Fern or Penelope (Nell)?

[Jessesgirl13]

Our little girl is due in a couple of months and we are really struggling to settle on a name for her. Nothing seems to be clicking, but so far we've come up with either:

Fern Alice
or
Penelope 'Nell' Fern

We'd be happy to go with Penny as a nickname but she has a cousin named Poppy and I'm just worried that its a bit too similar. So we'd prob go with Nell. Surname is short and one syllable - think Yates/Jones/Croft etc

Thoughts?

I think Nell is my favourite, but just Nell. I think Penelope is way overrated on here. Fern is nice too but Nell is lovely.

I love both of these names, both on our list!

I think if I had to pick between the two I would pick Fern. Penelope really seems to be growing in popularity lately which would give Fern the edge for me. Love the nickname Nell though!

Penelope would be my preference. I like names that offer multiple shorter names e.g. Penny, Pen, Nell, Elle amongst others. I know a teenaged Penelope who goes by Pip and can see that cousins named Poppy and Pippi who are in the same class at school/who will be brought up together, might feel a bit OTT, Poppy and Penny feels fine to me. Mind you, I've taught identical twins whose names were along the lines of Joanne and Joanna so Poppy and Penny feel quite distinct!

Not helpful but I love them both! Lovely choices!

I really like Fern. What about Eleanor or Helena, nicknamed Nell?

I do know a Penelope who goes by Poppy, in case that's a concern for you (matching her cousin).

I’d go for Fern I think

I love Nell, but I’m not mad about Penelope - and I’d really fear the nickname Penny which I think is deeply drippy..

I’d go for Fenella , nn Nell rather than Penelope .

I'd go for Fearne or Nell

Fearne Alice

Fern Penelope.

I love Fern, Penny is cute. Alice is not so good so I would avoid that.

Nell is beautiful. Not especially keen on Penelope, I prefer it as a nn for Ellen, Eleonora, Eleanor.

Fern is ok and I like plant names, but it’s a harsh sounding name to me.

While I love Nell (and like it as a nn for Helena, Eleanor, Lenora, Ellen etc), I'm not keen Penelope - it has a whiny sound to me, sorry. Therefore I pick Fern!

I love Fern. Penelope not my cup of tea.

Fern is lovely! Penelope has a really unpleasant sound, like poo plopping into a toilet.

I love Nell, but not Penelope. And fern.

I like Fern Penelope.

Penelope

100% Penelope! Great name and great to have a couple of different nn options.

Nell

I prefer Fern. I have always liked the name Fern.

I liked the name Penelope as well, but then I read on here that it has the Spanish word for penis in it. That completely put me off.

Fern is lovely.

Thanks for the input! Sounds like Fern may have the edge.

Totally get people preferring Nell for Eleanor. I actually really like this name but unfortunately we just have too many close friends who have used it for their kids!

Fern Alice 100%

I’d always assume a Nell to be Eleanor or Helen, but ... Nellie the elephant ...

Absolutely not Fern Croft, mind ... I used to live near a house called that. Maybe something like Melody to get the sounds of the name without ‘Penny’.

@TitInATrance

Absolutely not Fern Croft, mind ... I used to live near a house called that. Maybe something like Melody to get the sounds of the name without ‘Penny’.

Croft isn't our actual surname. We have a short and quite unique name that would be too outing to put on here