Queenie

[erinscupcake]

I heard this one the other day and quite liked it. What is it short for other than Elizabeth? I read somewhere it can be short for Gwendolyn.

Also do you know any called Queenie, as in that's their real name?

I like it. My great Grandmas neighbours were sisters called Queenie and Pearl.

It's very popular name here in Hong Kong, where English names are often chosen by Chinese children when at kindergarten; I think the teachers have a lot to answer for. I was working with a very impressive young barrister called Queenie just the other day.

Other names that would be retro in the UK but are wildly popular in Hong Kong amongst women aged 18-30:

Mabel
Fanny
Ethel
Joyce
Cynthia

Ah yes Zing

Queenie is not short for Elizabeth. it's a name derived from the Old English word "cwen" which means woman

that makes perfect sense as I have been watching Borgen and noticed that the Danish word for woman sounded something like "kveen", which struck a chord with me becuase I knew that in Doric (Aberdeen dialect) they call girls "quines". Fascinating!

It sounds like a MN username

I can imagine a tiny girl and a very old woman called Queenie but not a 45 year old who runs a department, has a husband, kids and a mortgage. I can't imagine a Queenie who can drive.

I think it's lovely: cute a strong at the same time.

As Jessie says, Queenie comes from 'cwen' , an Anglo-Saxon word for woman.
So it means 'Little Woman' or 'Missie' or 'Girlie' or something similar. The 'ie' ending is a diminutive, meaning something lesser or smaller or less important.

Your baby, your choice of name, absolutely, but it's not a name I'd particularly like to have.

My Grandma (92) is Queenie. I believe it is her actual real name, not a nickname. I like it but agree it could be difficult to revive. I'd be keen to use it as a middle name but I'm not sure my husband would go for it.

Naming after relatives is all very well but there are limits. My adored gm had a hideous name. She would have been horrified if any of us had used it!