Calling all Penelopes

[Blueberrywitch]

If your name or your DDs name is Penelope, what are you called day to day? Are you all Penny or Nel? I really love the name Penelope but not totally sold on the nicknames. Does anyone remain a Penelope?

Nice enough name but based on my mother's experience it doesn't travel well. Only the Brits, the Americans, the Spanish (because Penelope Cruz is so famous) and of course the Greeks can pronounce it. Everybody else, including loads of people living in the UK who grew up elsewhere, massacre it.

See also: Hermione, Persephone.

We have a Penelope. She is Penny or Pen (or pickle) most of the time, Penelope is only said loudly to get her attention Her older sister calls her 'pen-ee-lope' said phonetically. It's stuck.

I love the name Penelope
I'd use Pen for short

DD is Penelope. Known by friends and family and Nellie.

DD is Penny and has another Penny in her class so at school they both go by "Penny last Initial".
Sometimes she prefers Penelope but usually only for formal occasions.

I knew a couple of Penelopes at school, both younger than me but both must be pushing 50 now. One was always called Penny (and seemed to like it), the other was mostly called Penelope, and hated Penny (and was quite outspoken about it if anyone did call her that). There was also one "just" Penny, and inevitably people occasionally called her Penelope! I've never met a Nell short for Penelope (in fact I've never met a Nell short for anything!) and I've never met a Penelope very much younger than me. I do quite like it though, and I firmly believe that you can nip any short form in the bud if you are firm and consistent about it, but I also believe you should allow your child to overrule you on that if they later decide for themself that they want to use a short form.

Thanks for all your responses! Very interesting to hear that some remain Penelope but I do see your point @toastofthetown ! I really like the idea of Poppy as a nn, maybe I can really “make Poppy happen” before Penny takes hold. The shorter Pen is also nice. Nothing against Penny at all to all the Pennys out there, it’s just such a different sound to the full Penelope - I think I like it for the “nelopy” part of the sound, which is maybe why Poppy appeals more.

I myself have a 3 syllable name and a nn has never taken on so it can be done!

I like Penelope and love the nicknames Pen and Nellie