone called Penny or Penelope, so if you like it, go for it.

PebblePots · 13/07/2012 22:04

Go for what you love & means something to you. I love penny. You won't regret it but might regret not choosing it.

SLVC · 14/07/2012 02:19

It's a fab name. Penelope is cool, Penny is cute, and most importantly you have a wonderful reason for naming her. Lovely.

NadiaWadia · 14/07/2012 02:25

Lynette's young daughter on 'Desperate Housewives' was Penny, wasn't she?

Nothing wrong with it, it's a cute name and Penelope seems to be back in fashion anyway. Your friends need to keep up (and butt out!)

LilQueenie · 14/07/2012 02:35

I really like it. Lots of people told me they thought our chosen name was stupid...we did it anyway as it meant so much.

CecilyP · 14/07/2012 10:37

OP, I think your friends' reaction must have been quite strange. All the posts on this thread have been very positive about the name.

MrsHuxtable · 14/07/2012 11:31

It's a lovely name and made special to you by the meaning you attach to it.
And even if it was old-fashioned, so what?
We used a name for DD that a lot of people in my home country consider old-fasioned and pulled their nose up at. It caused a massive argument between me and my mum but we used the name anyway. It was what we wanted and now DD is here, noone cares, it's just her name and that's that.

Go for it!

3boysgirlontheway · 14/07/2012 11:48

I know a 12 day old Penny, it's a beautiful name.

Original poster

phoenixrose314 · 14/07/2012 20:18

In defence of the main friend who made the offending comment, she is extremely autistic and doesn't exactly get the social convention of lying to appease a friend's feelings!!

OP posts:

NoComet · 14/07/2012 20:33

Penny is a lovely name.

the only Penny I know is 47 ish.

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