A classic girls name that can be shortened

[ohfook]

Our daughter is called Penelope but now she's older prefers to be called Penny.

I'm pregnant with another girl and would like to do the same again. Give her a classic name with an option of shortening it if they'd prefer (pretty sure dd has shortened hers because it's less hassle to write on the back of worksheets in school.)

My favourite it Elizabeth/Lizzie but dh absolutely hates that name so it's off the table.

Does anyone have any ideas for other similar names?

I do also really like Esther but I'm not sure what that shortens to and also have a sneaking suspicion I might be pronouncing it wrong.

Catherine
Philippa
Lucinda
Deborah
Meredith
Caroline
Eleanor
Emmeline
Constance
Rosalind

Fenella, Tamsin, Emerald.

Loretta - Lottie

Genevieve- genny
Caroline - caro
Lucinda - lucy
Josephine - josie
Beatrice- bea

Love Constance!

I'd consider sticking with Greek mythological names if you already have a Penelope:

Diana
Phoebe
Aurora
Cassandra
Calliope
Athena
Thalia
Hesta (rather than Esther)
Daphne
Olympia
and so many more - google

Just a thought on shortening…it’s much easier for kids if the shortening is the same initial as their ‘proper’ name.

Otherwise when the initial is used no one knows who they are! Not my kid but a friend who was a Beth for short from Elizabeth. Caused no end of confusion at school as she wanted to be B but on the roll was E.

Agatha - Aggie, Tag, Taggie
Alison - Ali, Aly
Lillith - Lily
Katherine - Kate, Kathy
Adele - Del, Dellie
Belinda - Bell, Linnie
Margaret- Maggie, Mags

Sarah - Sally

@ohfook I have a Penelope too! She has a sister called Florence - that I haven't shortened. I'm also pregnant again and if it's a girl we like Harriet and Harri for short 😊 happy to share as we seem to like the same kind of names!

@Nillynally I have a Penelope and a Florence. 😊 they get complimented a lot for their names. They are lovely xx

So lovely to see Penelope coming back , I was born in the sixties and it was very popular then, we had three in our year , Penny, Pepe, and Nell.

We have a short surname so on our list was only long names with options of nn the were

Felicity (Fliss or Flick) was the eventual name for DD
Clarissa (Clarrie)
Annalise (Annie)
Cecilia (Cece)
Meredith (Merry)

Alexandra - Lexi, Alex (gender non specific and therefore very useful for CVs etc)

Constance to Connie and Cecilia to Ceci.

Esther can be Essie

Constance would also work with penelope

Harriet to Hattie or Henrietta to Hetty.

Abigail
Alexandra
Amelia
Beatrice
Cassandra
Catherine
Charlotte
Cecelia
Dorothea
Eleanor
Florence
Georgina
Harriet
Henrietta
Olivia
Lilieth
Margaret
Rebecca
Rosalind

Ariadne

The Esther that I know goes by Essie!

• Madeleine/Maddie
• Evelyn/Evie
• Francesca/Fran/Franny/Frankie/Frances
• Harriet/Hattie

Alexandra - Alex, lexi

Caroline - Carrie
Genevieve - Gen or Evie
Rebecca - Beck, Beckah, Becky

Diana - di
Persephone - seffy/ Percy
Verity - very
Henrietta - hen
Charlotte - lottie / Charlie
Matilda - Tilly
Fiona - fi
Otheila - oti
Antonia
Harriet - Hattie / harri

I went to school with a girl called Thalia which is pretty.

Tabitha- Tabby
Suzzanna- suzi
Tamsin - Tammy
Stephanie - Steph or Stevie
Lucinda - Lu
Louisa - Lu
Rebecca - Becca
Joanna- jo
Josephine - Joss or Jossie
Jocelyn - Joss
Julia - Jules
Megan- Meg
Eleanor- Ellie

I have a Jessica / Jess / Jessie, for the same reason. Never regretted the choice for a moment. Quite the opposite in fact.

Phillipa - pippa 😊