A friend used our name!!!! HELP

[Sparkle880]

Okay I really need help with this, my husband and I are due DC2 (although we don’t yet know gender I have an inclining it could be a girl). We have been set on the name Penelope for years and both LOVE it. However one of my friends (not a close friend) has just announced the birth of her daughter and has used that name! While we have few friends in common we live locally and it’s likely we would both send our kids to the same school, one of the reasons I loved the name is because of how original I feel it is. I need advise please and names similar to Penelope as other options (so far I quite like Summer, Enya and Alyssia). Thanks

Persephone? Pippa? Penny

Pippa
Poppy
Polly(anna)
Posy

Good strong names with a Penny vibe, to me at least!

I think she did you a favor, did she know you liked the name?

If you love Penelope, use it.

It's not original. In 2018 (latest data available I think) it was the 48th most popular name and is on the up.

I like Summer from your other names.

Other options:

Felicity
Imogen
Phoebe
Esmee
Charlotte

Philippa, or as a pp said, Felicity.

Such a shame, Penelope is gorgeous.

I would just use it OP, Penelope isn't that unusual, I think there would be more than one at your child's school anyway!

I think stick with Penelope as she's not a close friend and you have few friends in common (and you may not have a girl of course)

Remember you have a 50% chance of this not being an issue

And I say this as someone who was SHOCKED when my baby was born as I was so sure I knew what I was having (but decided not to find out).

Explore other options but if you like the name, go with it. There are multiple nicknames so they may end up being quite different anyway.

Just use Penelope. No one sensible will care.

To me, Penelope and the other names you've listed are really different.

Names in a similar style to Penelope to me would be: Eleanor, Josephine, Margaret, Caroline, Beatrice, Matilda, Philippa.

Names similar to Summer and Alyssia:
Amber, Jasmine, Ruby, Sky.

Names similar to Enya:
Una, Aoife, Isla, Orla.

I'd use it. You're not close friends and the child may not end up in the same school.
If they are in the same school/class it doesn't really matter does it?

Just use the name if you have a little girl & still like it, nothing strange about doing that.

Another suggestion to add to those pp have already mentioned - Philomel. It's a name from Greek mythology. Very pretty I think.

She won't be at school for the majority of her life. They may move, you may move. So don't base it on the other couple's choice. It's not a very common name with anyone I know,so wouldn't be lots of them in general I think. It's gorgeous and I love it!

I would still use it

I have 1 sister and 7 cousins with the same name (all named after my granny)

Just use Penelope! You name a child for for life; it would be daft to change it just to avoid a possible clash that may or may not happen for a couple of years at school.

Parthenope
Apollonia
Phoebe
Petronella

There are 3 Amelies in my DD's class. Single form entry. There are also two Freddies. At preschool my son was called Firstname-Surname so consistently, because there was another child with the same name already there, that other parents thought we had named him (not his name, but similar idea) Robbie-John - all the kids and teachers called him that without hesitation.

Call her what you love. There will always be other kids with the same names. We called our children names that hovered around the 50th most popular for the 2 years before they were born, because we wanted classic but not the same name as every other kid in their school classes. Lo and behold, those names rocketed up the charts shortly afterwards, because that's what every parent wants. We're all a product of our generational likes and dislikes, after all, names being no exception. If two of you are liking Penelope, so will lots of other people. If you love it, go for it. They could move away by the time both kids are school age, and so could you.

Just go with Penelope... what if you decide on Summer and someone else does too and both Summers end up at the same school?

Honestly I loved Penelope (penny) too and it was on my list, but when I realised how popular it is now I thought do I want my child to be one of those kids who has three other penny's in the same name? (I went through this with a popular name) things aren't always meant to be and this was your sign, I'd pick a few names I genuinely love and then decide when the baby is born. Did your friend know that was your name or an honest coincidence? Also I love some of the names above, specifically pippa!

In the same class? *

Thank you so much for your replies, no my friend had no idea it was at the top of our list, and I am considering still using it as I really do love it so much and no other name feels ‘right’ but I just don’t want her to think I have ‘stolen’ it. It’s taken the shine off a bit especially as there is a big chance we will end up in the same mother and baby classes etc! I will search around for other names I like I just have a feeling nothing else will fit xx

Interestingly, I know a few pregnant women atm and nearly all of them have Penelope as their top girl choice! And one had her friend use it before she could too. I think it's becoming a lot more popular.

If you have wanted the name for years, use it. You can explain that to your friend if you think it necessary.

Otherwise choose another couple of names you like (but without the pressure in your mind of them being the name) and see which one she looks/feels like when she arrives (if she's a girl).

Penelope is pretty common nowadays.
Lovely name though!

Penelope is very different to your other names.
Cassandra - Cassie
Constance -Connie
Jennifer -Jenny