Benny for a girl?

[Yrmyfavourite]

Hello!

32 weeks with DC2 but, don't know what we're having yet and really struggling for names! Already have a little girl called Marley so, as you can tell we like gender neutral names.

I just came across a video of a girl called Benny and I love it. DH not convinced and is making Benny Hill references... 😂 Does anyone have any recommendations for longer names that could be shortened to Benny as a nickname or, similar style names?

Also, any boy name recommendations would be greatly received too!

Thank you 😊

There was a Benjamina on Bake Off a few years ago, I thought it was a lovely name :)

Bethany is great but just make sure your establish that nickname from the start. I named my daughter for the nickname and then she ended up with different nickname from birth (how her 3 year old brother said her name) and she's ended up with that.

No, how about Billie? Love Billie 🥰

Benny is cute for a girl!

I know one short for Benita.

But Bethany, Benilda, Benjamina would all work as full names

Bennie is much nicer than Billie (too close to Willie!)

Me neither. Especially as I don't see (heaven forbid!) boys co opting traditionally female names. That just wouldn't be "cool" at all.

Benjamina and Bernadette are shortened to Benny according to my old Dad

Not true for everyone. I love Sacha and Robin for boys which, in my U.K. experience, are viewed as more feminine despite being gender neutral.

To me there is a big difference between gender neutral names like Danny, Ashley, Alex…. that some people assume are boys but can be girls, and actual boys names like James, Duncan, Anthony…being used by girls.

What about Bernie/Bernadette?

I love Stevie for a girl.

Benny is too crossroads for me.

My son has two Bunnys in his class and I'm not talking rabbits!

Benedicta

There's a French female name, Benjamine. Also Bénédicte.

Sorry but it’s awful. Can you imagine the nicknames as she gets older? Benny means getting drunk in my area so names would go like “benny on it again”, “you up for a benny” “ hen you on the benny”

Also used by some as a derogatory term for somebody who claims benefits.

How about Anni-Frid or Agnetha?!

I also know a little Bunny (a girl named Bunny). I don't mind it.

How about?

Marley and Rowan
Marley and Harry (Harriett)
Marley and Lenny (Leonora)
Marley and Jem (Jemima)
Marley and Franky (Francesca)
Marley and Rory (Aurora)

If by any chance the video you saw of a girl named Benny was a tiktok of the three daughters and their mum dressing like them etc, one of them said in the comments that her real name was Bethany

I don’t like Benny btw.. I like unisex names but this is just too masculine/ older man-esque for my taste, even though it’s just a nickname! But that is just my opinion and with a longer name to fall back on it’s not that bad i suppose

Benna instead maybe?

Definitely not as a stand-alone name. I think the best long form is Benedicta - I taught a very spunky Benedicta once.

Err, no.

I knew a Benedetta who was known as Bene

You must be around my age. This still makes me laugh to this day, I don’t know why 😂

I like Bethany (bit dated though in comparison to Marley) but I expect she’ll get called Beth whether you like it or not.

I knew a Benedetta who was known as Bene

Not B for Benedetta?!

Reminds me of Minnie Driver's character in Circle of Friends. Love that book/film, but it's not a great name for a girl.

Lots of female forms of Benedict in various languages - Benita, Benedikte, Benoîte, Benedetta, Bente/Benthe, Benáta, Benina... none of them very common in English-speaking countries, I don't think.

I think Bethany works, although as others have said it may lead to more familiar short forms like Beth later on.