Is this an awful nickname?

[ClareBell08]

Hi all :)

Sorry for my second post of the day. I have just got back from lunch with my sister and would love some thoughts!

So I posted earlier about my final 2 names selected for DD. DH and I think it will be a case of looking at her and seeing what fits. One of the names is Helena. My sister knows that I definitely want a name that can be shortened or turned into cute nicknames. Both her, my other sister and my brother all have names that can be shortened etc and I was always jealous when I was little! The most I ever got was Clarebear!

Anyway she asked what I would shorten Helena to and said that Heli was awful (apparently sounds like "smelly"?) I think though that with NN's they sort of just "happen" and develop but my DH and I have already discussed using Leni as a possible nn which I think is really cute! As soon as I mentioned it, sister blurts out "oh god no you can't call a little girl Leni that's awful!!" She said it's too "boyish" and "old man-y" To me though it's no different than Ronnie, Kenny (I know a little Kendra who gets Kenny) Billie, Bobby, Dani (not that we see many Danielle's these days but you get the point!)...what do you all think? Is Leni truly awful?

Leni is a real girls name, it was my chosen name if ds had been a girl there were 17 Leni's registered in 2012.
I love it.

I think Leni is lovely! Said either as Lenny or Laney. WhoaAteAllTheCremeEggs can I ask how you pronounce the name? I think I've found a new favourite name thanks to this thread!

Pronounced Laynee but we were well prepared for people to call her Lenny and we loved both.
Was also considering just calling her Lenny to pronounce it that way I'm not worried if a name is a 'proper name' as long as it sounds nice and belongs to dc IYKWIM, like my ds really owns hes name he doesn't seem like any other name would fit. I think most children grow into their names.

Leni and Nell are both so lovely it makes me want to change my own name to Helena!!

I'm a Helen, no a on the end. My parents occasionally call me Nell/Nelly and my sister calls me Len (weirdly she only started doing this as a teenager, it's not been a lifelong thing). I HATE Hel/Hels and actively discourage this wherever possible, so most people just use my real name. If you are going to shorten it I think Leni is ok.

Know a couple of Helenas and neither are ever called Heli. Both are called Helena no nn's

Leni is a cute nn.

I love Nell and Nellie but I like Leni too, I just prefer the old lady sound best.